Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

C3 Teachers: Inquiries: First Amendment

For Teachers 12th
A learning module on the First Amendment. It includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students explore how the First Amendment applies in the...
Lesson Plan
Other

Freedom Forum: Lesson Plans for the First Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
These lessons address constitutional principles and contemporary issues involving the First Amendment. They intend to have explore how freedoms began and how they operate in today's world. Students will discuss just how far individual...
Handout
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Constitution: First Amendment Protections

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource contains an annotated look at the different topics covered within the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Click on any subtopic link for in-depth information about that part of the First Amendment.
Interactive
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Classroom: First Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
Check out this interactive timeline on first amendment of the United States Constitution.
Lesson Plan
US National Archives

Docsteach: The First Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
In this activity students will analyze documents that span the course of American history to determine their connection to the different phrases found within the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Website
Other

First Amendment Center

For Students 9th - 10th
This First Amendment site, partly news and partly background, contains information related to all the aspects of the freedoms outlined in the First Amendment.
Unit Plan
C-SPAN

C Span Classroom: Social Media and Free Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
Complete learning module with lesson plan, video, vocabulary and activities on free speech and social media. Students examine arguments through video and text and debate to what extent should social media be protected as free speech...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: The First Amendment

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.
Article
Other

Freedom Forum: First Amendment Struggles & Triumphs

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out how the First Amendment serves citizens in real life by reading about Daniel Ellsberg, Mary Beth Tinker, and Alton T. Lemon, all of whom were principal litigants in landmark Supreme Court cases regarding the freedom of expression.
Lesson Plan
Other

Our Courts: Bill of Rights: You Mean I've Got Rights? [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A great, active lesson about the Bill of Rights. Students compare rights they think they should have with the rights in the actual amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The language of the amendments is broken down into simpler English so...
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...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Now With Bill Moyers: Supreme Court and Freedom of Speech

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Brief descriptions of several case studies involving decisions by the Supreme Court concerning First Amendment rights, especially freedom of speech.
Unit Plan
Bill of Rights Institute

Bill of Rights Institute: Religious Freedom and the Affordable Healthcare Act

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Summary, resources, and activities addressing the constitutionality with regard to the first amendment which surfaced with the Affordable Healthcare Act.
Lesson Plan
Other

First Amendment Schools: Lesson Plans: Religious Liberty

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A series of lessons examining freedom of religion. A few of the lessons are off-site and the links no longer work.
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.
Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Texas v. Johnson (1989)

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This mini-lesson 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...
Lesson Plan
iCivics

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

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

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

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-instructional activity 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...
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.
Lesson Plan
Other

Bill of Rights Institute: College Bill of Rights

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Colleges and universities often carry stricter policies than the Bill of Rights to protect their young scholars, even with their students being legal adults. Explore whether this is constitutional or not with the aid of this lesson plan.
Activity
Harvard University

Harvard Law: Freedom of Speech and Anonymous Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Cyber Harvard Law offers summaries of three different Supreme Court cases which address the limits of free speech. Includes interactive opinion, multiple-choice questions. Links to the written opinions of the Court for...
Website
PBS

Pbs News Hour Extra: Supreme Court Ends Ban on Sale of Violent Video Games

For Students 9th - 10th
An article about the Supreme Court ending a ban on the sale of violent video games. There are also links to other related items such as a classroom activity and information about the revolution of video games.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Times Film Corp. V. City of Chicago (1961)

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the majority opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court in Times Film Corp. v. City of Chicago, a 1961 case that focused on free speech and obscenity.

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