The Bill of Rights
By: Michael B. Hand
ED 639
Dr. Helms
Unit: The Constitution
9th Grade Government
Lesson: The Bill of Rights
Objectives:
• Give students the examples of their rights
and freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of
Rights
• Give the students n idea of the concept of
justice
• Identify legal means of dissent
• Identify the importance of the Bill of Rights
Materials Needed
• Textbook
• Notebook
• Tools for Remembering the Bill of Rights
Worksheet
• Writing Utensil
Presentation
• The Bill of Rights are the first ten
amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
• The Bill of Rights guarantees our civil
liberties
• Our Rights are not limited only to the Bill
of Rights
The first amendment guarantees:
•
•
•
•
•
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of the press
Freedom of assembly
Freedom to petition
First amendment research
www.caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/
The second amendment guarantees:
• The right to bear arms
**Current issues surrounding
Amendment 2**
-NRA website:
www.nraila.org/
- Handgun free America
site:
www.handgunfree.org/H
FAMain/
The third amendment guarantees:
• No soldier shall be
quartered without
consent of owner,
unless during times of
war under a manner
prescribed by law.
( Britain used to force
the quartering of
soldiers)
The fourth amendments guarantees:
• Personal security
• No unreasonable
searches
(Discussion of the Patriot Act)
www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/f
orum/forumnew39.ht
m
The fifth amendment guarantees:
• No self-incrimination
• You cannot be held for
a crime unless you are
indicted by a grand
jury
• No double jeopardy
The sixth amendment guarantees:
• A speedy trial
• You may confront
your accusers
• Due Process under the
law
The seventh amendment guarantees:
• A jury trial will be guaranteed in civil suits
over the amount of 20 dollars
Eighth Amendment Guarantees:
- No Excessive Bail
- No Cruel and Unusual
Punishment
Death Penalty news and updates
www.web.cis.smu.edu/~
deathpen/
The Ninth Amendment Guarantees:
• People have other
rights other than those
listed here.
• No law may be passed
that infringes upon
these rights.
The Tenth Amendment Guarantees:
• Any Rights not
delegated specifically
to the federal or state
governments are
reserved to the states
and the people
Confusion over the ninth and tenth
amendments?
• The ninth prevents limitation of rights
• The tenth reserves any rights or power to
govern the people not specifically
mentioned in the constitution to the states
and the people.
Activities:
• 1- The students will practice quizzing each
other on the Bill of Rights.
• 2- The students will also complete the
worksheet “Tools for learning the Bill of
Rights”. This worksheet will help the
students remember the Bill of Rights.
Tools for Remembering the Bill of
Rights
Meaningful
Symbol or Phrase
Amendment #
Rights Guaranteed
in the Amendment
2nd Amendment
6th Amendment
5th Amendment
Freedom of :
1.Religion
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________
No Excessive Bail
or…..
_________________
____
_________________
No
person shall be
____
required to quarter
soldiers without the
consent of owner.
Right to a Jury trial
9th Amendment
No unreasonable
search and seizure.
10th Amendment
]
Activities (continued)
• 3- The students will research one of the
amendments and explain the issues
surrounding one of the amendments
• 4- The students will take a position on the
amendments (This will be assigned)
• 5- The students will organize a debate in
front of the class
More Web Sites to explore:
• Organizations opposed to the death penalty:
-ACLU www.aclu.org/DeathPenalty/DeathPenaltyMain.cfm
-The Catholic Church www.americancatholic.org/news/deathpenalty/
• Organizations surrounding free speech:
- The Freedom Forum www.freedomforum.org/
- Thomas Jefferson Center for the Freedom of Expression
www.tjcenter.org/
Evaluation
• “Tools for Remembering the Bill of Right”
worksheet