Constitution for Kids - "We the People" Song

Celebrate Constitution Day with a song!

Get your free Constitution Day Activity Kit

The song is called "We the People". It came out of a Talking Hands Talking feet workshop relating to the constitution with a 4th/5th grade multi-age class at El Dorado Elementary School in Santa Fe, New Mexico 2007-2008 school year.

It was originally provoked by the fact that the founding fathers meant something different by "the people" than we do today. So the song works to redefine who "We the People" are, what do we stand against, and what are our basic rights (freedoms)?

This is a marvelous and respectful way to open up the constitution for kids elementary school age.

Constitution Day is September 17th in honor of the birth date of the U.S. Constitution in the year 1787. It is the oldest constitution still in use in the world, written with extraordinary insight and foresight by the founding fathers. It is a living, breathing document, written to protect the integrity of the United States of America by encouraging citizen participation in law and government, in the realization of the Bill of Rights and to protect the citizens from abuse of power in any branch of government. It continues to be as important and relevant today as it was over 200 years ago.

To bring alive the constitution for kids is a fun, memorable, informative and inspiring process.

To begin with, who are "We the People"? We are a country founded by immigrants. Many of those came to America to seek refuge from oppression or persecution. Many of the early inhabitants were not considered citizens at all. Who were they? How has that changed today?

What are the basic rights of "We the People"? What does the constitution say? What would life be like without those rights? What about citizens of other countries - do they have the same rights?

The constitution for kids also needs to take into account what the constitution says NO to. What do you stand against? What does the constitution (and its supporting laws) stand against?

Get your free Constitution Day Activity Kit.

5 Steps - Constitution for Kids - workshop
- Activity Guide for "We the People" by Talking Hands Talking Feet

1. Listen to the song and follow along with the lyrics provided.


2. Sing along with the song (in various groupings) using the lyrics provided.


3. Take some time to open up these questions, the children will give their own examples that can be written on the board:





1. Who are we the people? (our true democracy)


2. What do we say no to? (our moral compass)


3. What are we free to do? (our rights)





4. Re-look at the lyrics of the song and have the children find movements that work with the song (can be full body or just hand movements). You can look at the YouTube video of 'We the People' for ideas; (link to come)


5. Sing the song again with the added movements.

Get your free Constitution Day Activity Kit. It includes a full download of the song, and complete instructions on how to workshop it in your classroom.

By Paul A. Zeir
Talking Hands Talking Feet
Inspired Education Songs in Motion