Classroom Based Assessment
Constitutional Issues
Your Name
Your Teacher & Period
Date
Select an Issue Related to the
Constitution
State Your Position
• Take a position on the subject (I am in favor of
stricter gun control because… or I am against
stricter gun control because…-- obviously you
need to be more eloquent than that but it
gets the point across). Your paper will argue
your point, like a persuasive essay, using solid
facts, established court cases/government
policies, and the Constitution to strengthen
your argument.
Advocate for Your Position
• Explain how you would advocate and promote
your position at the local, state, or national
level:
Opposite View Point
• Present a logical position that goes against
your position. Meaning, if you are in support
of stricter gun control you need to present a
logical, realistic argument in support of less
strict gun control. By doing this you are
acknowledging that there are at least 2 sides
to every issue.
• Logical argument against your position:
Refute the Argument
• Why this argument doesn’t work:
Connect Your Issue to the Constitution
• Look through the amendments. Is there an
amendment that addresses your issue? (For
gun control the 2nd amendment, at least,
addresses the issue. For many issues, look at
the 9th or 10th amendment) If not in the
amendment, what about the articles? The
Preamble?
• Part(s) of Constitution Connected to your
issue:
ONE Court Case OR Government Policy
related to your position
• Court Case(s)/Government Policy(s):
• Date:
• Names:
• What Happened:
• How this upheld the Constitution:
Individual Right(s) Connected to Your Issue
• Fundamental rights and basic liberties of
individuals such as those mentioned in
the Declaration of Independence
(equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness) and the Bill of Rights
(freedom of expression, religion, rights of
the accused, and property rights).
How the Common Good is Connected to Your Issue
• Promote the General Welfare/Common Good:
"The legitimate object of government is to do
for a community of people whatever they
need to have done, but cannot do at all, or
cannot so well do for themselves in their
separate capacities." Abraham Lincoln,
"Fragment on Government,“ 1854
Research Question
• Think of a research question on your topic:
e.g. “How can you balance the right to own
guns and public safety?”
Thesis Statement
• THESIS: State your position on the
Constitutional Issue balancing the individual
right with the common good.
Thesis Builder and Online Outliner
http://www.ozline.com/electraguide/thesis.php
Bibliographic Citation A: (primary or secondary)
• (Citation)
• Is it credible? How do you know?
Bibliographic Citation B: (primary or secondary)
• (Citation)
• Is it credible? How do you know?
Bibliographic Citation C: (primary or secondary)
• (Citation)
• Is it credible? How do you know?
Bibliographic Citation D: (primary or secondary)
• (Citation)
• Is it credible? How do you know?