Constitution Day
Readers’ Theater Script
A Script for 26 readers
By Deb Hanson © 2013
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Deb-Hanson
Characters
Teacher
Madeline
Mary
Lucas
Garrett
Stephanie
Peter
Tony
Lizabeth
Tara
Andrew
Alex
Jordan
Bella
Connor
Tonya
Lacey
Gabi
Tate
Zach
Tiffani
Sam
Karie
Matthew
Jason
Brett
Teacher:
Good morning Students! Happy Constitution Day to all of you! Are all the groups ready
to give their presentations?
Madeline:
As ready as we’ll ever be.
Teacher:
Glad to hear it! Let’s get started! When I call on your group, I want you all to go to the
front of the classroom to give your presentation. First up is the group assigned to
research and present on the history of how the Constitution came to be written.
(Mary, Lucas, Garrett, and Stephanie stand up and go to the front of the class.)
Mary:
The Constitution was written in 1787. At that time, the United States was a brand new
country, made up of only 13 states. It was clear to the leaders of this new country that
rules and laws needed to be established so the country would run smoothly and fairly.
Lucas:
From May to September 1787, a group of men called Framers met in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. They took turns presenting their ideas and convincing the other men why
certain things should or should not be included in the government they were trying to
create.
Stephanie:
Did you notice that Lucas said “men”? That’s right. No women were involved in this
process. At this time in American history, women were not allowed to be involved in
anything like this. These rights were only given to white men.
Garrett:
Anyway, once the Framers came to a basic agreement on how the country should run,
the Constitution was written. It was adopted on September 17, 1787 - and then sent to
each state for approval. All thirteen states eventually agreed to – or ratified – the
Constitution.
Teacher:
Great job! Okay, let’s move on to the group covering the Amendment Process.
(Madeline, Tara, and Peter stand up and go to the front of the class, as Mary, Lucas, Garrett, and
Stephanie return to their desks.)
Madeline:
Our group thinks that the Framers of the Constitution were pretty wise. They actually
recognized at that time that what they had written and adopted was probably not
perfect. They built in a process so that changes could be made to the Constitution.
Peter:
They didn’t want it to be impossible to make changes, but they also wanted to make sure
that it wasn’t too easy to make changes to it. What they came up with was an amendment
process – or a method for changing or adding to the Constitution.
Tara:
One of the first amendments made to the Constitution was to include a Bill of Rights.
When the original Constitution was sent to the individual states for approval, one of the
biggest complaints made was that there was not a bill of rights – or a list of rights that
belong to all citizens of the country. The Framers of the Constitution didn’t think this
was necessary, but because so many people wanted it, the Bill of Rights was added
through the amendment process.
Teacher:
You are exactly right! This is a great transition to the group covering the Bill of Rights.
(Andrew, Alex, Jordan, Bella, and Connor stand up and go to the front of the class, as Madeline, Tara,
and Peter return to their desks.)
Andrew:
The first 10 amendments in the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. Our group is
going to explain each of those amendments in “kid-terms”.
Alex:
The First Amendment says that the government cannot make
a law that limits the freedom each person has to practice
their religion, to speak freely – even if the government does
not agree with what they are saying, and to get together in
groups. The First Amendment also gives people the right
to ask the government to change things they don’t like.
Jordan:
The Second Amendment says that the government cannot keep law-abiding people from
having guns, since it’s important to keep peace.
Bella:
The Third Amendment says that people cannot be forced to let soldiers stay in their
homes during times of peace. In time of war, certain laws must be followed in order to
do so.
Connor:
The Fourth Amendment says people have the right to be safe in their houses, and should
not have their property searched or taken without just cause – or a good reason. If the
government feels there is good reason, they must have a search warrant that states
exactly what they are looking for and where they can search.
Andrew:
The Fifth Amendment deals with a person’s rights when being charged with a crime. A
person cannot be charged with a crime unless the charges have been brought by a
grand jury. A person can’t be charged with the same crime twice, and does not have to
testify against himself or herself. The Fifth Amendment also states that people must be
treated fairly by the law, and must receive money if the government takes a person’s
property.
Alex:
The Sixth Amendment also deals with a person’s rights when being charged with a crime.
A person has a right to a quick and public trial, a fair jury, and a lawyer to help present
his or her case. A person also has a right to be told what he or she is being charged
with and to face those who are saying that he or she broke the law.
Jordan:
The Seventh Amendment says that when one person sues another, and the amount of
money involved is more than 20 dollars, the case can be presented to a jury, and the
decision made is final.
Bella:
The Eighth Amendment says that excessive – or expensive without good reason – bail or
fines cannot be given. This is also the amendment that says that cruel or unusual
punishment isn’t allowed.
Connor:
The Ninth Amendment is pretty simple. It just states that people have other rights not
specifically stated in the Constitution.
Jordan:
The Tenth Amendment - and final amendment included to the Bill of Rights - says that
powers not given to the national government ARE given to the individual states. In other
words, if something is not covered in the Constitution, it’s left up to each state to decide
– or to add to the Constitution in the future.
