STUDENTS EXAMINE THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
October 28, 2005
Dover, Del. - The Delaware Secretary of State, Dr. Harriet Smith Windsor, announced that 40 teachers and more than 600 students have accepted her invitation to study the Constitution as part of her annual Delaware Day Fourth Grade Competition. Participants are busy preparing four-panel displays featuring student-generated work in response to the Secretary of State's social studies content standards-based questions. Department representatives will begin judging projects on November 14. Five signers' awards named in honor of Delaware's signers-Richard Bassett, Gunning Bedford, Jr., Jacob Broom, John Dickinson, and George Read-as well as special Honorable Mention Awards will be presented to students and teachers at the State House on The Green in Dover on Saturday, December 3, 2005.
Though students are asked general questions about the Constitution and engage in a study showcasing Delaware's involvement with its writing and ratification, annual questions also reflect current event activities. For example, this year fourth graders will investigate Article Two, Section Two of the Constitution. They will share and support their opinions about presidential nominations and will explain why the Constitution provides for a checks and balances system.
This is the Secretary's fourth year inviting teachers and students to participate in this competition. Currently the names of 1,682 students and 107 teachers appear on the Department of State's Delaware Day Honor Rolls. Students and teachers from all three counties registered to participate in the 2005 competition. Participating schools from the City of Wilmington include the Thomas A. Edison Charter School, the Elbert-Palmer Intermediate School, and P.S. duPont Elementary School. New Castle County Schools include Brader Elementary School, Brandywine Springs Elementary School, Cedar Lane Elementary School, Etta J. Wilson Elementary School, Highlands Elementary School, Linden Hill Elementary School, McVey Elementary School, MOT Charter School, Silver Lake Elementary School, and Townsend Elementary School. Booker T. Washington Elementary School represents Kent County and Long Neck Elementary School, Showell Elementary School, and Shields Elementary School represent Sussex County.
Award-winning projects will be featured at the State House on The Green in Dover during the month of December. Honorable Mention Awards will be photographically featured in notebooks. Students are creative, innovative, and enthusiastic. They prepare well-written summaries, generate poetry, design original artwork, write original lyrics to popular tunes, create rap songs, and offer words of wisdom.
