Teacher Resources: Lesson Plan

Exploration of the Bill of Rights

Overview

This lesson can be used for giving students an overall understanding of the Bill of Rights and the historical and political perspectives that led to their addition to the Constitution. It explores a variety of resources including external web sites that have been evaluated by teachers for their resource value. Appropriate for high school junior and senior students, the lesson's goal is to allow the student a well-rounded study of the Bill of Rights and how it has changed American society.

National Curriculum Standards met by this lesson

For a list of standards that this unit addresses, click here.

Ties to Your Curriculum

This lesson should be included in any civics, government, or history class for high school juniors and seniors when teaching students the following objectives:

Time Required

Depending on depth and breadth of student research, anywhere from one to two weeks.

Materials Needed

The Lesson

Anticipatory Set

Class discussion: To start the discussion, ask students how life would be different if there weren't a law giving citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Write "keep and bear arms" on the board or overhead. Then continue with the right to own public property, fair treatment of those accused of crimes, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, freedom from self-incrimination, a speedy and impartial jury trial, and representation by counsel. List them one at a time on the board or overhead and lead the discussion of how the United States would be a different country without these laws. Explain to students that these are some of the first amendments added to the Constitution in a document called the Bill of Rights. Ask students what types of situations could have led our founding fathers to add these to the Constitution. What political or historical events could have shown a need for these amendments? (These all are central in protecting the rights of individuals.)

Procedures

  1. Have students go to the Library of Congress website:
    http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/billofrights.html

    --or another website or text that lists the Bill of Rights. After giving students some time to read and explore the amendments, ask students to choose one about which they would like to learn more.

  2. Have students hypothesize why their chosen amendment needed to be added. What kinds of events could have led the founding fathers to see a need for this amendment? Students should record their reasons on note cards.
  3. Tell students to start researching the amendment using the Library of Congress site or books from their library. When they find information to support or negate their hypothesis, they should record it on their note cards.
  4. Once students have completed their research, they are to compile their information into a persuasive speech pretending to be one of the original writers of the amendment.

    5. The speech should include the following points:

    Describe who you are, either specifically with a name if the amendment's author could be found, or generally (Who would have had an interest in this becoming part of the Bill of Rights?).

    Explain why you think this bill should be included in the Bill of Rights. How would not including it be detrimental to American society? How would including this proposed amendment benefit citizens?

    Address if this proposed amendment would continue to be relevant and appropriate years into the future.

    Take on the role of the person proposing this amendment. Speak as if you are standing in the room with the founding fathers. What should be said to convince them that this amendment is necessary?

    Are there any relevant historical or political events that might sway some attitudes?

    5. Remind students that this is to be an oral, persuasive speech, but that you expect them to have a written draft or notes as well. They are not to read their notes, but use them as a guide during their speech. Their speech should be anywhere from 5-10 minutes.

Assessment

Teachers can use the following rubric to grade the oral presentations.

Grading Element/Total Points

Excellent (10)

Good (9-8)

Fair (7-6)

Not Satisfactory (5-1)

No Work (0)

Research (10)

There is an abundance of information about the topic.

Points are clearly made and are logical.

All evidence supports the points made.

Contains no factual errors.

Locates and uses general information and examples from obvious sources

Contains no factual errors.

Locates and uses general information from a limited number of sources

Weakly assesses the reasons for the addition of the amendment.

Contains no factual errors.

Shows weak research, with incomplete or unbalanced topic coverage

Demonstrates little effort to assess the reasons for the addition of the amendment.

May contain factual errors.

If a student falls into this category, and you think they gave this assignment a reasonable amount of effort, conference with the student and allow them to redo either their research or their presentation or both. Set up a time to do this privately.

No research

Student does not treat other speakers with respect during the

presentations.

Persuasive oral presentation (10)

A well-balanced, thorough presentation of topic information.

An appealing performance showing originality.

Audible and clear, coherently-structured.

Extremely persuasive in nature.

Held the audience's attention throughout.

Their notes were only a guide.

A generally balanced, complete presentation of topic information.

An appealing performance.

Audible and articulated clearly and generally coherent in structure.

Persuasive in nature.

Held the audience's attention most of the time.

Their notes were

referred to but it didn't detract from the presentation.

The presentation of information is not complete for the topic.

The performance lacks a good flow.

Speech is so soft, rapid, or mumbled that speaker cannot be heard at some times.

Confused structure of oral argument.

Somewhat persuasive.

Held the audience's attention for part of the time.

Notes were used extensively.

The presentation of data is incomplete or missing in some aspects of topic; or is very vague.

The performance is not polished.

Speech is so soft, rapid, or mumbled that speaker cannot be heard most of the time.

This is an Incoherent presentation.

Not persuasive in nature.

The audience could not follow the presentation.

They read their notes.

No project

Student does not treat other speakers with respect during the presentations.

Related Works

The Bill of Rights; Creation and Reconstruction by Akhil Amar

Origins of the Bill of Rights by Leonard Levy

In Our Defense: The Bill of Rights in Action by Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy