This is the second in our series of posts from the Western Conservative Conference. We were delighted with the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and mini constitutional flash cards given to us by Andy McKean from Liberty Day. We’ve invited Andy to tell us a little more about Liberty Day and their mission to distribute copies of the constitution to all fifth graders, every year, among other things.
Who We Are
Founded in 1996 by Andy McKean and his late wife, Kathy, the Liberty Day Institute (formerly “Liberty Day”) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), nonpartisan organization dedicated to educating all Americans, but especially the next generation, about the contents of the Constitution of the United States.
We are about working with educators and community organizations to ensure that every child in America knows and understands the essentials of our founding documents. Unlike many self-described nonpartisan organizations, the Liberty Day Institute truly strives to be just that. We reach out to Democrats and Republicans alike and have received endorsements from numerous members of both parties, along with independents. The Institute is firmly dedicated to our long-held principle of educating youth with no opinions and no interpretations—just the facts.
What We Do
Liberty Day Institute provides teachers with a Complete Educational Resource on the U.S. Constitution. As part of the resource package, each student receives a Liberty Day booklet containing the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and 24 perforated Q&A flashcards. Second, teachers receive the Liberty Day Teacher’s Packet, which contains a lesson plan and an access code to an expansive array of online information and activities on the Constitution to aid the teachers. The online component also has an Evaluation Form and a pre-quiz and post-quiz on the 24 Q&As to measure the gain in constitutional knowledge.
The Complete Educational Resource, which was developed by the Liberty Day Institute in cooperation teachers, curriculum leaders, and other partners within the field of education, is expressly designed to provide educators with the tools they need to effectively teach the document to their students.
We work alongside members of the community at all levels—from parents and attorneys to elected officials and college students—to provide kids, but particularly fifth graders, with engaging and interactive lessons with outside presenters.
Liberty Day Institute’s Online Resource Suite
The Liberty Day Institute is excited to be on the verge of launching our cutting-edge Online Resource Suite! With a beautiful, modern layout and effective resources and materials for teachers, this website will prove to be an expansive, exciting addition to our updated Complete Educational Resource Package on the U.S. Constitution. The purpose of this website is to provide teachers exclusive access to an array of informational and activity-based documents both for you and for your students.
Our goal is to help teachers like you do what you do best: prepare your students for the future. The objective of the Online Resource Suite is to give you additional tools with which to become more knowledgeable about American government and to introduce your students to the contents of the Constitution and foundations of American government. Many of the activities and games posted on this site are designed with fifth graders in mind; however, the informational Backgrounders are intended to be helpful for teachers and students at every grade.
The Resource Suite offers web-based and printable resources and activities on American History and Government Structure, How a Bill Becomes a Law, and the 27 Amendments, in addition to a page devoted entirely to games and activities for your students. Here is what this website has to offer:
- American History and Government Structure
- How a Bill Becomes a Law
- The Amendments
- Constitution Quests
- Progress Reports
- Evaluation Survey
For more information please visit http://libertyday.org/
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