Constitution Day Resources
A provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal 2005 requires that “each educational institution that receives federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution.”
Neither the legislation nor U.S. Department of Education guidance specifies any details about the contents of the required Constitution Day educational program.
To assist postsecondary institutions in complying with this requirement, USA Funds® has assembled the following list of select resources that schools may use to fashion a Constitution Day educational program.
Campus Programs
To help you generate ideas for a Constitution Day program on your campus, we offer a sample of plans and past and upcoming programs from a select group of postsecondary institutions.
If your institution has a Web page that describes past or planned Constitution Day activities and would like to share them, send us an e-mail to contact@usafunds.org.
DVDs, Videocassette Tapes
C-SPAN, the cable television, public affairs network, offers for purchase copies of archived programs. Among the relevant programs for Constitution Day are the following:
Online Video on Demand
Annenberg Media offers a video instructional series “The Constitution: That Delicate Balance,” available as free on-demand online streaming video or for purchase on videocassette or DVD with related print materials. The series features 13 one-hour programs.
Publications
The Center for Civic Education offers for purchase “American Legacy: The United States Constitution and Other Essential Documents of American Democracy.” This 80-page pocket-sized booklet is available at a cost of $1.75 per copy for quantities of 101 or more.
Web Resources
The National Constitution Center offers an Internet portal with links to a variety of Constitution Day resources.
The National Constitution Center also provides an online, Interactive Constitution.
The National Archives provides an interactive, online feature about the Constitution, as well as biographical sketches of the 39 signers of the Constitution.
Constitution Day offers resources in its gift shop.
The Library of Congress offers online lesson plans for debating the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Note that the above list highlights potential resources for postsecondary institutions and does not represent USA Funds’ endorsement of the contents or sponsors of the programs listed.