The Constitution,
Amending Process, and
the Bill of Rights
Annie Caldwell
Missy LaCroix
Introductions

Name

School

How long have you been teaching?

What do you hope to get out of the session today?
Outcomes
 TWBAT
explore and apply instructional
strategies to enhance their teaching of
the Constitution, the amending process,
and the Bill of Rights.
Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

Core Learning Goals and Indicators for the Constitution, Amending Process,
and Bill of Rights

Structure of the Constitution Scavenger Hunt

Principles and the Constitution

Eyes on the Prize - Little Rock and Federalism

Amending Process

The Bill of Rights

Video – Eminent Domain

Incorporating Writing

PBS Frontline – Death by Fire

Socratic Seminar

Session Evaluation
Connection to State Curriculum
Core Learning Goal: Goal 1 Political Systems
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current
status of principles, institutions, and processes of political systems.
Expectation:
1.1 The student will demonstrate understanding of the structure and functions of
government and politics in the United States.
Indicator:
1.1.1 The student will analyze historic documents to determine the basic principles of
United States government and apply them to real-world situations.
Assessment Limit(s):
 Documents: Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, United States
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Students are to know which rights/protections are
addressed by the first ten amendments. Students are not expected to know the contents
of any document by number.
 Other documents and amendments may be used to assess the principles, but
information will be provided.
 Basic principles: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review,
representative democracy, limited government, rule of law, individual rights and
responsibilities, consent of the governed, majority rule, popular sovereignty, equal
protection.
Indicators For Today’s Session
1.1.1g - Explain the fundamental principles of American government
contained in the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation,
United States Constitution and the Maryland Constitution
1.1.1h - Analyze the Preamble as the mission statement of the Constitution
of the United States
1.1.1i - Identify the rights in the Bill of Rights and how they protect
individuals and limit the power of government
1.1.1j - Apply the principles of federalism, checks and balances, rule of
law, judicial review, separation of powers, consent of the governed and
majority rule to real world situations
Structure of the Constitution
Scavenger Hunt

Use one of the following websites
to complete the Constitution
Scavenger Hunt.

The Heritage Guide to the
Constitution
http://www.heritage.org/constitution

The National Constitution Center
http://constitutioncenter.org/constitu
tion
Principles in the Constitution Chart
Eyes on the Prize – Little Rock
Application of Federalism

The video Eyes on the Prize – Little Rock 9
helps students to see what federalism can
look like in action.

Before viewing have students complete the
“KNOW” and WANT TO KNOW” sections of
the KWL chart about what they already know
about the Civil Rights Movement.

During the video, students complete a chart
outlining the following areas:


Civil Rights Movement

Integrating Central High School

Roles of the Local/State Government

Roles of the National Government
When students have finished watching the
video, they are to answer the summary
questions.
Eyes on the Prize – Little Rock
Summary Questions
1. What was the main issue addressed in Little Rock during 1957?
2. What kind of incidents took place during the school year?
3. Arkansas Governor Faubus originally said that he did not have strong
feelings FOR or AGAINST integration. Why did his attitude change when
Central High was to be integrated?
4. If you were an Arkansas resident in 1957, how would you react to what was
going on?
5. What actions did President Eisenhower take in Arkansas?
6. Why were the actions of President Eisenhower an example of federalism?
7. What is the role of the federal government in ensuring individual rights?
Amending the Constitution Video

How Cast – How to Amend the US
Constitution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UTX9YsMywks
The Bill of Rights
The Parents Constitution Motivational Exercise

The Parents Constitution can be given as a
warm up or motivation to your Bill of Rights
lesson. Give students a copy of it and ask
them to read it and answer the following
questions:

Do you believe parents should have all of the
powers described in the Parent’s
Constitution? If not, which ones would you
restrict?

How would you change the Parent’s
Constitution to make it fairer for children?

What rights should children have to protect
them from the power of parents? List at least
five rights that you and your parents believe
are important.
It can then be discussed with students that just
as you feel that they would need their rights
protected against their parents, the citizens of
our country felt the same way, which is why a
Bill of Rights was created.
Bill of Rights Graphic Organizer
and Readings
Bill of Rights in Pictures Activity

Making Connections and Applying
the Bill of Rights
Eminent Domain Video

Izzit

www.Izzit.org - Free to sign up

One free video a school year

Teaching guides to accompany videos

Current Events
Creating Your Own Constructed
Response Items

You will be broken up into 3 different groups
and asked to create a Constructed Response
question that assesses one of the following
topics:

Principles in the Constitution

Amending Process

The Bill of Rights

For each you will need to identify the
assessment limit / indicator connection and
be able to explain how that constructed
response assesses the indicator.

Be ready to share your constructed response
with the rest of the group.
Bill of Rights Extension
PBS Frontline – Death by Fire

Have students answer the
following before viewing
questions:

Have students answer the guide
questions as they watch the PBS
Frontline video “Death by Fire”.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/
frontline/death-by-fire/

Have students answer the summary
question at the end of the movie
to gauge their point of view on the
death penalty.
Death Penalty
Socratic Seminar

Have students conduct research on the topic using web resources or teacher
produced responses.

http://deathpenalty.procon.org/

Conduct a philosophical chairs debate or Socratic seminar to apply what
students have learned about the BOR.
Reflection, Debrief, and
Evaluation
Reflection Questions

Answer the following reflection question on the back of
your agenda:
 What
is one strategy that you plan on using to teach
the Constitution, Amending Process, and the Bill of
Rights?
Questions?

Feel free to email us with any questions.

Annie Caldwell – acaldwell@bcps.org

Missy LaCroix – mlacroix@bcps.org
Evaluation