Mrs. Payne

Grade 5

Christopher Columbus Elementary School

Utica City School District

spayne@uticaschools.org

Introduction:

The US Constitution was originally written in 1787. While delegates debated on the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly said that the Constitution, as originally written, gave too much power to the central government. Fresh in their minds was the memory of the British violation of citizens’ rights before and during the Revolutionary War. Some states demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the rights of individual citizens. With the addition and the promise of these “rights,” nine states ratified the Constitution in 1789.

Task:

You will use the AHPPA steps to evaluate the lack of citizens’ rights under the original Constitution and the importance of the addition of the Bill of Rights.

As a citizen, which of these rights is most important to you? You will be working in groups of two to create a poster and a persuasive oral presentation. This presentation will need to “sell” our class into keeping the right you and your partner agree is the MOST important right.

Additionally, your group will create a comic strip which illustrates what life would be like if this right no longer existed.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Step 2: Gather the Evidence:

Step 3: Determine the Causes

Step 4: Evaluate the Policy

Process:

1. Once you are assigned a partner, you will work with your partner to research the weakness of the original Constitution.

2. Use the APPA model Step 1 to identify the social problem facing the citizens.

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, and class notes.

3. Complete APPA Worksheet #1

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, and class notes.

4. Use APPA model Step 2 to further research the existence of your problem.

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, and class notes.

5. Complete APPA Worksheet #2
*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, and class notes.

6. Use APPA model Step 3 to determine: What was the underlying reason that many states wanted the Bill of Rights to be part of the Constitution?

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, class notes, and resources below.

7. Complete APPA Worksheet #3

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, class notes, and resources below.

8. Use APPA model Step 4 evaluate: Why is the Bill of Rights so important to the Constitution?

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, class notes and resources below.

9. Complete APPA Worksheet #4

*Use textbook chapter 10, classroom discussion, class notes, and resources below.

10. Each member of your group should create a cartoon that depicts what you determine to be the most essential (important) right guaranteed under the Bill of Rights. The cartoon should include a storyline and event that illustrates what our lives would be like with the absence of this right. Use this template for your comic strip: Comic Strip

11. Your group must work together to create a poster that uses a web to illustrate your chosen right. Be sure to include the right in the middle and use the surrounding areas to illustrate ideas of why this right is important. Your group also needs to prepare a 5 minute oral presentation which persuades our class to keep the right you have chosen. At the end we will vote as a class to keep only ONE right as citizens. You may use this link for an example of a web template: Web

Conclusion:

Congratulations! You have completed The American History Web quest on the weakness of the original Constitution. You have used the steps of the American Public Policy Analyst to analyze a problem in American history.

Resources:

· http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_billofrights.htm

· http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/government/billofrights.htm

· http://www.constitutioncenter.org/BillOfRightsGame/Final.swf

· http://ratify.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/search_results.php?framein=results_Bill_of_Rights.html

· http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/

· http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/page.aspx?pid=492

Evaluation:

Christopher Columbus School

Bill of Rights Web quest

Name: ________________________

Teacher: Mrs. Payne

Date : ___________________

Title of Work: ___________________

Criteria

Points

	1	2	3	4
Group uses the American History Public Policy Analyst	Group doesn't follow the steps of APPA	Group follows some of the steps of the APPA, worksheets partially complete	Group follows all of the APPA steps, but worksheets are not completed fully or are done incorrectly.	All APPA steps are complete and worksheets done correctly.	____
Cartoon: illustration show what life would be like without chosen right	Illustrations either incomplete or not done.	Illustrations complete but are done poorly or are incorrectly.	All illustrations are complete, most are done neatly.	Illustrations are complete, neat and creative.	____
Cartoon: Captions to illustrations indicate what is occurring in the illustration	Illustrations do not have captions.	Some illustrations do not have captions. Many Grammar and spelling errors.	All illustrations have captions. Captions are well written with few spelling or grammar errors.	Captions are well written, clearly indicating what is occurring in the illustration. No grammar or spelling errors.	____
Web Poster	Group did not produce web poster	Group produced a web poster but it was poorly done or incomplete.	Group produced a web poster that illustrates the importance of that right.	Group produced a web poster that illustrates the importance of the right and has evidence that supports their finding.	____
				Total---->	____

Teacher Comments:

Oral Presentation Rubric:

Oral Presentation Rubric: Persuasive

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Preparedness	Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed.	Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals.	The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking.	Student does not seem at all prepared to present.
Content	Shows a full understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic.	Does not seem to understand the topic very well.
Stance	Takes a clear stand on an issue and fully supports it with appropriate personal or factual information.	Takes a clear stand and I gives some support. The information is presented clearly.	Takes a stand but may not have made position very clear.	Did not take a stand on the issue. Presented some information but still is not clear on stance of the issue.
Organization	Has organization that helps to logically develop argument and does not stray off-topic.	Has organization that is logical but it strays a little.	Tried to have an organization but did not do a good job with it and it tends to jump around.	Has no real organization.
Support	Has chosen numerous specific details, illustrations, and quotations that more than adequately support stance.	Has chosen enough specific details to support stance.	Tried to support with some details but have not done a very good job. The details may not be the best ones to choose or they might not even support stance.	Has little or no details.
Time-Limit	Presentation is 3-4 minutes long.	Presentation is 2-3 minutes long.	Presentation is 1-2 minutes long.	Presentation is less than 1 minute OR more than 4 minutes.
Persuasiveness	Makes a dramatic and compelling argument.	Makes a credible effort to persuade the audience.	Shows little evidence of persuasion.	Is not at all persuasive in presentation.

Teacher Comments:

Date Created: March 28, 2004

Standards

Standard 1:   History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.