GUILDERLAND — Students became teachers on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, at Pine Bush Elementary School.
After the usual Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, fifth-graders visited each classroom in the school to teach about the document that created the United States government — the "one nation"indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

They took their task seriously.

"We read books to learn about the Founding Fathers," said 10-year-old Erik Webb.

He worked with classmates Caitlin Zuk-Pafumi, Taylor Clark, and Kyasia Bowen to create a story board centered with a hand-dawn White House. One side listed the three branches of government set up by the Constitution — explaining each in clear, understandable terms:
— Legislative: "We make the laws"";

— Judicial: "We decide what the laws mean. We also decide what to do with the people who don't follow the laws and settle conflicts";

— Executive: "We enforce the laws. The state executive is the governor. The executive of the country is the president."

On the other side of their board is a copy of the Constitution with this explanation: "The Constitution was started in 1787. The first meeting was on May 14. Before every meeting, they locked the door. The Founding Fathers made three branches of government."

Their teacher, Donna Lawrence, who is also a social studies teacher leader, said, "We need to make sure children learn what our Constitution is about and the way our government works."

She went on, explaining the origin of the observance: "Constitution Day is mandated by our Congress," she said, crediting Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia with the legislation.

Byrd added a rider to the 2004 Omnibus Spending Bill, requiring schools that receive federal funds to "hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17." It was on Sept. 17, 1787 that the Constitution was signed.

Lawrence said that all Guilderland schools observe Constitution Day. "We'll go deeper into it as the years go on," she said. At Pine Bush Elementary, she said, each class writes its own constitution "on how they want to live in their classrooms."

Her own son, Jeremy, was inspired by teachers he had at Guilderland High School to pursue the study of Constitutional law, she said. After graduating from Harvard, Jeremy Lawrence is now a second-year low student at the University of Southern California.

Donna Lawrence's students, just five days into the school year, worked in groups, each coming up with their own way of presenting information to younger students. One group depicted the three branches of government as literal branches of a tree.

The trunk, explained Caitlyn Hilland, represented the preamble and the leaves on top, the Constitution.

Another group on its big yellow board listed each of the signers of the Constitution grouped by state.

"There were 13 states," said Matt Class, one of the board's creators.

"And there were 39 names," said Jonathon Larcom. Each name was carefully penciled on the board.

Chris Sour had researched a timeline for the Constitution that stretched from the Revolution in 1775 to the adoption of the Bill of Rights— the first 10 amendments that protect individual liberties — in 1791.

Many of Rebecca Wlazlo's fifth-graders used sock puppets to teach second-graders about the Constitution in a way that would appeal to them.

Michael Decker created a puppet of George Washington, complete with a white wig and braid-trimmed blue coat. Washington, who presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, could speak directly to the students — in puppet form.

Another group presented a story with their puppets, featuring Jennifer Hoffman who described her puppet part as that of "a kid who doesn't know much about the Constitution."

"We decided to make it funny and cut it short so they wouldn't get bored to death," said Aubrey Walden.

In another group, Ali Rider made a sock puppet topped with a big red bow; she described her puppet as "sort of snobby." Meghan Gutkneckt kept the group's story line flowing as narrator.

One group in Wlazlo's class didn't use puppets; they acted out a skit for the second-graders.

"We didn't want to be like everyone else," said Zoe Wicks.

Waslo said that members of the group had started out with different ideas about what they wanted to do and, just like the farmers of the Constitution, they had learned to compromise.

Some of the kids said their teaching had spilled over from the classroom to their homes.

"This morning, I was telling my Mom about the framers," said Taylor Wood.

Amir Rastegar said, "My Mom is from Italy and my Dad is from Iran, so I have a lot to tell them."