March 15, 2005

Purdue gives elementary students boost in learning Constitution

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's College of Education will team with Tippecanoe County government to give about 100 Klondike Elementary School students a chance to show off their understanding of the U.S. Constitution in a contest on March 25.

The competition will take place from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse in Lafayette. The event wraps up an eight-week class called "We the People…," which was part of the curriculum in Klondike Elementary School's intermediate program for fourth- and sixth-grade students.

Judge Gregory Donat, of Tippecanoe Superior Court, and Phillip J. VanFossen, director of the College of Education's James F. Ackerman Centerfor Democratic Citizenship , coordinated the competition.

"Learning about the Constitution helps the students not only understand what their rights are as Americans, but also the responsibilities associated with those rights," said VanFossen, who also is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction. "This is a way we can help prepare students to be educated citizens for the rest of their lives."

Modeled after a congressional hearing, the student groups will give presentations on different aspects of the Constitution, including history, government organization, the Bill of Rights and current issues. Students also will answer questions about the history of the Constitution and its applications to life in the United States today.

Teachers from Klondike are Kathy Rogers, Marcia LeCompte, Angie Shondell and Rich Brown.

"These teachers are very creative at integrating social studies in their curriculum, and the focus on the Constitution is just one example," VanFossen said. "This program is a major commitment to implement, and for these teachers to go to such a length speaks volumes about their support of civic education for their students."

VanFossen said that learning about the Constitution is important to students because they take that knowledge home to share with their families.

"What the students often discover is that their parents are misinformed, and the children actually teach them about the Constitution and the system of government that evolved from it," VanFossen said. "This sparks discussions around the dinner table, and that can only lead to a greater understanding of our constitutional republic."

The James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship was created in 1994 with a $2 million gift from James Ackerman, an Indianapolis cable television executive, and his wife, Lois. The center's mission is to bring citizenship education to schools throughout Indiana and the rest of the country.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Source: Phillip J. VanFossen, (765) 494-2367, vanfoss@purdue.edu

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