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Teacher Resources for Civic Education

 

THE BILL OF RIGHTS

LESSON PLAN AND ACTIVITY

 

Grade Level: 5-12

 

Subjects:

Language Arts: Reading, Writing

 

Duration: 1 session

 

Description: Students will explore and understand the words and practical implications of the Bill of Rights.

 

ISBE Standards:

 

1. Social Science

• 14A: Understand and explain basic principles of the United States government.
• 14B: Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
• 14D: Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

 

2. Language Arts

• 1B: Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
• 1C: Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
• 3A: Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.
• 3C: Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
• 4A: Listen effectively in formal and informal situation.
• 4B: Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.

 

Objectives:

• 1. Explore and understand the basic definitions of each of the First Ten Amendments to the US Constitution.
• 2. Understand the importance of these basic rights.
• 3. Discover how the Bill of Rights affects our daily lives.

 

Materials: "Which Rights Do You Choose?"

Handout News articles regarding the USA Patriot Act, and Reworded Bill of Rights Handout

 

Instruction and Activity:

I. Have students review the attached list of rights and ask:

Which rights should everyone have?

• Which rights should some people have? Who are those "some people?"
• Which rights should no one have?
• Option: Have each student take this list to 10 people (other students, friends, family members), and ask the same questions to see what the "average American" thinks.

II. Come back together as a class. Reveal that these rights are guaranteed to every American through the Bill of Rights - the first ten Amendments to the United States Constitution.

III. Ask why our founding fathers thought that these rights were important?

IV. Ask if during a time of war, or today's climate, should all these rights still be guaranteed?

V. Ask students how some or all of these rights could be removed?

 

Answer: A Constitutional Amendment s necessary, although some rights can be curtailed through legislation or executive orders (i.e. the USA Patriot Act and executive orders by President Bush).

 

VI. Look at news articles about the USA Patriot Act, the detention of immigrants, recent legal cases regarding the use of search warrants, the arrest and detention of individuals who attended the Al Queda training camp, etc. Ask students to evaluate which rights have been limited through the USA Patriot Act, other legislation, and executive orders?

 

Answer:

 

A. Freedom of Association

 

B. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant.

 

C. Right to a lawyer in a criminal trial.

 

D. Right to a speedy trial in a criminal trial.

 

E. Freedom of Speech

 

Ask students why the above rights are necessary? How would their lives be impacted without them?

 

A: The freedoms listed in the Bill of Rights serve several purposes. Not only do they protect the individual from other individuals who are doing bad things, but they protect individuals and groups from abuses of power in government. Can you think of any times in history where there has been an abuse of power in government?

 

Examples: Watergate, Rolando Cruz/Janine Nicarico Case Selling commercial drivers licenses for campaign money Issues about Viet Nam

 

WHICH RIGHTS DO YOU CHOOSE? ACTIVITY

• Read through the rights listed below.
• Which rights do you think that everyone should have?
• Which rights do you think only some people should have, and who should have them?
• Which rights do you think that no one should have? ************************************************************************

1. The right to choose and practice your own religion or to choose not to practice any religion at all without government interference.
2. The right to say your opinion on any topic.
3. The right to learn about what is happening in your world without government interference - read the newspaper, watch television.
4. The right of reporters to report news without government interference.
5. The right to get together with your friends or other people with whom you have common interests.
6. The right to ask the government to fix something that is wrong.
7. The right to own a gun.
8. The right to live in your house without having the government place a soldier to live there with you.
9. The right to privacy.
10. The freedom from having the police stop you, search you, and take your belongings without a search warrant.
11. The right to have a jury of people like you who will determine if you should be charged with a crime.
12. The right to not be charged and tried for the same crime more than once.
13. The right not to say things to police that will get you in trouble.
14. The right to have the government go through certain procedures any time it wants to before it can jail you, search you, or take your property.
15. The right to have a speedy, public criminal trial.
16. The right to have an impartial jury in a criminal trial.
17. The right to know the identity of all of the witnesses against you if you are a defendant in a criminal trial.
18. The right to know what the witnesses in a criminal trial are saying against you if you are the defendant.
19. The right to watch witnesses give testimony against you at a criminal trial.
20. The right to know with what crimes you are being charged.
21. The right to an attorney in a criminal trial.
22. The right to have a jury in a civil (as opposed to criminal) trial.
23. The right to not be tortured at the hands of the government/police.
24. The right to not be punished severely for "smaller" or "less serious" crimes.

 

Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments to the US Constitution)

 

1. Freedom of Religion Freedom of Speech Freedom of Press Right of people to gather together Right to Petition the government

 

2. Right to own a gun.

 

3. Right not to have soldiers live in your house.

 

4. Right to not have the police search you or your belongings unreasonably or without cause.

 

5. Right not to incriminate yourself. Right not to be charged with the same offense twice. Right to have due process.

 

6. Right to have a speedy criminal trial Right to have a jury in a criminal trial Right to have a lawyer in a criminal trial

 

7. Right to have a jury in a civil trial.

 

8. Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment.

 

9. Rights specifically listed in the Constitution (federal) shall not limit the rights not listed in the Constitution (state).

 

10. Powers not specifically listed in the Constitution for the federal government are given to the states.

 

©Copyright 2003 Citizen Advocacy Center. All rights reserved. No part of this lesson plan may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior, written permission of the Citizen Advocacy Center.