If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution

Author: Elizabeth Levy

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Published: August 30, 2016

Brief Description

 This book explores the creation of the constitution during the summer of 1787. The story introduces the key delegates and further discovers what was going on. Aspects like why the constitution is called a miracle, the first big argument, and what was missing from the constitution are all explained as if you were there.

This book is a good choice for my unit plan on mental and emotional well-being in the fifth grade because it incorporates people from a different time era, who exemplify various actions and emotions that are still prevalent or relatable to present time. With this book, students would be able to correlate how emotional health, decision-making, and influences from other aspects of life not only impact people, but history.

Integration into Core Curriculum

 During the fourth and fifth grade, students begin and continue to study American history. This book would be a great way to begin studying the constitution, as it correlates with the common core state standards. Upon reading this book, I would stop at given points (as it is eighty pages long) and have students complete a link activity that dealt with the NHES standards below. By reading this book aloud, I would be integrating health into history, literacy, and art. An example of a link activity would to explore what it would feel like to be one of the delegates and/or the people of that time. Students could re-enact scenes, portraying the emotions and decision-related situations through acting. Students could also dive into writing about factors that effects the behavior of the people during that time.

Expert from the book (below)

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
  • Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.2
  • Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4
  • Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
• Anchor 1: Performance Standard (TH:Cr1.1.5) a.
  • Identify physical qualities that might reveal a character’s inner traits in the imagined world of a drama/theatre work.

NHES Standards

• NHES 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on human behaviors.
• NHES 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
  • MEH5.5.1 Identify situations that need a decision related to mental and emotional health (e.g., dealing with interpersonal conflict, managing emotional stress).