Kids can co-create their classroom constitution

Young children have both responsibilities and rights in school – a place where they can develop socially, emotionally and intellectually the most (ie 8 hours a day, 5 days a week).

But do your students know what their rights and responsibilities are in school? 

In New York City our DoE has published a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for K-12. It was clearly not written for elementary school. We fixed this by interpreting the Bill for 3-5th grade (while editing out inappropriate content). 

Your students can co-create their own social contract – a bill rights and responsibilities – that they then agree to follow during the school year. The lesson we are providing here can help upper elementary classrooms become more harmonious plus better acquaint students, in unique ways, with the concepts of cooperation, community, collaboration in school. It was indeed created by our student team (with the help of

During the lesson the teacher can encourage kids to read all the student rights and responsibilities and then debate how they want others to act and how they themselves agree to act in their classroom. They can assess what is fair, what makes them happy and how much freedom they can expect in school, what are obstacles they face, as they start to learn the basic concepts of democracy.

This 2-3 period lesson helps children develop communication and critical thinking skills in the process. It can have a ripple effect through the entire school. 

Included here (for free) is:

Note: the teacher and school may edit the Student Rights and Responsibilities we provide as they see fit by emailing us for permission and access.

This lesson works best in states with developed civic education standards.

Miles, 17, came up with the Civic Jeopardy Game which Raquel designed above. Its included in the slideshow.

Here’s our team of 8-17 year olds in NYC, including David, Lizzy, Raquel, Bilal, Dina and Miles (missing is Livi) was facilitated by DK Holland of Inquiring Minds, this interactive project works well in states that acknowledge student rights. 

Also helping out were several educators not pictured here.

Go directly to the complete slideshow, and the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to see this lesson – created by kids for kids – with the help of adult classroom education experts.

Raquel, 16, designed the slideshow, Bilal, 15 was in charge of the Teacher’s Guide. David and Miles both 17 both worked on the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities below. Our advisors, ages 8-14 helped make these tools kid friendly. .