Lesson Plan: Classroom Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights Lesson Plan
Overview
Introduction

This document contains the lesson plan for a Classroom Bill of Rights. It allows the student to practice Application -- applying information on the US
Bill of Rights to the creation of a Classroom Bill of Rights.
This document contains the lesson plan as well as the handouts and form noted in the lesson.
The videos referred to and used in this lesson were obtained from the
Mansfield Public Library and are as follows:
 United States Bill of Rights and additional amendments to the U.S.
Constitution / 1 videocassette (50 min.); Mansfield Library 342.73 U
 The United States Constitution / 1 videocassette (50 min.); Mansfield
Library 342.73 U (viewed prior to this lesson plan)
Please note: You may substitute any videos that give an overview of the US
Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Contents

This publication contains the following topics:
Topic
Classroom Bill of Rights Lesson
Handout #1: U.S. Constitution
Handout #2: Bill of Rights
Classroom Bill of Rights Article -- Form

Page 1 of 9

See Page
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Classroom Bill of Rights Lesson
Intro

In this activity, students will read relevant portions of the U.S. Constitution, then discuss and draft their own Classroom Bill of Rights.
This lesson plan is adapted from the following ERIC Database (TRIED)
Series:
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/000
0019b/80/23/17/0b.pdf (Pages 25 & 26)

Learning outcomes Social Studies Objective:
 To give students a sense of the complexity of setting up a plan of government and of individual rights
Writing Objective:
 To prompt a team writing exercise.

Language Level

Pre-GED/GED Level

Teacher planning Materials/resources:
 Copies of the Preamble to the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights
 United States Bill of Rights and additional amendments to the U.S.
Constitution / 1 videocassette (50 min.); Mansfield Library 342.73 U
Preparation:
Step
1
2

Action
Make a copy of the Preamble to the US Constitution and the Bill of
Rights for each student
Make a copy of the form for drafting a Classroom Bill of Rights article for each team.

Pre-activities

The students should have already viewed the following video:
 The United States Constitution (Mansfield Library 342.73 U)

Time required

50 minutes for the video and 40 minutes for the exercise

Instructor
Intro

“One of the major thinking skills you need to pass the GED exam is
Application which means taking information and ideas from one situation and applying them to a different situation. Two weeks ago we watched a video on the US Constitution. Today, we’ll watch a video on the US Bill of
Rights. Then, we are going to create our own Classroom Bill of Rights.”
Continued on next page
Page 2 of 9

Classroom Bill of Rights Lesson, Continued
Activities

The following are the activities involved in this lesson:
Step
Action
1
View the video:
(50 min.) United States Bill of Rights and additional amendments to the
U.S. Constitution
2
Have the students read the Preamble of the Constitution and the
(5 min.) Bill of Rights (first ten amendments)
 What was the focus of the original Articles of the US
Constitution?
 Why did they feel they needed a Bill of Rights?
 Did the Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to all of the states? 3
In a class discussion, ask the students to brainstorm and give
(15 min) their opinion on what should be included in a Classroom Bill of
Rights.
 The instructor will record student suggestions on the whiteboard. 4
As a class, the students will revise the suggestions according to
(5 min.) their own sense of what is right and fair.
5
Divide the class into teams and have each team prepare one
(10 min.) major right to be included in the Classroom Bill of Rights.
Using the form supplied, each team must write an article supporting the right. The teachers will provide support.
6
Bring the teams back together and recap the Classroom Bill of
(5 min.) Rights.
 Someone from each team will read the article that team wrote. 7
Once the Classroom Bill of Rights has been drafted, consider the
(5 min.) following questions:
 In drafting the Classroom Bill of Rights, did you consider the rights of minorities in the school community (e.g. the teachers)?  If the minority rights were not protected, did you think about what dangers this poses for the rights of the majority
(students)? Did you figure the dangers to the minorities?
 In drafting the Classroom Bill of Rights, did you think about each citizen’s responsibility to see that the system works?  How will the system be protected? Let the group come up with a plan for how to escalate and resolve an issue.
 Did you figure out a way to make changes, if these turn out to be necessary later?
Continued on next page

