Bill of Rights WebQuest

Introduction

Hello! Welcome to this WebQuest on the Bill of Rights. As a citizen of the United States you are afforded a series of rights and freedoms that many people around the world do not get to enjoy. The first ten amendments, also known as the Bill of Rights, are often regarded as the most important amendments of the Constitution. They effect your everyday life and you should learn about them! Let's dive in!

The Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 - 10)

Task

There are roles assigned to this WebQuest. here will be the teacher and the student roles. The students will complete assignments and the teacher will read over and correct them.

Students Roles:

  • Complete the Group Project

    • Critically analyze primary and secondary sources

    • Analyze the rights afforded to and the obligation of citizens and be able to articulate it in verbal and written manners

Teacher Role:

  • Assess student performance

 

 

Process

1. Students will be separated into 10 groups with each group being assigned one of the first 10 Amendments.

2. Students will analyze the primary documents and create an informed opinion of what the founding fathers intended and how that amendment can be applied to in the present.

3. They will then be asked to present their knowledge of the Amendment to the class using their choice of presentation method (press, powerpoint, documentary) and facilitate discussion with their peers.

 

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated on different criteria. Students are expected to have the ability to analyze documents to form an educated opinion, understand historical context, and understand the global effect these documents have from the 1700s-present. 

 

page1image22877056

Conclusion

A good way for students to learn is by doing, and presenting the information to their peers is a good way to reinforce the knowledge they have gained from the unit. 

Credits

Resources:

Constitution

National Archives

Constitution Crash Course Video

Guide to Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights

 

Teacher Page

 

Goals: At the end of this WebQuest students will have and in-depth understanding one of the first 10 amendments.

Standard - 5.1.C.D

Evaluate state and federal powers based on significant documents and other critical sources.

  • Declaration of Independence 

  • United States Constitution 

  • Bill of Rights 

  • Pennsylvania Constitution

Standard - 5.1.C.E

Analyze and assess the rights of people as written in the PA Constitution and the US Constitution.

Essential Question: 

  1. What is the basic structure of the Constitution? 

  2. What are the rights, liberties, and responsibilities of U.S. citizens? 

  3. How is the Constitution a living document?

  4. How does the Bill of Rights guarantee the rights of the people?

Objectives:

  • SWBAT connect the contents of various amendments to present day laws.

  • SWBAT explain the importance of checks and balance system as it relates to the constitution and the way that it affects their everyday life. 

  • SWBAT apply the rights guaranteed by the significant documents to current events.

  • SWBAT analyze the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and determine if the document includes all citizens.

 Learners:

  • The age of the students participating in this project is grades 9-12. I believe this is a suitable age because they are capable of higher level thinking and have better collaboration skills than younger students. If necessary, students with disabilities may be accommodated in conjunction with their IEP. Example: A student with a speech impairment may be allotted more time to complete the presentation than those without, or they may use assistive technology. 

  • What are the common student misconceptions about the content and/or process?

    • I think students tend to get overwhelmed when they see the big picture rather than breaking things down into smaller sections. The process with this WebQuest and Project is to only look at one amendment in-depth.

  • What are things that the students generally do understand about the content or process?

    • They will understand what is expected from them because of the rubric and guidelines.

Time and Organization: 

It should take approximately 2 weeks to complete this WebQuest. Due to the nature of group projects, it is best to give students time to work out a meeting schedule to see what works best for them. Since these are older students, I will not be delegating roles as they should be able to decide amongst themselves which group member should do what.