GRADE 6

Lesson 4: Bill of Rights

Essential Question:
How do citizens exercise compromise in their daily lives?

Objective:
Students will be to discuss and write about how the Bill of Rights is relevant in their own lives.

Standards:
USI.1
The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible
citizenship, including the ability to
a) identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase
understanding of events and life in United States history to 1865
b) make connections between the past and the present;
c) sequence events in United States history from pre-Columbian times to 1865;
d) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
e) evaluate and discuss ideas orally and in writing
USI.7
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the challenges faced by the new nation by
a) describing the historical development of the Constitution of the United States
ENG 6.1
The student will participate in and contribute to small group activities
a) Communicate as a leader and contributor
ENG 6.2
The student will present, listen critically, and express opinions in oral presentations
b) Present a convincing argument
c) Paraphrase and summarize what is heard.
d) Use language and vocabulary appropriate to audience, topic, and purpose
MUSIC 6.5
The student will respond to music with movement by performing nonchoreographed and
choreographed movements.

Materials:
Teacher:
School House Rock The Constitution video clip
Laptop
SmartBoard
Bill of Rights PowerPoint (FCPS eCART)
BrainPop: Bill of Rights
Chart paper
GRADE 6
marker

Student:
Off-white paper for student constitutions
Large white paper for drawings
iPads to record audio songs if needed

Learning Procedures:
LINK/HOOK:
Where are we now? Constitution has been signed and ratified.
Watch and dance to School of Rock Constitution video clip. Discuss what this means
for our country (new set of expectations to protect the people). [Bodily-kinesthetic,
Musical, Visual-spatial, Linguistic]
Ask students, what are some rights that you have?
o Accept all answers here (many about school, clothes you wear, food you eat,
music you buy).
How did you get those rights?
o Encourage group discussion. How long have people had these rights? Has
everyone always had the same rights?
Lead into the Bill of Rights.
ENGAGE/EDUCATE:
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
They are a written guarantee of individual rights.
Origins based on two documents:
o Virginia Declaration of Rights (George Mason)
o Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (Thomas Jefferson)
Use FCPS PowerPoint and graphic organizer to educate students about specific rights
religion, speech, press, assembly, etc.
Connect 2
nd
and 3
rd
amendments with Revolutionary War (British soldiers quartering).
ACTIVITY:
In partners or individually (student choice), draft a mini-Constitution for our classroom.
Drafts can be written on off-white paper or recorded. [Interpersonal, Intrapersonal]
o What unalienable rights should students have? Teachers? Should they be the
same? [Logical-mathematical]
o Is there anyone the Constitution does not apply to?
o How will the rights given to you in the document affect your daily life as a
student? For better or for worse?
o Illustrate the element that excites you most about your Constitution! [Visual-
spatial]
GRADE 6

SUMMARIZE/REFLECT/NEXT STEPS:
The U.S. Constitution, specifically many of the first ten amendments, is what brings
many people to the United States.
Documents like the Constitution affect all citizens, even students like you.
Looking forward, now that we have learned how our government was established and
how it is operating, we will look at the first five leaders of our country, and what they
were known for.
Extension:
Create and illustrate a cause and effect chart about the Bill of Rights. [Linguistic, Visual-
spatial]
Use different amendments as the cause, and find current event outcomes that are the
effect.
Students can include news article clippings of the event if they have them.
Illustrate what that amendment means to you.
Assessment:
Formative: Use class discussion, individual constitutions, and anecdotal notes to formatively
assess understanding.
Differentiation:
Student roles will have choice in how they present their constitutions, and what specific rights
they focus on.
ELL Students: Students will have the option to audio record their constitution instead of writing
it. They can also illustrate. Notes will be scaffolded according to language needs.
Low-Readiness: Opportunity for one-on-one or small group scaffolding with constitutions as
needed. Students will have choice on their constitution topic.
High-Readiness: Students with high-readiness will have extension activities available.
Special Education: Not applicable for this class, but can make individual accommodations where
necessary. Option for one-on-one help during individual work, as well as scaffolded notes, and
oral assessment.
Multiple Intelligences addressed throughout.