Constitutional Convention

PICTURES AND VIDEO BELOW

This final social studies unit is titled The Making of a State, and third graders learned how Colorado became a territory and then a state.  As part of the process to become a state, there were many Constitutional Conventions.  This is where bills were voted on and passed, and laws became part of the Colorado Constitution.  

With a partner, each student wrote a bill for Graland (18 students = 9 bills).  The nine bills were voted on by the class and narrowed down to two.  For our class, the two bills that moved on were:

• Students get to pick their own sport to focus on in PE
• There will be a school pet

The other three classes did the same and their bills that moved on were:

• Lockers can be decorated and snacks can be brought in for birthdays
• 3rd and 4th graders can have overnight trips
• Gates Invention will include 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders
• There will be a vending machine for Lower School
• More lunch choices
• Longer lunch

The final step of this process took place last Friday.  All eight bills were presented to the third grade and voting booths were set up for private voting.  After all the votes were in, the bill that passed was presented to the grade, with Mr. Juan Botello, Graland's Director of Finance & Operations, present. 

The bill that passed was...3rd and 4th graders can have overnight trips.  Mr. Botello spoke to the two writers of the bill and asked questions. He wanted to hear why their bill should be signed by the Governor, or in our case, Ms. McCaffrey.  He made sure the students understood that not all bills presented to the governor get signed.  :)