Constitution-in-Action Lab

It’s not an ordinary field trip! Classes reserving a session at the Boeing Learning Center’s Learning Lab can look forward to an experience that will transform the way they look at our Constitution and our history.

The Learning Lab integrates a compelling on-site experience in exploring the U.S. Constitution with pre-visit and post-visit classroom lessons. Students attending the lab will experience an in-depth interaction with primary sources motivated by a mission-driven environment. In the Lab, students take on the roles of archivists and researchers completing a very important assignment: providing the President of the United States with real-life examples of our Constitution in action for a new public information campaign. Using the "Stacks" and the "Reading Room"—replicas of the actual research facilities used by archivists at the National Archives every day—students will find, select and analyze document facsimiles. They will mine these primary sources for historical examples of such political concepts as checks and balances and separation of powers, gaining a greater understanding of the important role the Constitution plays in both our government and our daily lives.

While especially designed for middle school students, the program can be modified to meet the needs of students in grades 6-12. The Constitution-in-Action Learning Lab combines history, civic education, and critical thinking in a hands-on experience with primary sources. In a technology-rich environment, students work in teams to fulfill their mission.

For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions or contact the National Archives Education team at learninglab@nara.gov.

To schedule a visit see the
Learning Lab Requirements and Registration