U.S. Constitution Discussion Prompts and Pause Points
Before the Movie
What do you know about the U.S. Constitution? (Tap prior knowledge)
When do you hear the Constitution discussed? (Reflect)
During the Movie (Pause Points)
Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:
Timecode 1:48: How do the three sections of the Constitution create a combination of stability and flexibility? (Identify cause/effect)
Timecode 3:55: How does Federalism operate? (Recall)
Timecode 6:03: How do amendments work to make the Constitution a “living document”? (Identify cause/effect)
After the Movie
Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the U.S. Constitution topic. (Make connections)
Why is the Rule of Law so essential to democracy? (Reflect; Revisit goals)
What do you think should be the next amendment to the Constitution? (Predict)
BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the U.S. Constitution Topic Page to your class or have students read independently. Then have them watch the movie once through without pausing. Then, watch it again as class, this time using the discussion prompts.
*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards.