CLASSROOM BILL OF RIGHTS
Learning Objectives: Students will
1.
Review the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution;
2.
Create their own Bill of Rights for the classroom.
TEKS:
SS 3.16, 3.17, 4.23, LA 3.14, 4.15
Materials Needed:
Copies of the Bill of Rights in simplified form
Vocabulary: Rights, privileges, rules
Teaching Strategies:
1.
Read and explain the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.
2.
Discuss the definition of “rights” and how they differ from “privileges” or
“rules.”
3.
Divide the class into eight groups to illustrate some of the most important rights,
such as freedom of speech, press, religion, petition, assembly, trial by jury, no
cruel/unusual punishment, and privacy. Each group may show their illustration
and explain the right that is protected. Illustrations may then be displayed on a
bulletin board.
4.
Divide class into several groups. Each group will create a list of rights they would
like to see for the classroom. The teacher might suggest categories such as rights
pertaining to learning, to getting along, and to classroom management.
5.
Make a composite list of the rights suggested by the students. Combine, eliminate
duplicates, and refine the list with the whole class.
6.
Discuss what happens when children have/do not have these rights, looking for
cause and effect suggestions.
7.
Display classroom rights along with Bill of Rights illustrations.
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
Simplified Form
1.
Congress may not make any laws that form churches or keep people from
going to any church they choose. Laws may not be made that prohibit
someone’s freedom of speech, or press, or the right to meet peacefully, or to
ask the government to hear complaints
2.
We have the right to have an army and to keep weapons.
3.
Citizens will not be forced to let soldiers stay in their homes without their
permission.
4.
People will be safe from searches of their homes, except if there is a search
warrant. A search warrant is issued if there is reason to believe a crime has
been committed.
5.
People do no