The
Law: Your Rights and Responsibilities
Teacher:
Bonnie Webb, Cooper Middle School
Overview: This activity was originally
designed to introduce students to a study of the Bill of Rights. It can
be used as a stand-alone activity to promote divergent thinking, problem
solving, and provide basic knowledge of our First Amendment rights and
responsibilities.
Materials:
- pen/paper
- a copy of the first amendment
- 3X5 Cards
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right
of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for
a redress of grievances.
- Ratified December 15,
1791
Teacher Preparation: Label
each of the 3X5 cards with one part of the first amendment (5). The number
of students involved in the activity would determine the number of cards.
Time: Approximately 90 minutes
Instructional Sequence:
- Warm-up: Distribute copies of the First
Amendment for students to read silently and write any notes or thoughts.
- Meet in large group and discuss their
initial reactions to the amendment.
- Provide a brief background of the Bill
of Rights.
During the debates on
the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly charged that
the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central
government. Fresh in their minds was the memory of the British violation
of civil rights before and during the Revolution. They demanded a "bill
of rights" that would spell
out the immunities of individual citizens. Several state conventions
in their formal ratification of the Constitution asked for such amendments;
others ratified the Constitution with the understanding that the amendments
would be offered.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress
of the United States therefore proposed to the state legislatures 12
amendments to the Constitution that met arguments most frequently advanced
against it. The first two proposed amendments, which concerned the number
of constituents for each Representative and the compensation of Congressmen,
were not ratified. Articles 3 to 12, however, ratified by three-fourths
of the state legislatures, constitute the first 10 amendments of the
Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
-From the National
Archives and Records Administration
- Discuss the language of the amendment.
Make sure that students understand what the words mean. ( Example: "redress
of grievances")
- Randomly pass out 3X5 cards.
- Instructions:
- Get with a partner (or group depending
on the size of the group) that has a card with the same right.
- Each student writes the assigned right
on the top of their paper and then draws two columns labeled Positive
and Negative underneath.
- Discuss with your partner both positive
and negative outcomes possible because of this right given to the
people. List comments in appropriate columns. Students may list incidents
or scenarios, real life examples, incidents from their own life, etc.
This is a good time to remind students that these rights are not
necessarily afforded to them because of their age.
- Bring class back together to discuss
and list (board/chart paper) what they have listed. At this time students
may add to their list from what other partners have said about their
right.
- Using their charts students can then
write on the both the rights (Positive) and the responsibilities (Negative)
that citizens have under the Bill of Rights.
Evaluation:
For this activity participation grades could be awarded for group discussion/completed
chart. The end writing could also serve as an evaluative tool for both
the mechanics of writing and whether or not the student understood the
concept.
