Bill of Rights Bingo

Introduction

• Ask students to list your school's rules. Record them on the board with the title "Rules."
• Then, ask them who came up with the rules (i.e., the principal).
• Have students turn and talk to a partner to brainstorm other rules they wish were on the list (i.e., kids can bring their own toys to school) or rules they wish they could make for the principal and teachers of the school (i.e., teachers can't assign too much homework).
• Explain that in the United States we have rules, too. We have a constitution that established our nation's fundamental laws and guaranteed basic rights for citizens. The U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787. However, a few years later, people decided that they wanted to amend (change) the constitution to protect their individual liberties, or personal rights. So, a man named James Madison wrote a list of amendments, which are changes or additions, that were added to the constitution in 1791 in an effort to limit the government's power and protect people's rights. These original 10 amendments make up the Bill of Rights.
• Show students a picture or replica of the original document (see related media).
• Tell students that today we will be learning more about the 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights.