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Article
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: First Through Tenth Amendments: Bill of Rights [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion of how the First through Tenth Amendments to the Constitution came to be written.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs News Hour Extra: Supreme Court Considers Free Speech and Protests

For Students 9th - 10th
Hateful as these actions may seem to many people, do groups still have the right to protest under the First Amendment? Read about the case that the Supreme Court is considering involving protests at a military funeral.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Texas v. Johnson (1989)

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This mini-lesson plan covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that burning the American flag is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment. Students learn about the First Amendment freedom of speech and the...
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Article
University of Missouri

Famous Trials: Falwell v Flynt Trial (1984)

For Students 9th - 10th
Asked about his first sexual experience by an interviewer, Reverend Jerry Falwell said, "I never really expected to make it with Mom, but then after she showed all the other guys in town such a good time, I thought 'What the hell!'"...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Clapper v. Amnesty International (2013)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that determined the government's ability to conduct electronic surveillance of its citizens. Students learn about the First Amendment right to free speech, the Fourth...
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Don't Know Much About Liberty

For Teachers 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read about the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in classifying and categorizing.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that it was unconstitutional for a state to force young scholars to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Students learn how the interests of national...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that established a school's ability to prohibit inappropriate student language on campus. Students learn about the First Amendment right of free speech, and explore the...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association (1988)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson examines the Supreme Court case that pitted the interests of government economic projects against the religious rights of American Indians. Students learn about the religious protections of the First Amendment's Free...
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Activity
University of Missouri

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: Government Regulation of Commercial Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the issue of commercial speech -- think Joe Camel, the Marlboro Man -- which is speech that proposes an economic transaction. Is it covered by the First Amendment?
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Freedom of Speech and Automatic Language

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Contains plans for four lessons that use the "Pledge of Allegiance" to discuss the concepts of freedom of speech and automatic language. Ties in well with novels that deal with First Amendment rights such as Laurie Halse Anderson's...
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Primary
Cornell University

Cornell University: Law School: Schenck v. United States (1919)

For Students 9th - 10th
Features a syllabus of the landmark Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States which decided that the defendant's right to criticize the draft was not protected by the First Amendment.
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource contains information on the case including how the justices voted, an audio file of the Oral Argument and an abstract of the case regarding high school journalists and their call for First Amendment (free speech) rights.
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Activity
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: The Supreme Court: Landmark Cases: Schenck v. u.s. (1919)

For Students 9th - 10th
PBS offers a summary of the landmark Supreme Court case of Schenck v. U.S. which dealt with when an individual's free speech rights under the First Amendment presented a "clear and present danger." This case has since been overturned.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Minersville v. Gobitas (1940)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that allowed schools to require learners to salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Students learn about the First Amendment and how the interests of...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the Supreme Court's decision about limiting government restrictions on campaign contributions. Students learn about campaign finance, Super PACs, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), and the...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-instructional activity covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that extended First Amendment protections to learners in the classroom. Students learn about the concept of symbolic speech and how learners gained the...
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Primary
Bill of Rights Institute

Bill of Rights Institute: Additional Amendments

For Students 9th - 10th
The Constitution contains within itself the process of changing it. The amendment process is described in Article 5. Amendments can be proposed in Congress when 2/3rd of both Houses agree. The states can play a role in proposing changes...
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Lesson Plan
Other

Supreme Court Historical Society:texas v. Johnson (1989)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A complete unit on constitutional law that uses the court case of Texas vs. Johnson, in which Gregory Lee Johnson was convicted of desecration of a venerated object after lighting an American flag on fire. The case became an argument...
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Website
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: The Battle Lost and Won: The Nineteenth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
After the "Susan B. Anthony" amendment was passed by the Senate, suffragists stepped up in order to persuade the states to ratify it. Read how Texas suffragist Jane Y. McCallum was part of that cause and about the opposition she faced...
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Website
Other

San Francisco Unified School District: Bill of Rights

For Students 6th - 8th
A collection of resources for learning and teaching about the Bill of Rights. Includes ideas for projects, links for the First to Eighth Amendments, videos, resources on significant Supreme Court cases, and histories of the Amendments....
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Interactive
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Classroom: That's Your Right

For Students 9th - 10th
An engaging online card game where students learn about the Bill of Rights by matching situations with the correct right. There are three levels of difficulty. Includes a short video for each of the first ten Amendments to the...
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Website
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Rcfp: The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

For Students 9th - 10th
This non-profit organization collects instances of First Amendment and Freedom of Information cases throughout the United States and reports on the facts and outcomes. An interesting cross section from this section of our law.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Church and State Separation: Challenge and Debate (Lesson Plan)

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Describes the elements of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment as it relates to the separation of church and state and freedom of religion. Speculates on the probable constitutional issues associated with the separation of church and...