Lesson Plan

The Creation of the Bill of Rights: “Retouching the Canvas”

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

While the Constitutional Convention lay the foundation of the new government for the United States, the protections given under the Bill of Rights were controversial. Using documents, such as James Madison's and Thomas Jefferson's correspondence, young historians unpack the arguments about the Bill of Rights. Additional activities include a debate moderated by a panel of judges in the classroom.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Incorporate one or all of the document analysis activities into a unit on the Bill of Rights
  • Extend the lesson with interactive features such as the map of ratification dates for various states
Classroom Considerations
  • Some activities involve lengthy readings that may need to be assigned in advance
Pros
  • Resource offers a variety of activities that use various forms of instruction
  • Lessons are flexible and easy to incorporate into a unit 
Cons
  • None