The Bill of Rights

By: Michael B. Hand

ED 639

Dr. Helms

Unit: The Constitution

9th Grade Government

Lesson: The Bill of Rights

Objectives:

• Give students the examples of their rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights

• Give the students n idea of the concept of justice

• Identify legal means of dissent

• Identify the importance of the Bill of Rights

Materials Needed

• Textbook

• Notebook

• Tools for Remembering the Bill of Rights Worksheet

• Writing Utensil

Presentation

• The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

• The Bill of Rights guarantees our civil liberties

• Our Rights are not limited only to the Bill of Rights

The first amendment guarantees:

• Freedom of speech

• Freedom of religion

• Freedom of the press

• Freedom of assembly

• Freedom to petition

First amendment researchwww.caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/

The second amendment guarantees:

• The right to bear arms**Current issues surrounding

Amendment 2**

-NRA website:www.nraila.org/- Handgun free America

site:www.handgunfree.org/HFAMain/

The third amendment guarantees:

• No soldier shall be quartered without consent of owner, unless during times of war under a manner prescribed by law.

( Britain used to force the quartering of soldiers)

The fourth amendments guarantees:

• Personal security• No unreasonable

searches

(Discussion of the Patriot Act)

www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/forum/forumnew39.htm

The fifth amendment guarantees:

• No self-incrimination• You cannot be held for

a crime unless you are indicted by a grand jury

• No double jeopardy

The sixth amendment guarantees:

• A speedy trial• You may confront

your accusers• Due Process under the

law

The seventh amendment guarantees:

• A jury trial will be guaranteed in civil suits over the amount of 20 dollars

Eighth Amendment Guarantees:

- No Excessive Bail

- No Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Death Penalty news and updates

www.web.cis.smu.edu/~deathpen/

The Ninth Amendment Guarantees:

• People have other rights other than those listed here.

• No law may be passed that infringes upon these rights.

The Tenth Amendment Guarantees:

• Any Rights not delegated specifically to the federal or state governments are reserved to the states and the people

Confusion over the ninth and tenth amendments?

• The ninth prevents limitation of rights

• The tenth reserves any rights or power to govern the people not specifically mentioned in the constitution to the states and the people.

Activities:

• 1- The students will practice quizzing each other on the Bill of Rights.

• 2- The students will also complete the worksheet “Tools for learning the Bill of Rights”. This worksheet will help the students remember the Bill of Rights.

Tools for Remembering the Bill of Rights

 Meaningful Amendment # Rights GuaranteedSymbol or Phrase in the Amendment 

   2nd Amendment

        Freedom of : 1.Religion2.________________3.________________4.________________5.________________

   6th Amendment

        No Excessive Bail or….._____________________ _____________________

   5th Amendment

        No person shall be required to quarter soldiers without the consent of owner. 

     Right to a Jury trial    

9th Amendment        No unreasonable search and seizure.    

10th Amendment ] 

Activities (continued)

• 3- The students will research one of the amendments and explain the issues surrounding one of the amendments

• 4- The students will take a position on the amendments (This will be assigned)

• 5- The students will organize a debate in front of the class

More Web Sites to explore:

• Organizations opposed to the death penalty:

-ACLU www.aclu.org/DeathPenalty/DeathPenaltyMain.cfm

-The Catholic Church www.americancatholic.org/news/deathpenalty/

• Organizations surrounding free speech:

- The Freedom Forum www.freedomforum.org/

- Thomas Jefferson Center for the Freedom of Expression

www.tjcenter.org/

Evaluation

• “Tools for Remembering the Bill of Right” worksheet