Picture Book Exploration: Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution
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Today is an exciting anniversary for our country: that of its most fundamental document. In 1787, shortly after the end of the Revolutionary and its births the United States of America celebrated the signing of its Constitution. And every September 17th we celebrate this great document. The Constitution is the foundation of what makes this great country of ours so special and unique. Learning all about how it came to be and what it actually is is not only something we should look forward to but it is also our duty as citizens.
The picture book
I have found that this lovely little book is a wonderful first introduction to the Constitution: Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution, by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Tomie dePaola. (And it’s illustrated by Tomie dePaola, win-win, lol!). Jean Fritz writes with flair and simplicity about subjects that are not always easy for young readers to grasp. Her sense of humor also transpires throughout her writing. She wrote about many of our Founding Fathers bringing these obscure characters to life. Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution is one of her better known historical picture book. Tomie dePaola’s illustrations bring out all the whimsical aspects of Jean Fritz’s writing with a touch of nostalgia in an Americana style that reminds me of his book An Early American Christmas. This book is one of the best living books I have read to introduce children and teens to the Constitution.
The importance of the knowledge of the Constitution
The importance of the knowledge of the Constitution
We all have a duty to know our constitution and its amendments as it is the foundation of the laws and functioning of our country. As an immigrant, when it came time to apply for my citizenship, I had to read the entirety of the Constitution and its amendments. I found it fascinating, and boring as it is not an easy document to read. But it opened my eyes to what I was engaging myself to by becoming a US citizen and what the true foundation of my new nation was. After this interesting experience I have made sure that my children have a solid foundation in understanding how blessed they are to live in this country. All children should be mandated to follow the course of study I had to follow to become a US citizen at bare minimum before they reach the age of 18.
Let’s explore this picture book and the Constitution with some fun activities.
Historical Figures
So many of our Founding Fathers partook in the writing of the Constitution, it would be difficult to identify each of them individually. Pick one of the writers and signers of the Constitution and research his life and write a short essay to introduce him to your family. Two wonderful books to have on hand for this would be The Signers by Dennis B. Fradin and The Founders By Dennis Fradin. Both books are beautifully illustrated with black and white wood engravings by Michael McCurdy
Book of Century
This is one of my favorite educational tools: The Book of Century. The short version is that it allows each person (yes, I have one as well) to personalize her own version of history, while sticking to the truth. It also allows for each person to really absorb where each person and event stands in history as they create this timeline. The long version, and a tutorial, are here. Enter the signature of the Constitution in your Book of Century.
Government
In a Charlotte Mason education the narration is a most essential part of learning. Encourage your student to write a short paragraph on what they have learned about the Constitution. They could also narrate it orally. I provide inetresting and fun narration prompts here.
High schoolers
As I mentioned above all children should be required to read the Constitution at least once before they turn 18. High schoolers, especially, should be able to communicate clearly and thoughtfully about this document. I would like to encourage high schoolers to write an essay on the importance of the Constitution and its uniqueness. This could take the form of journaling about the Constitution as it is being read. This essay should qualify as part of a high school credit for civic study and be excellently written. You will find a presentation guideline checklist in the Storybook Nook.
Recipe
Our ancestors knew how to entertain and have fun! They had few occasions for delicacies but a colonial Syllabub was a sweet treat in all 13 colonies. Usually made with wine or cider, scroll down to the third recipe for a kid friendly version. And enjoy it!
I hope you had a wonderful time exploring Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution, by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Tomie dePaola and our Constitution. If you would like to explore more picture books, join one of our Booklist Membership or visit the Storybook Nook (Contains the last 9 FREE Picture Book Explorations) or the Shop (Contains all past Picture Book Exploration).
Keep on exploring through picture books!
Love,
Mattie
