Overview
This activity can be used as an independent lesson or as an evaluation after learning about the Bill of Rights. Students are asked to suggest which of the first 10 amendments would apply to given scenarios and to discuss, based on the stated amendment, how the court decision might be decided. Through this, teachers would be able to determine that the class does or does not understand the meaning of the amendments.

Standards — Social Studies
Grade 8
Government, Benchmark B

6. Explain how specific provisions of the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, limit the powers of government in order to protect the rights of individuals with emphasis on:

a. Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.
b. Right to trial by jury and the right to counsel.
c. Due process and equal protection of the laws.

Materials
• Copies of the Bill of Rights
• Which Amendment worksheet
• Access to dictionary resources

Procedure

1. Students should have a copy of the Bill of Rights. It might also help to have dictionary resources available.

2. Working either in groups or as an entire class, discuss each given scenario. Determine to which amendment(s) it might apply and to which part specifically.

3. Discuss how the Supreme Court might rule in such a case.

4. If work is done in small groups, have each group report its findings to the class.

Evaluation
Essay: Imagine a case comes before the Supreme Court in which a newspaper has published the names of a suspect and a victim in a rape case. Name at least two amendments that might be considered and why they would be important.

Grading should be handled in the same way that the extended-response writing questions on the Ohio eighth grade achievement test are graded. This essay, because it asks for four responses, would be a four-point question. An answer that includes two clear statements of opinion and a relevant point or argument of support for each would get all four points (A). An essay missing one of those things would be three points (B) and so on. If language arts teachers decide to grade for mechanics and sentence structure, something the Ohio achievement tests do not do, they should tell their classes that ahead of time.