Handouts

If there is no access to the technology needed for this lesson, try the following options:

• Mini Lesson: Instead of showing students the Bill of Rights from a website, hand out print copies of the original document, or show a transparency of Handout 1.3a: The Bill of Rights using an overhead projector.
• Student Activity: If there is one computer with Internet access in the classroom, students can view the original document from the website in small groups at that computer when they complete the activity on paper.
• Lesson Summary: Instead of showing the six issues from the student website, refer students to Handout 1.1a: Issue Introductions to review the six issues and the amendment each one relates to.

Objectives

The class will read the original text of the Bill of Rights along with simpler text that describes the rights guaranteed by each amendment. Working in groups, students will analyze current-events scenarios relating to the freedoms described in the Bill of Rights. Students will infer whether the situations described are legal or if they violate the Bill of Rights. Students will express their thoughts on which rights they think are most important and choose an issue to research for this unit.

Focusing Question

Mini Lesson

Look at the original copy of the Bill of Rights. They used fancy handwriting because it was written before typewriters were invented.

Would someone like to read what the First Amendment says?

The First Amendment gives us a lot of freedoms, nicknamed the five freedoms. Some people think it is the most important amendment. Would someone like to read the Second Amendment?

Some people are debating what the words of the Second Amendment really mean. Some amendments are not as important to us today. Let’s skip the Third Amendment. Would someone like to read the Fourth Amendment?

The Fourth Amendment gives us the right to privacy. Privacy has meant different things at different times in our history. Would someone like to read the Sixth Amendment?

The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Amendments all have to do with the right to a fair trial and a lawyer. Would someone like to read the Eighth Amendment?

The Eighth Amendment relates to torture and the death penalty. The way this right has been interpreted has been different throughout our history and in different states.

These are the most important rights in the Bill of Rights today.
 
Let’s take a look at this Handout 1.3b: Applying the Bill of Rights. Would someone like to read the first situation?

Which amendment has to do with guns?
Sample Response: The Second Amendment has to do with guns. It says we have the right to bear arms, or own guns.

Let’s write down the Second Amendment in the second column on the handout. According to the Second Amendment, can the Governor decide that no one in New York can own a gun?
Sample Responses: No, the Governor cannot do that because the Second Amendment says we have the right to bear arms. Yes, the governor can do that as long as we have a militia that can have guns to protect the people in New York from an attack or a war.

Write down your opinion in the third column. Make sure you explain why you think the action is protected by the amendment or why it is not protected by the amendment.

Student Activity

1. Monitor group discussions. Observe students’ writing. Encourage students to write the ideas they discuss on the handout.
2. Group together students who may have difficulty writing their ideas with students who can express their ideas in writing well.
3. To engage students in a role-play activity, assign each group one scenario from the handout. Ask each group to act out the scenario and discuss with the class whether the action is legal according to the Bill of Rights. 
4. Provide students who struggle with group discussion some examples from other student discussions.
5. Allow students who work more productively independently to complete the activity on their own and encourage them to share their ideas with a group, or on the class weblog, when they finish the handout.
6. If necessary, limit the number of situations that students will discuss during this class period to ensure that there is time for a class discussion.
7. Instruct students who complete the writing activity early to view other students’ ideas on the class weblog and respond to them.

Lesson Summary

What does the Bill of Rights mean today?
Sample Responses: The Bill of Rights gives us the right to have our own religion. It gives us the right to protest if we want. We can have privacy with our personal things.

Let’s take a look at the six issues that you can research. Which amendment does the gun control issue relate to?
Sample Response: It relates to the Second Amendment because the Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms.

Which amendment does the death penalty issue relate to and why?
Sample Response: It relates to the Eighth Amendment because the Eighth Amendment says that we cannot have cruel or unusual punishments.

Which amendment does the Violent Video Games issue relate to?
Sample Response: It relates to the right to freedom of speech in the First Amendment.

Which amendment does the subway searches issues relate to?
Sample Response: It relates to the right to the Fourth Amendment. It is just like the situation where the police officer stops you on the street and asks to see what is in your bag.

Which amendment does the Religion and Science issue relate to?
Sample Response: It relates to the First Amendment because the First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of religion.

Which amendment does the Privacy and Security issue relate to?
Sample Response: It relates to the First Amendment because the First Amendment gives us freedom of speech and to the Fourth Amendment because the Fourth Amendment forbids warrantless searches.

Which amendments do you think are the most important today?
Sample Responses: I think the First Amendment is the most important because it gives us five different freedoms. I like the Fourth Amendment because privacy is very important to me.

Assessment