Marquette University

Lesson Plan Template (REVISED 8/15/13)

Lesson Title-Bill of Rights
Date 10/29/15
Unit Title-U.S. Constitution

Subject/Grade Level/Lesson Duration

S.S. 4th grade, 40 min. lesson

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Essential Question: What rights do American citizens have?
Rationale Why is it important for students to learn the content of the lesson?
It is important for students to learn the content of this lesson, because it provides
students with a basic understanding of citizens' rights.
Furthermore, it gives students a sense of the limit put on government control.
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
(Information referenced from this website in the lesson)
Description of Learners What factors must be considered in order to accommodate the
diversity of learners in your class?
1. What are your students developmental assets? (Cognitive? Physical? Social? Emotional?
Motivational?) There are 24 students in my class at Milwaukee Environmental

Science. More specifically, there are 18 males and 6 females. All of the students
in the class qualify for free breakfast and lunch at school. Many of my students
are average size for their age; however, some of them are on the smaller side.
Cognitively, many of my students are behind. A few of my students are
performing above grade level in math. There are four students in the class who are
identified as having special education needs. Of these students, one of them is
identified as having an emotional behavior disorder, one is identified as being
cognitively delayed and two are identified as having a learning disability. Many of
the students in my class are outgoing and love to engage in conversation with one
another. There are no English Language Learners in the classroom and the
ethnic/racial makeup of my class is 98% African American and 2% White.
Furthermore, some of my students are very motivated to excel in school, while
others have a lack of interest in learning.
2. How can the personal/cultural/community assets of your students can be utilized in this
lesson? In this lesson, my students will have the opportunity to learn more about
citizenship and the rights they have as individuals living in the United States. Many of
my students have a genuine interest in learning more about the rights and laws set in
place by our nations government.
3. What prior knowledge, skills, and understanding must students have in order to
successfully engage in this lesson? This lesson will be an introductory lesson where
students will learn the basics about the Bill of Rights. Students will not be required to
have any knowledge about the Bill of Rights prior to this lesson. Through the lesson, my

students will learn how the Bill of Rights came into being, as well as how they affect
citizens living in the United States today.
4. What preconceptions/misconceptions/misunderstandings/errors might students have
about the concepts in this lesson? Students may misunderstand why the Bill of Rights
were set in place. With this in mind, I will clarify why the United States needed to
enforce a limit on the power given to the government.
5. What are individual learning needs in this class? What
supports/modifications/accommodations to instruction or assessment may need to be
made? (Content? Process? Product?) There are four students in the class who are

identified as having special education needs. Of these students, one of them is

identified as having an emotional behavior disorder, one is identified as being
cognitively delayed and two are identified as having a learning disability. In order
to better reach the needs of these students, I will use visual examples throughout
my instruction. In addition, I will provide these students with an additional
amount of time to complete the assigned activity. Moreover, I will allow my
student who is identified as having an emotional behavior disorder to work with a
friend during this weeks group activity. This not only helps this student stay on
task, but also provides comfort to him when working with others. Lastly, I will
provide one on one instruction for my student who is identified as being
cognitively delayed. Through this, I will be able to explain further explain each
of the amendments stated within the Bill of Rights.
6. What might be common preconceptions/misconceptions/errors/misunderstandings
relating to the content of this lesson? How will you identify and address them in this
lesson? Students may misunderstand the role of the government in relation to the people.
With this in mind, students may have a misunderstanding about the governments role in
the lives of citizens. In order to clear up any confusion, I will provide students with a
description of the governments role in relation to governing and protecting the rights of
all U.S. citizens.
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
1.

List the measurable learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, dispositions) that students are
expected to demonstrate as a result of the lesson?
1. -Students will explain the importance of the Bill of Rights for U.S. citizens by
submitting a journal entry in their writing journals.
2. Students will create a Bill of Rights pennant, incorporating the first ten amendments
of the Constitution.
*Bill of Rights Pennant idea came from Teachers Pay Teachers
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bill-of-Rights-1841849

2.

