Mahopac Middle School eighth graders celebrated Constitution Day on Sept. 17, honoring the historic signing of the U.S. Constitution. As part of the observance, each student was provided with their own pocket Constitution to use during lessons and to take home. Teachers Dave Gordon and Amy Shargel led engaging discussions with their respective classrooms, teaching students about the significant differences between a monarchy and a republic.
Gordon’s students explored the “First Founding” and “Second Founding” of the U.S. Constitution, focusing on the key changes brought by amendments during the “Second Founding” – such as the abolition of slavery, citizenship rights for all Americans and expansion of voting rights regardless of race. To make the lesson more relatable, Gordon captured the students’ attention by making a connection to current pop culture, playing a portion of Taylor Swift’s famous breakup song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The students discussed how Swift’s song addressed her grievances about a former relationship in a similar way that the U.S. Constitution became a “parchment barrier” to protect against the list of grievances identified in the Declaration of Independence against King George III.
Shargel brought history to life by giving her students a firsthand experience of the monarchy, donning a crown and carrying a scepter while issuing commands to the students. Afterwards, the class worked in small groups to read the U.S. Constitution and discuss the personal freedoms outlined in the Amendments, such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to assemble, freedoms that might not exist under a monarchy. Shargel used artifacts such as vintage rotary phones and old newspapers from the “Museum of Everyday Life” in her classroom to help her students make connections to the amendments.
Gordon stated, “Civics education is imperative if we are to maintain a thriving democracy,” and Shargel noted, “The nation's future depends on leaders trained through wide exposure to the exchange of ideas.”
