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The Creation of the Bill of Rights

Guiding Questions:

  • How does the Bill of Rights protect individual liberties and limit the power of government?
  • How is this seen in our everyday lives?

Objectives:

  • Students will explain how the first 10 amendments to the Constitution protect individual liberties and limit the power of the government.
  • Students will evaluate the impact of the Bill of Rights on Americans’ everyday lives.

Facilitation Notes: Stronger readers can read the background essay and complete the graphic organizer as background/preparatory work. Students will consult Appendix A: Founding Principles and Civic Virtues Organizer and Appendix B: Being an American Unit Graphic Organizer from the first lesson in this curriculum.

Anticipate

Have students play the Life Without the Bill of Rights game.

Engage

Ask for student responses to the Life Without the Bill of Rights game. What surprised them? What did they learn? Which rights seemed especially important after playing the game?

Explore

  1. Distribute Background Essay and Background Essay Questions. Complete as a class/individually/in pairs as best suits your classroom. Discuss and/or collect answers.
  2. Distribute Breaking Down the Bill of Rights Graphic Organizer. Have students complete in pairs or small groups, individually, or as a jigsaw, as best fits your classroom. Discuss student responses to the final questions. These questions are opinion-based and meant to generate discussion.

Assess & Reflect

  1. Have students return to Appendix A: Founding Principles and Civic Virtues Organizer from the first lesson in this curriculum and complete the definitions of freedom of religion and freedom of speech, press, and assembly based on what they learned in this activity.
  2. Have students return to Appendix B: Being an American Unit Graphic Organizer from the first lesson in this curriculum and complete the applicable row as an exit ticket.

Extend

  • Have students create an approximately two-minute “Amendment Story” video for a chosen amendment in the Bill of Rights. Students can use whatever software is easily available. Each story should include visuals and narration on what the amendment says and why it is important. If software is not available, students can draw a cartoon or storyboard for their amendment story.

Student Handouts


Next Lesson

The Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights

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