The Bill of Rights Unit (and a Little About Amendments 11-27)

The purpose of this 49-page mini-unit is for students in grades 6-12 to develop a clear understanding of what their rights are under the Constitution, particularly our rights under the Bill of Rights.  Increasingly, Americans, especially students, are not able to name many of the rights we are entitled to in the Bill of Rights.  They are well aware of Amendment 2 and parts of Amendment 1, and the “I plead the fifth” clause of Amendment 5, but they are woefully uninformed of the other rights that protect us.  This mini-unit is designed to give students not only a complete understanding of these rights but opportunities to put their knowledge into practice through the various worksheets and a culminating project at the end of the unit, which is available separately in my store,, “A Great Good Place for Teachers,” called The Bill of Rights: A Project to Assess Knowledge and Understanding.  The ultimate goal is for them to have a healthy and complete understanding of why these basic rights are so necessary for our democracy. 

This mini-unit is part of my unit: “Our Living Consitution” which is designed using the Into, Through, and Beyond model of lesson planning. The lessons in the Our Living Constitution unit can be used independently or as a supplement to what you already teach or as a whole.  Here is a summary of what is in the unit. Check out my store: A Great Good Place for Teachers

Here are the links

Into Lessons: Creating Schema

• Lesson 1: Overview of the Constitution of the United States of America

• Lesson 2: Origins of the Constitution and Essential Terms

• Lesson 3: The Seven Principles of the Constitution

Through Lessons: Learning the Content

• Lesson 4: The Preamble: The Goals of the Constitution (not included in Our Living Constitution)

• Lesson 5: The Three Branches of  Government: Articles 1, 2, and 3

• Lesson 6: How a Bill Becomes a Law

• Lesson 7: Federalism, Separation of Powers, and Checks and Balances

• Lesson 8: Articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the United States Constitution

• Lesson 9: The Bill of Rights Unit (and a Little About Amendments 11-27)

Extras (from the Unit: Every Four Years… The Presidential Election)

• Lesson 10: What Are Your Political Viewpoints? (not included in Our Living Constitution)

• Lesson 11: Major and Minor Political Parties (not included in Our Living Constitution)

• Lesson 12: A Brief History of Who Can Vote in the United States (not included in Our Living Constitution)

• Lesson 13: The Nuts and Bolts of the United States Presidential Election (not included in Our Living Constitution)

Beyond Lessons: Summative Assessments

• The Consitution is a Living Document (not included in Our Living Constitution)

• The Bill of Rights Explained Project: A Project to Assess Knowledge and Understanding (not included in Our Living Constitution)

What's included in The Bill of Rights Unit (and a Little About Amendments 11-27)

Annenberg Classroom excellent 16-minute video overview: The Story of the Bill of Rights

Text: The Bill of Rights: The First 10 Amendments and What They Protect

Questions with Key for The Bill of Rights: The First 10 Amendments and What they Protect

Extra Resources:

The Bill of Rights Simplified

The Bill of Rights Explained

Our Living Bill of Rights worksheet and Key

Amendments 11-27 Chart, Questions, and Key

Amendments Crossword Puzzle and Key

The Bill of Rights Test and Key

The Bill of Rights Project