Government Lesson Plan
The Bill of Rights1
Grades: 10-12
Objectives
After lecture, reading, and group activity students should have:
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Memorized the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
Given to class the week before in a handout:
o http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/
billofrightsintro.html
Read the Supreme Court cases that caused these amendments to be
ratified.
o Provided in lecture (see procedure).
Practiced their knowledge with current day issues, debates, and
situations that are reflected by the Bill of Rights.
o To be implemented during group activity with an online
game.
Skills Required from students:
1. Comprehension
2. Memorization
3. Reflection and Comparability
4. Teamwork
Instructor must:
1. Explain the first ten amendments (Bill of Rights)
2. Detail each Supreme Court Cases that relate to each amendment
3. Cover the vocabulary involved with amendments
1
Adapted from The Bill of Rights And The Supreme Court: Discovery Education. © 2011
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/the-bill-of-rights-and-the-supreme-court.cfm
Government Lesson Plan
4. Allow questions and opinions from students throughout lecture
Materials
Procedures
-Paper
-Writing utensils
-Handouts of Supreme Court cases (given in class)
-Note cards (3x5)
-Internet access; 6rounds accounts
-Printing capabilities
1. Teach the class about each Supreme Court case and explain its
relevance with the amendment it is connected to. Be sure to include
the impact it created on U.S. History and require students to offer their
opinions on the cases during lecture. Give participation points for
students who offer opinions.
2. For the first half of class time, have the students divide into groups of
five, each group will review two of the Supreme Court cases that they
read about in the assigned homework handout the week before lecture
(given out by random):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Everson v. Board of Education
District of Columbia v. Heller
Griswold v. Connecticut
Mapp v. Ohio
United States v. Moreland
Barker v. Wingo
Marbury v. Madison
U.S. Public Workers v. Mitchell
Robinson v. California
United States v. Sprague
3. After the class has had time to review and discuss the cases together,
they will be made aware that a competitive game will be played in class
in their groups for extra test points. If they wish, they can make note
cards to use during the game (give them five minutes to jot random
information down that they think will benefit them).
4. Take the students to a computer lab and tell them to visit this site in
their groups:
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http://www.texaslre.org/BOR/billofrights.html
o They will then choose the “Secondary” lesson and begin
playing. The game offers examples of everyday cases and
situations that can be applied to each amendment.
5. Tell students to print off their results and write their names on the
Government Lesson Plan
6.
7.
Assessment
1.
Vocabulary2
1.
2
certificate. Have them turn in their note cards as well.
For any class that didn’t finish the game in time, ask them to play again
at home and turn the certificate in the next class period.
Then for their quiz grade over this, have them create an account on
6rounds.com and join a platform that they choose. In their own unique
way, they must discuss in their teams about the game and what they
thought. They need to request friends and show me this the next day in
class.
The Instructions on the website detail that a certificate of their score
will be viewable at the end of the game. Analyze their note cards and
test results.
o 3 points: team with the least amount of time on their final
time record.
o 2 points: team with next least amount of time on their final
time record.
o 1 point: team with the next least amount of time on their
final time record.
o ½ point: team with the next least amount of time on their
final time record
o Require team with the greatest amount of time on final time
record to replay the game at home and print the certificate
off for the participation point due next class. Otherwise, they
will not get credit for that class period’s participation points.
- These points will be added to the test over the section as extra
credit
Students can refer to: http://quizlet.com/143994/bill-of-rightsvocabulary-flash-cards/ at home during their reading sessions and
during the group activity.
- Amendment
- Bail
- Capital Crime
- Double Jeopardy
- Due Process
- Felony
- Grand Jury
- Grievance
- Indictment
- Libel
- Militia
- Misdemeanors
- Petition
- Plaintiff
Referenced: http://quizlet.com/143994/bill-of-rights-vocabulary-flash-cards/
Government Lesson Plan
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Quartered
Seizures
Self-incrimination
Slander
Subpoena
Warrant