Teaching the Bill of Rights: The 14th Amendment – Part Two
Teaching the 14th Amendment and the concept of Incorporation are important – yet complex – legal and constitutional issues for educators and students. Click HERE for the lesson plans that accompany this video: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/e-l...
As students wrestle with the concepts of individual rights and due process, they are presented with numerous 20th and 21st century examples of how the 14th Amendment has impacted their daily lives. Does the Constitution/14th Amendment permit states to understand the fundamental rights of Americans in fundamentally different ways? Which level of government can best protect those rights? What role does/should the Supreme Court play in this process?
0:00 Hello and welcome to Teaching the Bill of Rights, the 14th Amendment, Part Two. In the second lesson, have students fill out handout B, attitude inventory, to see if they agree or disagree with the statements. Then have them read handout A, background essay, who should define our fundamental freedoms. And finally,
0:22 have them complete handout B again to see if they change their minds. Have them discuss their answers in pairs, small groups, or as a class. Next, have students determine which of the rights in the Bill of Rights they consider to be fundamental freedoms. Using a copy of the Bill of Rights, have the students list the rights in each amendment on handout C, fundamental freedoms. They
0:43 should then circle the rights they believe to be fundamental. Next, have students use handout D, incorporation cases chart, to circle the amendments that have been incorporated by the Supreme Court. Ask students to think about why the court would incorporate these rights, if these rights are fundamental freedoms, and if they would be shocked if their states denied these rights. Discuss how their opinions about
1:04 fundamental freedoms differ or are similar to the Supreme Courts, and if they saw any patterns in the cases. For additional lesson plans, activities, and more information about how to engage your students with the 14th Amendment, please click here. Thank you for watching Teaching the Bill of Rights the 14th Amendment. For more information and to sign up for our newsletters, please be sure to check us out at billofightsinstitute.org.
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