Syllabus – Socioconstitutional Literacy

Winter 2022    M-F, 9:15–10:00am

Course Description

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In this short winter course, we aim at raising the constitutional awareness among children and adolescent readers. It addresses this general goal in the compilation of this particular set of readings for young readers with an intended audience of 2nd to 6th grade, and above; this allows potential accommodation to differentiation of needs.

Topics include:

• Brief background and rationales for the new nation and the Constitution;
• General George Washington
• Thomas Jefferson
• John Adams
• James Madison
• Benjamin Franklin
• Field Trips

Required Reading

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• Catrow's "We the Kids" (publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2002), and
• Heilbroner's "Meet George Washington" (publisher: First Landmark Books, 2001)

Extended Reading (Not Inclusive)

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• Johnson, W. (1944). This Wonderful Country of Ours. The Sevens-Davis Company, Chicago.
• Jurmain, S. & Poe, R. (2012). Worst of Friends–Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the True Story of an American Feud. Recorded Books, Prince Frederick, MD.
• Maestro B. & Maestro G. (1987). A more perfect union: the story of our constitution (1st Mulberry). Mulberry Books.
• National Park Service. (2022). Thomas Jefferson: The Versatile Founding Father. Retrieved from www.nps.gov
• Ribke, S. T. (2004). Thomas Jefferson. Children's Press, Connecticut.
• Virginia Museum of History and Culture. (2022). Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom.
• Yarbs, "An Unlikely love that Saved America"

Assignments and Grading

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