Ahead of Constitution Day, celebrated on September 17, Middle Gate Elementary School fourth grade teacher Linda Baron oversaw the school's first assembly to honor the day and the Constitution on Friday, September 16.

Third and fourth grade students gathered in the school's gymnasium for the event, and most of the group wore shades of red, white, and blue for the day.

"This is our very first assembly for Constitution Day, a very exciting day here at Middle Gate School," said Ms Baron.

The following day, Ms Baron said, would mark both Constitution Day and the start of Constitution Week.

"Did you know that the very first constitution was written here in our state of Connecticut in 1639?" she asked the gathered students. "No other state in our nation can make that claim. At the time that document was called the Fundamental Orders."

It was considered illegal, so the colonists hid the document in "the Charter Oak," a tree in Hartford, Ms Baron said.

A number of student presenters helped share information at the assembly, like Jaclyn Mauri who shared the definition of the word "constitution."

Ms Baron said the Constitution acts as the law of the land for all of the people in the United States. She asked the gathered students what they thought would happen if there were no laws. Students responded saying people would do things "that aren't right," that people would pollute the world, and that "the world would be chaos."

Ms Baron's fourth grade class, she said, worked together to agree on the rules for the classroom, or their own class constitution.

"I was so excited, after we came up with all those rules and laws for our classroom, that I went home and I wrote a constitution that I want to propose... for our school," said Ms Baron, before demonstrating what can happen when people do not work together to agree on laws.

The laws Ms Baron proposed were not favored by the third and fourth graders, who frowned, held their thumbs down, and booed in response as she read her list of rules, which included a 10-cent tax for use of forks at lunch and a 15-cent tax for each piece of paper used.

Sensing the students' desire, Ms Baron ripped up her proposed rules, and said Middle Gate already has its own constitution that was created by a team of people.

"Never should a constitution be written by a single person, because all voices matter," said Ms Baron.

Also at the assembly, student Wes Keayes asked Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jean Evans Davila why she thinks learning about the Constitution will help make the students better citizens.

Ms Davila said, much like her tablet or any type of device or machine, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence act as users' guides so citizens know when their rights are being threatened. The documents teach citizens about their freedoms, Ms Davila said.

"You are the owners of your government and your country as American citizens," said Ms Davila, "and you need to know your rights and know when things are not working well, so that you keep this thing that you love so much, our country, and you maintain it, and you keep it sturdy and working the way it is supposed to work."

Ms Baron said she hopes the students appreciate their freedoms, their school, and the state and country they live in.

"Be responsible citizens by following rules and being kind, and that is the best way that you will be able to honor Constitution Day all year long," said Ms Baron.

Near the end of the assembly, Middle Gate Principal Chris Geissler signed a proclamation officially naming the following week at his school Constitution Week. The act was officially witnessed by Ms Davila and two students, while the rest of the assembly looked on.