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Classroom Bill of Rights Lesson, Continued
Conclusion

You’ve just experienced some of what the founders of our country experienced as they wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
 Do we all agree to abide by this Bill of Rights for our classrooms?
 How many vote “yes”? How many say “no”? (teachers get to vote, too)
Each of our classrooms can be viewed as an individual state with the teacher as the governor. Just as the US Bill of Rights applies to all the states, this Classroom Bill of Rights will apply to both of the classrooms.
I will put these all together and make a copy of the final document for each of you. We will also post a copy in each classroom.
We all now have the responsibility to abide by this Bill of Rights!

Results /
Benefits

The students have a greater grasp of the notion that drafting a constitution means more than passing out rights to everyone:
 Conflicts among the rights of different segments of the citizenry have to be mediated
 Rights are claimed and held through the negotiation of differences
 Citizenship carries certain duties and responsibilities: “I’ll uphold your rights; you uphold mine.”

Variations

This lesson can be extended as follows:
Obtain a copy of, or describe, The Literacy Center rules as they pertain to
GED classes. Ask your students to identify rules that they think violate their rights. Discussion will follow naturally.

Assessment

The goals are assessed by observation.

Page 4 of 9

Handout #1: U.S. Constitution
Intro

This page contains the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and an indication of what is addressed in each article of the document.

Preamble

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United
States of America.

Article I

[The Legislative Branch]
..Section 1. [Legislative Power Vested]
..Section 2. [House of Representatives]
..Section 3. [Senate]
..Section 4. [Elections of Senators and Representatives]
..Section 5. [Rules of House and Senate]
..Section 6. [Compensation and Privileges of Members]
..Section 7. [Passage of Bills]
..Section 8. [Scope of Legislative Power]
..Section 9. [Limits on Legislative Power]
..Section 10. [Limits on States]

Article II

[The Presidency]
..Section 1. [Election, Installation, Removal]
..Section 2. [Presidential Power]
..Section 3. [State of the Union, Receive Ambassadors, Laws Faithfully
Executed, Commission Officers]
..Section 4. [Impeachment]

Article III

[The Judiciary]
..Section 1. [Judicial Power Vested]
..Section 2. [Scope of Judicial Power]
..Section 3. [Treason]

Article IV

[The States]
..Section 1. [Full Faith and Credit]
..Section 2. [Privileges and Immunities, Extradition, Fugitive Slaves]
..Section 3. [Admission of States]
..Section 4. [Guarantees to States]
Continued on next page

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Handout #1: U.S. Constitution, Continued
Article V

[The Amendment Process]
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

Article VI

[Legal Status of the Constitution]

Article VII

[Ratification]

Page 6 of 9

Handout #2: Bill of Rights
Intro

The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights.

1st Amendment

[Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (1791)]
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.

2nd Amendment

[Right to Bear Arms (1791)]
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.

3rd Amendment

[Quartering of Troops (1791)]
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. 4th Amendment

[Search and Seizure (1791)]
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

5th Amendment

[Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process (1791)]
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 offense, 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.
Continued on next page

Page 7 of 9

Handout #2: Bill of Rights, Continued
6th Amendment

[Criminal Prosecutions - Jury Trial, Right to Confront and to Counsel
(1791)]
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 defense.

7th Amendment

[Common Law Suits - Jury Trial (1791)]
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 re- examined in any court of the United States than according to the rules of the common law.

8th Amendment

[Excess Bail or Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishment (1791)]
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.

9th Amendment

[Non-Enumerated Rights (1791)]
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

10th
Amendment

[Rights Reserved to States (1791)]
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. Page 8 of 9

Classroom Bill of Rights Article -- Form
Intro

One form is to be completed by the team for the article assigned.
Example:
Right: To bear arms
Article: “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.”

Rule we are addressing Write down the right your team is addressing as it appears on the whiteboard. Our Article to be included in the Classroom
Bill of Rights

This is the wording of our article as it will appear in the final document.

Page 9 of 9