I have a confession: I teach Unit 1 of AP Government & Politics last.

Yep, you read that right. 

I just can’t bring myself to start seniors off with the Constitution. It’s too dense, too dry, and honestly… too boring to kick off the year. 

Can you imagine welcoming a room full of restless 17- and 18-year-olds back to school with a deep dive into Articles I–VII? 

Nope. Couldn’t be me.

And here’s the thing. I don’t hate the Constitution. Not even close. What I hate is how flat it can fall when all we give kids are worksheets, scavenger hunts, or a painfully long lecture. 

Over the years, I’ve discovered ways to make this unit actually engage students. 

(Let’s be real: it will probably never be exciting, but we can make it way more interesting than handing out a 30-question packet.)

Here’s how I’ve done it, and why it works.

The Problem With “Traditional” Constitution Lessons

When I started teaching AP Government, I tried everything: fill-in-the-blank notes, the dreaded scavenger hunts, group readings. 

Students… yawned. 

Or worse, they nodded politely while planning their next TikTok. 

And honestly, who could blame them?

The Constitution is a foundational text, it matters, but its language is long, dense, and full of legal jargon. Most kids don’t have the background knowledge or patience yet, and the class energy suffers.

Over time, I realized I needed two things:

1. Interactive learning that gets students physically and mentally engaged.
2. Creativity to transform a dry text into something students can relate to and explore.
   

With that in mind, I developed three activities that I now consider my go-tos for teaching the Constitution.

1. The 6 Principles of the Constitution

This is one of my favorite ways to introduce students to the Constitution without drowning them in legalese.

Instead of passively reading through Articles I–VII, students work in groups to explore one of the six principles:

• Popular sovereignty
• Limited government
• Separation of powers
• Checks and balances
• Federalism
• Republicanism
  

Each group gets a principle and a pre-selected set of Constitution excerpts. Their job? Sort through the excerpts and tape them under the principle on a large sheet of chart paper.

Here’s why this works:

• Active learning: Students are moving, sorting, and collaborating.
• Contextual understanding: They see exactly where each principle appears in the document.
• Retention: When students create something with their own hands, they remember it better.
  

By the end, the class can literally see the Constitution in action, principle by principle. And you don’t need a single PowerPoint slide.

2. Constitutional Power Grab

If you want to add some energy to your unit, this activity is a game-changer.

In Constitutional Power Grab, students act as detectives of the U.S. government. They’re presented with “power grabs” by different branches. For example:

• Congress passing a law that seems unconstitutional
• The president issuing an executive order that stretches executive power
• The courts stepping in unexpectedly
  

Their job is to identify the constitutional check that stops the grab. Each correct answer earns a clue, and by the end of the game, students have collected all 14 clues.

Why I love this activity:

• It’s competitive: Kids love games, and competition keeps them engaged.
• It’s interactive: Students are moving, thinking, and talking through solutions.
• It’s meaningful: By the end, students understand checks and balances in a real, tangible way, much more than a lecture ever could do.
  

It’s high-energy, collaborative, and it transforms the abstract idea of checks and balances into something students can experience.

3. Constitution Anchor Charts 

If you’re tired of the played-out Constitution Scavenger Hunt, the Constitution Anchor Chart Project is your fix.

Here’s how it works:

• Students work in small groups to create colorful anchor charts for assigned sections of the Constitution.
• Once the charts are done, the class participates in a Gallery Walk, using scavenger-hunt-style questions to gather information from their peers’ charts.
• Students interact with the Constitution creatively and collaboratively, and you end up with a classroom full of reference charts they can use throughout the year.
  

What I love about this activity is that it combines creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students aren’t just “looking up answers,” they’re synthesizing information, designing visuals, and teaching each other. 

Why These Activities Work

You might be wondering: “Why not just stick with worksheets and lectures?”

Here’s the truth: students don’t learn effectively from passive tasks, especially at the start of the year. By giving them activities that are hands-on, competitive, or visual, they:

• Engage with the content on a deeper level
• Develop stronger analytical skills
• Retain information longer
• Enjoy learning
  

Even better, these activities encourage students to see the Constitution not as a dusty old document, but as a living framework that shapes government and society.

Making It Work in Your Classroom

I know what you might be thinking: “These activities sound great, but how do I manage time?”

Here’s my approach:

1. Start small: Begin with one activity to introduce a key concept, like the 6 Principles of the Constitution. Don’t try to do everything at once.
2. Use group work: Students learn from each other, and it reduces the stress on you to lecture for 50 minutes straight.
3. Incorporate assessment seamlessly: For example, the Power Grab activity doubles as a formative assessment of their understanding of checks and balances.
4. Make it visually appealing: Anchor charts, colored paper, markers. Kids respond to color and creativity.
5. Reflect: After each activity, take 5–10 minutes to debrief as a class. Ask what they learned, what surprised them, and what questions they still have.

My Confession About Teaching the Constitution

I’ve been teaching AP Government & Politics and Civics for years, and honestly, I moved Unit 1 to the end of the year for a reason.

It’s not because the Constitution isn’t important. It’s the single most important document in American government. 

By waiting until later in the year, I can introduce students to the basics of government, political systems, and civic participation first. Then, when we get to the Constitution, they have context. They understand why it matters, not just what it says.

Plus, by the end of the year, students are more mature, more focused, and more capable of grappling with the complexities of the document.

A Few Tips From My Experience

1. Don’t underestimate group work: Even the most reluctant students get invested when they have a clear role and a shared goal.
2. Mix creativity with analysis: Worksheets alone aren’t enough. Visuals, charts, games. They all help students process information in different ways.
3. Give students ownership: Let them create, design, and even teach a little. When students feel ownership, engagement skyrockets.
4. Be flexible: Some years, I spend more time on the 6 Principles. Other years, the Power Grab activity dominates. Adjust to your class energy and schedule.
5. Celebrate their work: Display charts, acknowledge creative solutions, and make students proud of what they produce.
   

Why I Created the Constitution Anchor Charts Project

After years of tweaking, trial and error, and experimenting with different activities, I realized I needed a streamlined, ready-to-go solution. That’s why I created the Constitution Anchor Charts Project.

It’s designed to:

• Replace boring scavenger hunts
• Encourage creativity and collaboration
• Provide a meaningful, visual way to engage with the Constitution
• Save teachers time and headache
  

If you’re tired of seeing glazed-over eyes when you mention Articles and Amendments, this project is for you. It’s a fix for a unit that can otherwise feel like pulling teeth, but with far better results.

Final Thoughts

Here’s what I want you to take away:

• The Constitution is important, but how you teach it matters more than you might think.
• Passive methods (worksheets, long readings, scavenger hunts) often fail to engage students.
• Hands-on, interactive, and creative activities make students think critically and retain information.
  

At the end of the day, our job as social studies teachers is to make government real for students. To help them see that the principles, powers, and structures of the Constitution aren’t just words on paper, they’re the foundation of the country they live in.

If you want to spice up your Constitution unit, check out my Constitution Anchor Charts Project. It’s designed to make this foundational unit actually interesting for students, and maybe even fun.

Want more AP Government and on-level civics inspiration? Check out these blog posts:

• Everything You Need to Know About The Electoral College
• Yes, You Should Vote In The Primaries. Here’s Why