Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan Template
Title: Know Your Rights Using Primary Sources
Descriptive Subtitle: Listing your own grievances
Grade level: Middle school Grade 8
Tags: Primary Sources, Declaration of Independence, Jefferson Writings, Causes of the Revolution, Colonial Grievances, Human Rights, U. S. Bill of Rights, Civics, U.S. History
Author Information:
Name: Bassima Mustafa
Email: Bmustafa1@optonline.net
School: C. J. R. School #9
City: Paterson
State: New Jersey
Duration: 90-120 min
Overview:
Students will be working in pairs examining three primary sources -listing the grievances in the Declaration of Independence, the individual rights listed in the U.S. Bill of Rights (creating one cause & effect chart) and then comparing the rights in the U. S. Bill of Rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They will note similarities and differences in order to complete either a Compare and Contrast chart or a Venn diagram.
This would be a lesson towards the end of the unit on the Early Government of the United States, having already taught the causes of the Revolution, the grievances in the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights
Prior knowledge:
Standards:
New Jersey Student Learning Standards – Social Studies
6.1 U.S. History: America in the World: All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.
6.1.8.A.2.a, 6.1.8.A.2.b, 6.1.8.A.2.c, 6.1.8.A.3.a, 6.1.8.A.3.b, 6.1.8.A.2.c & 6.1.8.A.2.g
Objectives:
Students will understand that the causes of the Revolution have a direct relation to the rights listed in the Bill of Rights. And that those causes were the catalyst to the rights Americans are guaranteed today. Students will also understand the differences between the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the US Bill of Rights.
Students will be able to make connections from the grievances in the Declaration of Independence to the Bill of Rights…being able to explain how the causes for the Revolution were the guide in writing the Bill of Rights.
Students will know how to identify and list their own grievances and rectify each by writing their own Bill of Rights.
Steps:
Materials:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Declaration of Independence
Cause & Effect
Grievance Right in U. S. Bill of Rights
Assessment(s):
Assessment Criteria (rubric, checklist, etc.):
Assessment Checklist:
Accommodations:
ESL & SPED students can address their grievances with their parent, sibling, classmate or teacher. Advanced students can address their grievances with governmental policies/human rights violations by the following methods: