Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation

Today was sandwiched between two cultural events--a ballet assembly with the whole school, and then a class "assembly" where 17 students read from a readers theater entitled, "Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation."  The readers theater tells the story of how the states struggled to form a government after the Revolutionary War and scrambled together making the Articles of Confederation. However, after difficulties--no national currency, or army, or really any national anything--delegates from almost all the states decided to get together and revise the Articles of Confederation.  However, as my students read today, they didn't revise the Articles, they scrapped them altogether for a whole new system of government, a government based on three governing bodies who are each given specific responsibilities and are able to check each other, and a government based on equal and proportional representation in Congress.

It was a fun beginning to our focus for the next week or so on the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.  I hope you are able to talk with your child about what they are learning because in two more presidential terms, they'll be voting. Weird thought, huh?

Our title and scene reader

Getting ready to start the readers theater

One last glance at the script

Wonderful audience members

Reading during the performance