Discussion Forum

Overview:  Students analyze key vocabulary from the Preamble as you discuss the importance of the Constitution in the lives of people today.

Preview:  Students  will listen to and analyze the lyrics to the song “Preamble” from School House Rock.

Activity:  In a Response Group, students will analyze a word cloud of the Preamble to the Constitution and discuss how the words relate to the 21st century. Preamble Lyrics and World cloud.pdf 

Processing:  Students will write a short letter to the editor commemorating Constitution Day.

Watch the video “Preamble” and then analyze the lyrics while the video is playing.  Then debrief the video and lyrics.

Answer the series of questions to debrief the song. 

• What is this song about?

• How would you describe the music? Happy? Sad?Why?

• What words are unfamiliar to you?

• Where did these words come from?

• Why are 200 year old words meaningful?

This is the part you will do:

Write a short letter to the editor on the topic of Constitution Day and why words written over 200 years ago are still important today. Make sure you letter is in formal letter style and at least college level paragraphs should be included.