THE BILL OF RIGHTS

1. THE BILL OF RIGHTS LTEC 4100 Computers in the Classroom April 24, 2010 Susanne Shanahan University of North Texas

2. The Bill of Rights-TEKS • 113.7. Social Studies, Grade 5. • (b)  Knowledge and skills. • (21)  Citizenship. The student understands the fundamental rights of American citizens guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The student is expected to: • (A)  summarize the reasons for the creation of the Bill of Rights; • (B)  describe important individual rights including freedom of religion, speech, and press and the right to assemble and petition the government; • (C)  describe important due process rights including trial by jury and the right to an attorney.

3. Learners to Address in this Lesson • This lesson plan is designed for the 5th grade level. • The lesson addresses visual learners by reading handouts. • The lesson addresses auditory learners be listening to the Bill of Rights read out loud, and discussing them. They will also be addressed through song. • The lesson will addresses kinesthetic learners by graphing the outcome of a survey in excel, and through movement with dance.

4. Learning Objectives • Students will be able to: • List the 10 Amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. (Knowledge) • Discuss the importance of the Bill of Rights. (Understanding) • Demonstrate knowledge of the various rights protected under the Bill of Rights. (Application) • Analyze data collected from a survey regarding how other’s rank the importance of the amendments that make up the Bill of Rights.(Analysis) • Evaluate how his interpretation compares to others, regarding which amendment is most important in the Bill of Rights. (Synthesis) • Formulate his own opinion of the significance of The Bill of Rights. (Evaluation)

5. Teaching the Bill of Rights • This lesson should take 2-3, 45 minute class periods. • Materials Needed: • Handouts • Computer • Printer • Video Recorder • Day 1 • The lesson should begin with a classroom discussion of the reasons The Bill of Rights were created. A handout should be passed out to the class which lists the Bill of Rights. Divide the class into 4 groups. Each group should come up with at least four survey related questions related to the Bill of Rights. The questions should generate answers that can be grouped and graphed. Examples: Which amendment do you think is most important? Do you think Amendment Two is as important today as it was at the time it was written? Allow computer time for each group to type up their surveys. Print out enough copies of the survey for each student to take home. Each student should take his group’s questions home, and ask parents to answer the survey questions.

6. Lesson Plan Continued • Day 2 • Each group should review and compare results from the survey. Then they must decide how they will compile, organize, and display the data gathered, such as in a bar graph, circle graph, chart, etc. using excel. The groups should add a paragraph describing the results of their survey. Each group will present their questions and results to the whole class. • Classroom discussion should be encouraged regarding the survey results, and how the students feel about the results.

7. Lesson Plan Continued • Day 3 • Pass out Handout #2. Divide the Class into 12 groups and assign each group one amendment. Give the groups 15 minutes to come up with an action or dance move that shows the meaning of their assigned amendment. • Pass out copies of The Amendment Song. Lead the class through the song, which is to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas. After once through the song, have each group teach the movement to match their assigned amendment to the class. Sing the song through with the movements. Practice the song several times until everyone knows the song and the movements.

8. Evaluation of Effectiveness of the Lesson • To reinforce knowledge of the amendments, have the students perform The Amendment Song with their movements to younger classes. • Video the children singing the song and play it back for them. If permission is obtained from the parents, the video can be posted to Youtube. • To evaluate the lesson, pass out Handout #4, which is a blank copy of The Amendment Song. Have the students fill in the missing amendments.

9. References: • http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit42/lesson3.html#lesson • http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/us/billofrightsdef.htm

10. Handout #1-Bill of Rights • Definition: First 10 Amendments to the Constitution. James Madison was a strong supporter of the Bill of Rights. They were part of the compromise that ultimately resulted in the passage of the Constitution. These amendments protect individual rights against government intrusion. • Here is a list of the Bill of Rights: • First Amendment: 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. • Second Amendment: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. • Third Amendment: No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. • Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. • Fifth Amendment: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. • Sixth Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. • Seventh Amendment: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. • Eighth Amendment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. • Ninth Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. • Tenth Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

11. Handout #2-Bill of Rights using Modern Terms • Freedom of Religion, Speech and Press • Right to Bear Arms • No Soldiers in Our Homes Now • Where’s Your Warrant Please? • Don’t Rat on Yourself • Right to a Quick Trial • Jury of Your Peers • They Can’t Raise Your Bail • The Cops Aren’t allowed to beat ya! • We have lots of rights • We the people have the say • All people are created equal

12. Handout #3-The Amendment Song • Handout 2The Amendment Song (sung to the 12 Days of Christmas) • The First Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Freedom of religion, speech and pressThe Second Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Right to bear arms,The Third Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . No soldiers in our homes now,The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Where’s your warrant please?The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Don’t rat on yourself,The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Right to a quick trial,The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . Jury of your peers,The first part of the Eighth Amendment says . . . . They can’t raise your bail,The second part of the Eighth Amendment says . . . . The cops aren’t allowed to beat ya,The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . We have lots of rights,The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . We the people have the say,The rest of the Amendments of the Constitution say . . . . All people are created equal. • Credit should be given to screenwriter Douglas McGrath for the mnemonic device he devised to remember the Constitutional amendments in the 1993 version of the film "Born Yesterday" on which this version, adapted by ChellyEifert, was based.

13. Handout #4-The Amendment Song (Blank) • The Amendment Song • The First Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Second Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Third Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The first part of the Eighth Amendment says . . . . • The second part of the Eighth Amendment says . . . . • The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution says . . . . • The rest of the Amendments of the Constitution say . . . . • Credit should be given to screenwriter Douglas McGrath for the brilliant mnemonic device he devised to remember the Constitutional amendments in the 1993 version of the film "Born Yesterday" on which this version was based.