For each of the above outcomes, what ASSESSMENTS will you use to evaluate each of
your learning outcomes? (Give a brief description).
1. (Journal entry)- each of the students written submissions will be evaluated for
assessment
2. (Bill of Rights pennant)- each of the students Bill of Rights pennant will be turned
in for a grade

Standards Addressed What Core State Standards (English/Language Arts, Math, Disciplinary
Literacy) or Wisconsin model academic standards (Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language)
are specifically addressed in the lesson? Please list the number and text of the standard. If only a
portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part(s).

B.4.5 Identify the historical background and meaning of important political values such
as freedom, democracy, and justice.
B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals and
groups
Materials/Resources/Technology List all materials/resources/technology needed to support
instructional procedures in this lesson.
-24 Bill of Rights Pennants
-Copy of the Bill of Rights for whole class instruction (overhead projector)
-Student writing journals
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose How will you state the purpose of the lesson?
The purpose of todays lesson is to define the Bill of Rights and their role in the lives of
U.S. citizens. With this in mind, I will ask students what is the purpose of having the Bill
of Rights present in the Constitution? How do the Bill of Rights defend citizens?
Prior learning What do students know? What can they do? What are they learning to
do? How will you make connections to prior learning?
-Prior to this lesson, students will have very limited knowledge on the Bill of Rights.
-In order to gain more knowledge, students can actively participate in todays lesson,
where they will learn what the Bill of Rights are and how they affect the life of each
person living within the United States.
-Students will learn how to recognize the different ways citizens live out their rights each
day.
-I will have students connect what they learn about today to what they know about the
Preamble and how the Bill of Rights are set in place to help people live in a justiceoriented society.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets How will you make connections to
your students strengths as a way to motivate students to engage in the learning activities
you have planned? (HOOKS)
-I will begin the lesson by having students write down any rights they know they have as
citizens of the United States. I will then have students compare their list with the rights
stated in the Bill of Rights later in the lesson.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be
doing that supports diverse student needs)

Introduction Activity
(10 min)

To introduce the lesson, I will have students list the

rights they know they have as citizens of the United
States. I will have students work on this individually.
During this time, I will assist students who need
additional help with writing and brainstorming ideas.

What are the Bill of Rights?

(15 min)

I will introduce students to the Bill of Rights by first

showing them where they are located within the
Constitution. I will explain how the Bill of Rights are
the first ten amendments of the Constitution. I will then
proceed to explain to students why the Bill of Rights
came into being. This will include how there must be a
limit on how much control the government has over
U.S. citizens and the reason for such control. In
addition, I will address the fact that the U.S. government
is there to protect the rights of citizens without
overexerting their power on citizens. Finally, I will
explain how the Bill of Rights are there to protect
citizens and help keep them safe from harm. In order to
reach the needs of all students, I will provide a handout
for students as well verbally address the role of
government in the lives of U.S. citizens.
Questions to ask students: I will ask students what is the
purpose of having the Bill of Rights present in the
Constitution? How do the Bill of Rights defend citizens?

Bill of Rights Pennant Activity

(10 min)

Students will create a Bill of Rights pennant that has

each of the ten amendments listed on it. Students will
work on this activity in groups. I will pair up my
student who is identified as having an emotional
behavior disorder with a friend who he is comfortable
working with, while allowing each of my students
identified as having a special education need an
additional work period to finish this assignment.

Closing (5min)

I will close the lesson by stressing the value of each of

the rights we have been given and the need we have to
protect the rights of all those around us.

Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson How will you bring the lesson to a close? (One-two statements that
you will say at the end of the lesson) Boys and girls, the Bill of Rights have been set in

place in order to give citizens rights. It is important for each one of us to recognize the
rights we have been given, in order to help create a more just society for all of those
around us.
Assignment What independent work will be assigned?
I will have students write a paragraph about one of the amendments stated within the Bill
of Rights. Students may choose which amendment this is based off their personal choice.
In the paragraph, students must state why this amendment is important for the United
States to have and how they see this amendment present in our world today.
Section E: Self-Assessment and Reflection (To be completed only if and after you teach the
lesson)
1. Was the lesson successful? What DATA or EVIDENCE support your conclusions?
2. Based on your conclusion above about what your students know and are able to do
(individually and collectively), what next steps in instruction are you planning?
a. For the class as a whole:
b. For individuals with specific learning needs within the class