Teacher:
You five did a superb job of explaining the Bill of Rights! Let’s go over some of the
other amendments that have had a significant impact to millions of people over these
last 200-plus years. Let’s hear from the group covering the amendments that did away
with slavery.
(Tonya, Tate, and Zach stand up and go to the front of the class, as Andrew, Alex, Jordan, Bella, and
Connor return to their desks.)
Tonya:
In 1787, when the Constitution was originally written, slavery was both common and legal.
Most black people living in America were slaves. As time went on, however, many
people began to feel that slavery was wrong; that no human being should be owned by
another person.
Tate:
However, slavery was an important way of life to white people living in the southern
states. Without slaves, who would maintain the plantations and farmland that those in the
South depended on for their livelihood?
Zach:
Most of the Southern States felt that it should be left to each state to decide whether
slavery should be legal or illegal– that the United States government should stay out of it.
This was a key argument leading up to the Civil War.
Tonya:
Those of us in Mr. Williams class last year – and probably everyone else, too – know
that the North won the Civil War, and with that, slavery ended. It was at the end of the
Civil War that the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were added to the Constitution. These
three amendments are also known as the Reconstruction Amendments.
Tate:
The 13th Amendment made slavery illegal. The 14th
Amendment says that every person born in the United
States is a full citizen – even former slaves.
Zach:
The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote,
as it states that a person cannot be denied the right to vote because
of his race or skin color.
Teacher:
Excellent! You all have done such a great job with this project! Zach, I was happy to
hear you state that African American MEN were given the right to vote with the 15th
Amendment. It’s the perfect transition to our next group. Who is going to tell us about the
amendment that gave women the right to vote?
(Tiffani and Sam stand up and go to the front of the class, as Tonya, Tate, and Zach return to their desks.)
Tiffani:
In 1787 when the Constitution was written, women had no role in government. Their role
in society was simply to take care of their husbands and children. We cannot really
imagine this today, but it was the way of life back then.
Sam:
Think about it. Without the right to vote, men really didn’t care what women thought
about issues. Men in government didn’t need to listen to women, as they had no voting
power to cause any change, anyway. Even though the thought of women without equal
rights as men makes no sense to us today, when you stop to think about it, it becomes
much easier to see why women were not granted the right to vote until 1920.
Tiffani:
Yes, when women were given the right to vote in 1920, men in government had no choice
but to listen to the issues important to women. If they didn’t, they risked not being
elected back to office.
Sam:
The Nineteenth Amendment was officially ratified – or agreed to - on August 18, 1920. It
states that no person shall be denied the right to vote on the basis of gender.
Teacher:
Thank you Tiffani and Sam. Okay, let’s move on to the groups covering the three
branches of government that was set forth in the Constitution. Let’s hear from the
group covering the legislative branch.
(Karie, Matthew, Jason, and Lizabeth stand up and go to the front of the
class, as Tiffani and Sam return to their desks.)
Karie:
Simply put, the legislative branch makes laws.
Matthew:
The men and women elected to the legislative branch are, as a group, called Congress.
Jason:
Congress is divided into two houses – or parts. One house is called the House of
Representatives and the other house is called the Senate.
Lizabeth:
Perhaps you are wondering why Congress is divided like that – why not have just one
single Congress? Wouldn’t things be a lot easier that way? Well, I think this is pretty
interesting. The two-house legislature plan is also known as the Great Compromise.
Karie:
Back in 1787 when the Constitution was first being developed, there was a pretty big
argument on the number of representatives each state should be allowed. The larger
states felt that the number should be based on each state’s population. However, the
smaller states wanted their voice to be heard equally, and felt that each state having the
same number of representatives was the way to go.
Matthew:
The Great Compromise balanced these opposing wishes. The House of Representatives
would be based on a state’s population, while the Senate would have two representatives
per state regardless of its population. Today, then there are 100 senators (2 from each
of the 50 states) and 435 representatives.
Jason:
California has the most representatives, with 53; followed by Texas, with 36. And believe
it or not, there is currently a seven way tie for the state with the least representatives!
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming all have
just one!
Lizabeth:
There’s one other important fact to know about the legislative branch. In order to pass
a law, BOTH houses – the House of Representatives and the Senate – must agree to the
exact same law. A new law cannot pass without agreement from both houses.
Teacher:
Great job; you presented us with some very interesting facts! My notes tell me that we
have but one final group. Let’s hear it for the group covering the executive and judicial
branches!
(Tony, Lacey, Brett and Gabi stand up and go to the front of the class, as Karie, Matthew, Jason, and
Lizabeth return to their desks.)
Tony:
The executive branch is headed by the President of the United States. The main role of
the executive branch is to make sure laws are carried out.
Lacey:
The last group talked about how the legislative branch makes laws. Well, before a law
that has been passed in Congress becomes a real law, the President must agree to it.
The President has the ability to veto – or reject – a law if he or she wishes.
Brett:
If the president vetoes a law, it automatically goes back to Congress. Congress can then
“override” that veto with two-thirds approval by both houses. This is an example of the
“checks and balance” system that has been built into the Constitution. It helps protect
against any ONE branch of our government becoming too powerful.
