Introduction

TeamFour is going to take our ideas to a new level. We are going to takethem to the television studio! In our study of the Bill of Rights, weare going to create a television news program about controversialissues today that relate to the Bill of Rights.

We will create ten shows. Each show will be about one of the tenamendments in the Bill of Rights. Each show will include a panel ofthree students: an 'M.C.' who will host the show and ask thoughtful,probing questions; a 'Point Maker' who will argue one side of theissue; and a 'Counter-Pointer' who will argue the opposing side ofthe issue. Each student will research their issue and prepare theirtelevision presentation. Then in class, we will videotape the show.This is an audience participation news show, so there will be anopportunity for viewers to ask questions to the panel. After we haveproduced the show, we will try to get it broadcast on public accesstelevision.

After we have viewed the show in its entirety, each student willchoose an issue they feel strongly about and write a letter statingtheir views to one of his or her government representatives. Theletter can be sent via e-mail or the U.S. Postal Service.

The Quest

Is ourgovernment today following the principles stated in the Bill ofRights?

The Process andResources

In thisWebQuest you will be working together with a group of students inclass. Each group will research and analyze one amendment in the Billof Rights. As a member of the group, you will explore Web pages frompeople all over the world who care about the Bill of Rights. Becausethese are real Web pages we're tapping into, not things make just forschools, the reading level might challenge you.

You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some backgroundinformation before dividing into roles where people on your teambecome experts on one part of the topic.

Phase 1 -Background: Something for Everyone

Use theInternet information linked below to answer the followingquestions:

1) What right does your amendment protect?
2) Why do you think our 'founding fathers' wanted this amendmentadded to the Constitution?
3) How does this current events issue relate to your amendment?

Answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

 
• Bill of Rights
• Bill of Rights and Related Issues
• Identifying Issues
• 'How dead are the Bill of Rights?' - Scroll down to find the article, 'How dead are the Bill of Rights?'

Phase 2 - LookingDeeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will exploreone of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out thefiles, underline the passages that you feel are the most important.If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel areimportant by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying /pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down orcopy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you canquickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.
4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinionthat answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you havelearned from the links for your role.

News Commentator#1 - 'Point'

Use theInternet information linked below to answer these questionsspecifically related to News commentator #1 - 'Point':

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill ofRights?
2. How does this current events issue show that our government todayis still following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Givespecific details, facts, and examples to support your point ofview).

You may also use links listed under #2 ('Counter-point').

 
• Amendment One: Should prayer be required in School?
• Amendment Two: Should guns be outlawed? - View One - Would outlawing guns make the U.S. more safe?
• Amendment Four: Should NYPD be allowed to seize cars of DWI suspects?
• Amendment Nine: Just because it's not in the Constitution, does it mean that women don't have the right to play sports?
• Amendment Ten: Does the national government have the right to require a national core curriculum?
• Amendment Seven: Does a trial by jury mean justice? - Click on full story, read article, then react to the question above.
• Amendment Three: What event leading to the American Revolution may have caused the founding fathers to make Amendment Three? - Scroll down the time line until you can find the events that may have caused the founding fathers to create Amendment Three after the American Revolution.
• Amendment Six: Is 105 days too long to have to wait for a trial? - Scroll down and read the facts of the case, then try to figure out the judge's decision.

News Commentator#2 - 'Counter Point'

Use theInternet information linked below to answer these questionsspecifically related to News commentator #2 - 'Counter Point':

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill ofRights?
2. How does this current events issue show that our government todayis NOT following the principlesstated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, andexamples to support your point of view).

You may also use links listed about under #1 ('Point').

 
• Amendment One: Should our school library be allowed to carry Goosebumps, Blubber, and The Chocolate War? - American Library Association - banned books list - Should our school library be allowed to carry Goosebumps, Blubber, and The Chocolate War?
• Amendment Two: Should guns be outlawed? - NRA's view - Founding Fathers and the Second Amendment
• Amendment Eight: Is the death penalty allowed according to the Bill of Rights?
• Amendment Five: If someone's stopped for DWI, can there car be taken without a trial first?
• Amendment Six: Is 105 days too long to have to wait for a trial? - Scroll down and read the facts of the case, then try to figure out the judge's decision.

MC of NewsProgram

Use theInternet information linked above under 'point' or 'counter-point' toanswer these questions specifically related to MC of Newsprogram:

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill ofRights?
2. How does this current events issue show that our government todayis still following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Givespecific details, facts, and examples to support your point ofview).

3. How does this current events issue show that our government todayis NOT following the principlesstated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, andexamples to support your point of view).

4. Create questions that you can ask your two guests that would helpyou decide whether our government today is or is not following theprinciples stated in the Bill of Rights.

Phase 3 -Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

Youhave all learned about a different part of bill of rights. Now groupmembers come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gainedby searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task /Quest(ion) as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint tothe answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Useinformation, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint isimportant and should be part of your team's answer to the Task /Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should write out an answer thateveryone on the team can live with.

Phase 4 - RealWorld Feedback

You andyour teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into differentroles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll sendout for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter thatcontains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained.Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you arewriting your message to this particular government official.

2. Give background information that shows you understand thetopic.

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives twogood reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specificin both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) andthe reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correctletter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the emailmessage. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message andmake sure your teacher gets a copy.

Your Contactis:PresidentBill Clinton

Conclusion

So isour government today protecting our rights the way it shouldaccording to the U.S. Bill of Rights? Well, when we only look at oneperspective, it's easy to come up with an answer that may not becompletely right. It's the same for understanding a topic as broad orcomplex as bill of rights: when we only consider one perspective, weonly know part of the picture. Now we all know a lot more. Nicework!!! You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use whatyou've learned to see beyond the black and white of a topic and intothe grayer areas? What other parts of bill of rights could still beexplored? Remember, learning never stops and making sure that ourgovernment protects our rights depends on us staying educated andaware.

Content byMrs.Borzone

Last revised Fri Jan 5 2001