Katie Oller

4th Grade
Constitutional Convention Role Play and History Head Lesson
I.

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn about the
Constitutional Convention and important delegates from both Virginia and
other states and their impact on the establishment of the new
government.
SOL: Virginia Studies 6

II.

III.

a. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the

establishment of the new American nation by explaining why George
Washington is called the Father of Our Country and James Madison is
called the Father of the Constitution.
b. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the
establishment of the new American nation by identifying the ideas of
George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia
Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.
c. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the
establishment of the new American nation by explaining the influence
of geography on the migration of Virginians into western territories.
Objective: Given a constitutional convention role play card, students will
be able to write and illustrate information about their delegate using the
history head with 100% accuracy.
Procedure:
Introduction: Students will be handed one out of the six important
delegates role play card. On each card, students will be given information
about that delegate including their age, what state they are representing,
and how they impacted the new government at the constitutional
convention held in Philadelphia. I will ask students to read their role play
card to themselves.
Development: After students have read their card to themselves, they will
be given a blank history head. This is an outline of a head that they will
be able to draw in to represent their delegate. Students will be
encouraged to be creative and illustrate as well as write things that their
delegate said or did at the convention to help represent their state.
Summary: Once students have finished, they will come to the room and
share what they have illustrated and written about their delegate and how
they impacted the new government. At least one of each delegate will be
asked to be shared.
Advanced students will be asked once completed with their history head
to write on the back a brief explanation of what their drawings represent.

IV.

V.
VI.

For struggling students, extra assistance will be given. I will be going

around the room with a highlighter and will help highlight important
information that students could use in their history head to write or
illustrate.
Materials
History Head (attached)
Markers
Pencils
Constitutional Convention Role Play Cards (attached)
Evaluation Part A: I will collect and informally evaluate each students
drawing and description of their delegate to check for understanding.
Evaluation Part B:
Did the students meet your objectives?

How do you know?

Did your lesson accommodate/address the needs of all your

learners?

What were the strengths of the lesson?

What were the weaknesses?

How would you change the lesson if you could teach it again?

Constitutional Convention Role Play Cards

My name is George Washington. I am 55

years old and a delegate from Virginia. I
presided over the convention. I am a tall,
slim man with large watchful eyes. I said
little during the convention, but I was able to
keep peace among all delegates. My strong,
quiet leadership helped ensure the
Constitutions ratification. Later, as the first
U.S. President, I proved that the
Constitutions plan of government was
workable. I shaped the role of future
presidents in a government that shares power among three
branches.

My name is George Mason. I am 62 years old

and a delegate from Virginia. I was one of the
wealthiest men in my state. In 1776, I wrote
the Declaration of Rights in Virginia that was a
model for part of the Declaration of
Independence. I wanted a federal constitution
and new type of government, but I did not like

the Constitutions final draft because it compromised on slavery and

it did not have a bill of rights. I refused to sign it, and joined Patrick
Henry and others in trying to prevent ratification.

My name is James Madison. I am 36 years old and

a delegate from Virginia. I am often called the
father of the Constitution. At the 1787
convention, I kept very detailed records. My
major proposalsa strong, central government, a
national executive (or president), and a two-house
Congresswere accepted. I co-wrote a series of
papers called The Federalist, pushing for the
Constitutions ratification. I would later serve as
the fourth U.S. President.

My name is Benjamin Franklin. I am 81 years

old and a delegate from Pennsylvania. I
became a writer, inventor, scientist, and
statesman. I created the Albany Plan of Union
and later signed the Declaration of
Independence. As a minister to France, I won
French support for the U.S. in the American
Revolution. At the 1787 convention, I was the
oldest delegate there. My wisdom helped keep
the convention from breaking up.

My name is James Wilson. I am 44 years old and a delegate from

Pennsylvania. I am a successful lawyer and legal scholar. In 1776 I

signed the Declaration of Independence; in 1787, I signed the
Constitution. I am sometimes called the unsung hero of the
convention because I had great influence in shaping the
Constitutions final form. I called for a strong single executive when
many others wanted a committee of several executives.

My name is Alexander Hamilton. I am 30

years old and a delegate from New York. I
worked hard to bring about the 1787
convention. During the Revolution, I was
George Washingtons most trusted aide. I
believed in a strong, central government,
and co-wrote essays for The Federalist urging
the Constitution to be ratified. I later served
as Secretary of the Treasury under President
Washington.