Do I Have a RIGHT?

What is a Right? Lesson Activities

What Does it Mean to Have a Right? How would you explain it to someone? Or think about it this way: How would you know you did NOT have a right? List everything you can think of! Have students brainstorm their ideas on their half sheets. Then, call on individual students to write some of the rights they thought of on the scroll on the interactive white board. Discuss students’ ideas with the class.

Different Kinds of Rights Did your answers fit any of these categories? They can’t stop me from doing this! They can’t treat me this way! They can’t force me to do this!

Enforcing Rights OTHER PEOPLE? THE GOVERNMENT? PARENTS? Think about the rights you came up with. Who are they enforceable against? OTHER PEOPLE? THE GOVERNMENT? PARENTS?

Your Constitutional Rights The Constitution lists rights you have that are enforceable against the government: The Bill of Rights Later Amendments Amendments 1 – 10 Amendments 11 - 27 A set of rights added soon after the Constitution was ratified. More rights added to the Constitution over time.

Constitutional Amendments Each amendment has a number. An amendment can list more than one right. There are at least 6 rights in this one! Can you spot them? Amendment #6 Right Right Right VI. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. Right Right Right

Next… Tell students they will be playing a game called “Do I Have a Right?” that will introduce them to some of the rights that are written down in the amendments. What are your constitutional rights? Can you recognize when they’ve been violated? Play the game and find out!

You Have Rights Post-Game Activities

(Must exit slide show mode to drag numbers) Have students test their memories from the game! Call on students to come to the board and write the amendment numbers next to each right.

(Must exit slide show mode to drag shapes)

Check Out the Real Deal Click to see a transcript of all the constitutional amendments. (Must be in slide show mode for the link to work.) Find and highlight ones you recognize! Scroll down on the web page to see the Bill of Rights in a recognizable format. A link at the very bottom will take you to Amendments 11-27.

Different Kinds of Rights Do any of the rights fit these categories? They can’t stop me from doing this! They can’t treat me this way! They can’t force me to do this!