Students brainstorm rights in the Bill of Rights. Then they read closely the first amendment and describe the five freedoms. Next they watch a video and then read the entire Bill of Rights and summarize each of them. Finally they examine what is and is not covered by freedom of speech.
Students are introduced to the topic and objectives of the experience and review key vocabulary related to the Bill of Rights. They view images and a title slide, then respond to a word cloud prompt by listing as many rights and freedoms from the Bill of Rights as they can, using single words or short phrases.
Teacher MovesPresent the overview and objectives, clarify key vocabulary terms, and review student word cloud responses to surface commonly known rights such as freedoms of speech, press, and religion, the right to bear arms, and protections against self-incrimination.
Students watch Why wasn’t the Bill of Rights originally in the US Constitution? to learn how debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists led to adding the Bill of Rights. They then complete a two-column table explaining each side’s position and why the Federalists ultimately agreed to the amendments. Next, students read the “Bill of Rights” section in How the First State Constitutions Helped Build the U.S. Constitution to see how earlier documents and state constitutions influenced the Bill of Rights, and answer a multiple-choice question about which rights appeared in most early state constitutions.
Teacher MovesIf desired, substitute or supplement the video with readings such as Would you have been a Federalist or an Anti-Federalist?, The Bill of Rights (Digital History), and The Great Debate. Clarify the positions of Federalists and Anti-Federalists, emphasizing concerns about government power and protections for individual rights, and support students as they summarize each side in the table. Highlight how early state constitutions and earlier English and American rights documents influenced the Bill of Rights, and, if helpful, direct students to the interactive resource Creating the Bill of Rights for additional background.
Students shift from the history of the Bill of Rights to the specific rights it protects. They examine the full text of the First Amendment and a brief explanation of its “five freedoms,” then complete a drag-and-drop activity matching each freedom to an example of how it limits government action. Students read the full text of the Bill of Rights in The Bill of Rights and use a graphic organizer to restate each of the first ten amendments in their own words. They then consult summaries in A 3-minute guide to the Bill of Rights and The Bill of Rights: What Does It Say? to refine or revise their paraphrases.
Teacher MovesPre-teach or review key First Amendment vocabulary (exercise, abridging, assemble, petition, redress, grievances) to support comprehension. Guide students through the First Amendment text and the matching activity to ensure they understand how each freedom constrains government power. Monitor and support students as they paraphrase each amendment in the graphic organizer, and, if needed, use example scenarios (from the National Constitution Center: Bill of Rights Lesson Plan) to illustrate how each amendment applies in real-life situations before moving on.
Students consider how the Bill of Rights continues to shape American life. They read What Does Free Speech Mean? to see Supreme Court-based examples of what is and is not protected speech, then complete a table listing two examples that illustrate each side. Next, working individually or in pairs, they are assigned or choose one landmark Supreme Court case (such as New York Times v. Sullivan, Miranda v. Arizona, New Jersey v. TLO, West Side Community Schools v. Mergens, District of Columbia v. Heller, Ingraham v. Wright, Engel v. Vitale, Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, Printz v. United States, or Gideon v. Wainwright). Using the linked case resources, they identify which amendment the case involves and how the decision helps define that right or freedom, then post their explanation (including the case name) to a shared wall. After reading classmates’ posts to compare cases and rights, students respond to a final prompt on another wall explaining, in one or two sentences, which right they think is most important and why.
Teacher MovesExplain that this scene is an optional extension and that students will apply their understanding of the Bill of Rights to real Supreme Court decisions. Support students in exploring What Does Free Speech Mean? and in selecting or being assigned a case. Provide guidance as they research their case, using the provided amendment summaries for each case to check understanding, and help them clearly connect the case to the relevant amendment and right in their wall posts. Prompt students to read and compare classmates’ posts, then highlight and share one or more thoughtful responses to the “most important right” prompt to spark whole-class discussion.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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