Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Federalism (Chapters 3&4)
4 weeks
Government
Unit Objectives
A. According to the Constitution what are the goals of our Government?
B. How is the Preamble of the Constitution related to Social Contract?
C. How is the Constitution structured?
D. What types of powers do governments have?
E. Article 4 – Interstate Relations:
1. Why do states form interstate compacts?
2. What is the purpose of the Full Faith and Credit Clause?
3. What is the purpose of the Privileges and Immunities Clause?
4. What is extradition?
F. Article 5 – Constitutional Amendments:
1. Describe the process of formally changing the Constitution
2. How does the Constitution’s amendment process illustrate the principles of federalism and popular sovereignty?
G. Article 6 – Federal Supremacy:
1. How does Federalism work in practice?
2. What powers does the national government have? Which are reserved to the states?
3. What is the commerce clause and how has it impacted federal power?
4. What is the “supreme law of the land?” What Supreme Court case upheld federal supremacy?
H. How did McCulloch v. Maryland legitimize and expand the use of implied powers?
I. What individual rights are guaranteed by the Bill of Rights amendments?
J. How have the rights in the Bill of Rights been interpreted by the Supreme Court?
K. What does the 14th Amendment guarantee and how has its interpretation been expanded?
L. What is due process and how is it related to police authority and the right to privacy?
Unit Plan
Day
Objective
Content
Skills
Instruction and Materials
Social Contract
Writing a reflective
paragraph
Create a chart
Social Contract
Preamble
Goals of Government
Structure of the Constitution
Compare and Contrast
Create a class social contract
Assignment - Reflective paragraph – What do you
expect government to do for you?
Sm group - Create a chart – sort ideas into 3 branches
Combine chart into class chart constituting a class
social contract (save on computer)
Compare class social contract to the Preamble.
(People, Places, Events, Concepts)
9/16
A, B
9/19
A, B, C
9/22
C, D
Notes – Slides 1-4
Option: Current events related to aspects of the
Preamble
Assignment – “Introduction to the Constitution” Read
the Constitution and answer questions.
Structure of the Constitution
Powers of Government
-orConstitutional Scavenger Hunt
9/23
C, D
9/20
E, F
Structure of the Constitution
Checks and Balances
Article 4 – Interstate
Relations
Article 5 – Amending the
Constitution
Federalism
Popular Sovereignty
Finish Assignment
Evaluate
Activity - Constitutional Power Grab
Notes 5-7
Evaluate possible constitutional amendments.
What if we had a national convention?
http://www.amoreperfectco
nstitution.com/23_proposals.htm
“23 proposals to revitalize the constitution”
Discuss and vote on the proposals
9/21
F2
Article 5 – Amending the
Constitution
Application/Inference
How does the Constitution’s
amendment process illustrate the
principles of federalism and popular
sovereignty?
9/26
9/27
D, G, H
G, H
G1, G2,
G3
G1, G2,
G3
McCulloch v Maryland
Federal Supremacy
Inherent Powers
Expressed Powers
Implied Powers
Reserved Powers
McCulloch v Maryland
Federal Supremacy
Implied Powers
Federalism – In Practice
National
State
Local
(Optional)
Federalism – In Practice
National
State
Local
(Optional)
CQ Press In Context – Reading
“Constitutional Amendments”
www.cqpress.com/incontext/constitution/docs/constit
utional_amend.html
(Could be remediation/enrichment)
Analyze a Supreme Court
Case
Notes – Slides 8
Vocabulary
Assignment: Read case and answer questions
REVISE
Finish Assignment
Discuss McCulloch Case
Notes - Slide 9-10
Slides 11-12 (No Notes)
Activity – Federal, State, or Local
Local government readings (see separate folder)
(also see Federalism booklet)
Look at property tax to see state/local services
Commerce Clause
Reading: Health Care Reform
9/28
9/29
I
J
Bill of Rights – Introduction
Constitutional Amendments
1-10
Bill of Rights
Activity: Is this a violation of your rights?
Notes – Slides 13-15, 17-19
Research
Assignment - Case Analysis
REVISE
Mini-speech
9/30
J
10/3
I, J
Bill of Rights
4th Amendment
Exigent Circumstances
Probable Cause
Reasonable Suspicion
Wyoming v. Houghton
Guest Speaker - Officer McCaslin
10/4
I, J
Bill of Rights
6th Amendment
Edmonson v. Leesville
Concrete Company
Notes - Slide 16
Bill of Rights
Videos from Law School
14th Amendment
Gideon v. Wainwright
Due Process
Sunnylands DVD – “Key Constitutional Concepts –
Part 2 – One Man Changes the Constitution” (20
minutes)
10/5
I, J
10/6
K, L
Bill of Rights
Research
Continue
Sunnylands DVD - “Jury Selection: Edmonson v.
Leesville Concrete Company” (23 minutes)
Notes – Slides 20-23 REVISE SLIDES
10/11
Review
10/12
Test
Optional Activities: Referenda Fair: Hold a Constitutional Convention (from the University of Virginia Center for Politics) - modify