This past week, Richardson ISD Social Studies teachers and students engaged in meaningful activities to honor Celebrate Freedom Week and Constitution Day. Across grade levels, classrooms brought history to life and deepened students’ understanding of the Constitution, founding documents, and civic responsibilities. Highlights include:
- Berkner High School – Caroline Wallace, World Geography, led students in a discussion about what freedom is, using examples and discussing the differences they see between societies that are more/less free than others.
- Pearce High School – Tori Tucker, World History, led class discussions this week on the following topics: The first day focused on the Declaration of Independence, natural rights, social contract, popular sovereignty, Locke, Jefferson, and Enlightenment influences. The next day focused on the Constitution, separation of powers, federalism, branches of government, amendment process, and individual rights. The next day covered the Bill of Rights, civil liberties, the Federalist/Anti-Federalist debate, and constitutional protections. The final day included a patriotic tribute recognizing U.S. veterans across multiple periods of American history. Abby Goldfarb and Emily Broad, US History, engaged students in a critical-thinking activity where they reflected on the Bill of Rights, applying the First Amendment and the idea of free speech, and the 4th Amendment protections against illegal searches to their own lives.
- Richardson High School, Martin Russell, U.S. History teacher, reviewed the amendments to the Constitution each day this week with students through a quiz game activity.
- Lake Highlands High School – Marisha Watson, U.S. History teacher, had students wave American flags while reciting text from the Declaration of Independence.
- Westwood Junior High – James Drenner, 8th Grade Social Studies, spent one day this week discussing the Constitution, watched a video, and completed a worksheet in which they rewrote their rights in their own words. The next day, we analyzed the section of the Declaration of Independence you sent us last week. Students broke down the text as a class; they identified words they did/didn’t understand, explained the ones they didn’t know, and then answered a short response question about the importance of government in their lives.
- Lake Highlands Middle School – Camile Jacobie, 6th Grade Social Studies, showed a video on the Bill of Rights and had students write a letter to King George of England explaining why the colonies needed independence.
These experiences represent just a sample of the engaging work taking place across RISD. Teachers intentionally tied Celebrate Freedom Week and Constitution Day into their pacing guides, using interactive strategies, writing, discussions and more, to make the values of democracy and freedom relevant for all learners.