Gabi:
The third branch of government is the judicial branch. It includes the Supreme Court,
as well as all the federal courts leading up to the Supreme Court. The role of the
judicial branch is to interpret the law.
Tony:
Sometimes the judicial branch determines that
a law is unconstitutional – or not in line
with - what has been stated in the Constitution.
Lacey:
The judicial branch also plays an important role in
protecting people’s rights. The Bill of Rights includes
a number of individual rights granted to people to make sure they are
not punished for a crime unjustly. The judicial branch of government is set up with an
appeals system where people can take their case to a higher court for review.
Brett:
The last court a person can appeal to is the U.S. Supreme Court. They have the final say
on a matter.
Teacher:
And that’s our final say on this matter! There’s so much to learn about the Constitution.
You all did a super job with the assignment you were given! You will learn much more
about this when you are in high school, but hopefully you have learned something today
that will be of use to you when watching a news report on television or hearing about an
upcoming election. I’ve got one final task for you. When you go home tonight, quiz an
adult on something you learned today, and see how much THEY know about the
Constitution!
Name ______________________
How much do YOU know about
the U.S. Constitution?
Directions: Read each statement. Write T on the first line if you think the statement is true. Write F on the first line if you think the statement is false.
Then read the Readers’ Theater script. After reading the script, read these statements again. Write T or F on the second line. Have any of your
answers changed?
Before
Reading
After
Reading
________ ________ 1. The Bill of Rights has always been part of the U.S. Constitution.
________ ________ 2. The Framers of the Constitution thought it was perfect and that it would
never have to be changed.
________ ________ 3. According to the U.S. Constitution, any law-abiding adult citizen living in the
United States can own a gun.
________ ________ 4. The Thirteenth Amendment made slavery illegal.
________ ________ 5. Black men were given the right to vote before black women were given the
same right.
________ ________ 6. Women were not given the right to vote until 50 years after the Constitution
was written.
________ ________ 7. The United States has three branches of government.
________ ________ 8. The judicial branch of government makes the laws.
________ ________ 9. The president of the United States is included in the executive branch of
government.
________ ________ 10. The number of people representing each state in the House of
Representatives is based on each state’s population. Therefore, highly
populated states like California have more representatives than less
populated states like North Dakota.
________ ________ 11. Two people represent each state in the Senate. Therefore, states like
California and North Dakota are represented equally in the Senate.
________ ________ 12. If the president of the United States vetoes a new law, that law will never be
passed.
________ ________ 13. The U.S. Appeals Court is the highest court in the United States. The judges
here have the final say on all court cases.
Name ______________________
How much do YOU know about
the U.S. Constitution?
Directions: Read each statement. Write T on the first line if you think the statement is true. Write F on the first line if you think the statement is false.
Then read the Readers’ Theater script. After reading the script, read these statements again. Write T or F on the second line. Have any of your
answers changed?
Before
Reading
After
Reading
________ ________
F 1. The Bill of Rights has always been part of the U.S. Constitution.
________ ________
F 2. The Framers of the Constitution thought it was perfect and that it would
never have to be changed.
________ ________
T 3. According to the U.S. Constitution, any law-abiding adult citizen living in the
United States can own a gun.
________ ________
T 4. The Thirteenth Amendment made slavery illegal.
________ ________
T 5. Black men were given the right to vote before black women were given the
same right.
F 6. Women were not given the right to vote until 50 years after the Constitution
________ ________
was written.
________ ________
T 7. The United States has three branches of government.
________ ________
F 8. The judicial branch of government makes the laws.
________ ________
T 9. The president of the United States is included in the executive branch of
government.
________ ________
T 10. The number of people representing each state in the House of
Representatives is based on each state’s population. Therefore, highly
populated states like California have more representatives than less
populated states like North Dakota.
________ ________
T 11. Two people represent each state in the Senate. Therefore, states like
California and North Dakota are represented equally in the Senate.
F 12. If the president of the United States vetoes a new law, that law will never be
________ ________
passed.
F 13. The U.S. Appeals Court is the highest court in the United States. The judges
________ ________
here have the final say on all court cases.
If you and your students enjoyed this Readers’ Theater script, feel free to take a peek at my other
Readers’ Theater products available in my store:
Happy New Year! (includes bonus activities)
Presidents Day
Cinco de Mayo (includes bonus activities)
Mother’s Day (includes bonus activities)
Missing Mrs. Becker: A Mystery involving “Code-Cracking”
Synonyms Readers’ Theater
Antonyms Readers’ Theater
Multiple Meaning Words Readers’ Theater
Homophones Readers’ Theater
Credits
Copyright by Deb Hanson © 2013
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Deb-Hanson
Flag and Words by Krista Wallden
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Krista-Wallden
American Eagle Graphic by Charlotte’s Clips
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Charlottes-Clips
Patriotic Cover Border by Jennifer Beal
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jennifer-Beall
Sources
www.utb.edu/vpaa/cce/Documents/Celebrate%20%Freedom%20Week/BORights%20
Chart%20Elem.pdf (Bill of Rights)
www.usconstitution.net/constkids4.html
www.congressforkids.net/Constitution