Lesson 2The ABC Guide to the Bill of

Rights

Partner TalkTell your partner what you know about the Bill of Rights.

Watch The Bill of Rights on thumb drive (about 2 minutes).

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. It gives certain rights and freedoms to all citizens.

Here’s a way to remember the first 10 amendments (Bill of Rights)…

Pay attention

and you will remember

all of them!

• Grants the freedom of religion, speech, press, gathering together (assembly), and the right to gather signatures about issues and sent them to the government(petition). How many letters are in apple?

• 1st Amendment-A for apple (there are 5 letters in “apple” just like there are 5 basic freedoms granted in the 1st Amendment: 1. freedom of speech 2. freedom of religion 3. right to assemble 4. right to petition 5. freedom of the press)

First Amendment

• Grants the right to keep and carry weapons, or arms.

• 2nd Amendment- B for banana (banana looks like a gun- you have the right to own and carry weapons)

• OR B for bear- (you have the right to bear arms or weapons)

Second Amendment

• Protects people from having the military stay in their homes.

• C is for couch: (you don’t have to allow soldiers to stay in your house and sleep on your couch)

Third Amendment

• Protects people from being searched and having things taken from them, or seized, without having a warrant first (a letter from the judge giving them permission)

• D is for dog, policeman (and police dogs) can’t search/sniff or come into your house without a warrant

Fourth Amendment

• Gives every citizen the right to due process of law.

• E for excuse- (you don’t have to provide an excuse for a crime you have committed because whether or not you are guilty, you are DUE a process/trial by jury.

• Also, E is for even. Even the government has to follow the same laws as the citizens.

• See next slide for more information on this very important amendment!

Fifth Amendment

Fifth AmendmentThe Fifth Amendment gives every citizen the right to the due

process of law.

The law must be followed by the government as well as by citizens.

It also says that people cannot be brought to trial twice for the same crime, which is called double jeopardy.

The Fifth Amendment also protects people from having to speak in court about themselves. When people refuse to speak in court, it is called “taking the fifth”.

It also says that the government cannot take property without paying for it. The power of the government to take property is called eminent domain.

More on Due Process of Law

Due process is the idea that the way the government uses the law has to be fair and that every person is under equal law. The government has to follow the law just like citizens do.

Due process protects people from the government. In other words, you are DUE a PROCESS! Protection from government is something that the framers, or writers, of the Constitution thought about a lot. Can you make a connection? Do you remember why?

The American colonists did not have protection from the British government. They had to fight a war against the British government to protect their rights.

• Gives people accused of a crime the right to a speedy trial.

• F for fast (you have the right to a “speedy” trial; your trial must take place in a “speedy” manner)

Sixth Amendment

• Gives the right to a civil trial by jury.

• G for gate (you have the right to a trial by a jury- jury sits behind a “gate”- the rail that a jury sits behind in the courtroom)

Seventh Amendment

• Protects people from cruel and unusual punishment by the government.

• H for horrific, or H for horse (long ago people were quartered {pulled apart into 4 different pieces} using horses)

Eight Amendment

• Guarantees that people have many rights, even ones that are not written in the Constitution.

• I for inside (The Bill of Rights in the Constitution has 10 amendments, but there are also other amendments/rights that are not INSIDE the Constitution {and not mentioned in the Bill of Rights})

Ninth Amendment

• Says that any power not given to the federal government is given to either the state or to the people.

J for jigsaw (A jigsaw puzzle is made up of individual pieces. Some laws are reserved for the individual states, but all the states come together like a puzzle.)

Tenth Amendment

Do Students Have Rights?

Discuss this with a neighbor.

Watch Student Rights on www.brainpop.com.

Assignment• Pass out Bill of Rights ABC sheet.

• Option 1: Rewrite the amendment in “Kid-Friendly” language on a poster. Draw a picture to go along with the amendment and post in the classroom. Be sure to include the mnemonic device that you will use to remember it.

• Option 2: Create a 2-3 minute skit to present to the class which explains and shows the importance of the amendment you choose(must write the skit on paper first).