The text of the 1st Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Our Essential Question:
What happens when the cherished freedoms in the 1st Amendment come into conflict with other cherished American values?
Our Web Sites:
First Amendment
"These websites are good because you don't have to waste your time looking for others." - Sheelove
"These websites have really cool pictures and interesting facts about the First Amendment." - Mercedes
"...includes 1st Amendment ideas you need to study in 7th grade..." - Angel
"...sites about the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment were clear and easy to understand." - Stephen
ALA | 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000
ALA | For Young People
First Amendment Rights for Young People
"I liked this site because it covered topics such as "Internet Censorship" and "Freedom of Speech". The text was at a level that was understandable." - Yijin
"...well-written answers to questions...the questions are ones teens might care about." - Nathaniel
The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798
from the Bill of Rights Institute
"...simple, but with a lot of information." - Helena
"...it tells a tale that could no longer be true in modern times...now, no one could go to jail for speaking out against the President." - Alec
Banned Book Lesson
from the First Amendment Center
"I recommend this site because banned books are an interesting aspect of the First Amendment." - Aaron
"...interesting and easy to understand." - Emil
The First Amendment from the First Amendment Center
Includes podcasts
"...a good page. Knowledge of the topic can be explored with the links." - Alexi
"...easy to read article that contains a lot of information." - Andres
"...proves the importance of the First Amendment with conviction..." - Eagon
"The site clearly explains the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment." - Matt
"It tells you what the Constitution doesn't contain, in case kids need to write a paper on what is and isn't in the Constitution." - Molly
"It tells you the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why)." - Solomon
"...written at a 7th grade reading level...pretty easy to understand." - Anna P.
"Well organized...not in long paragraphs, which makes it easier to read..." - Lily
"...will be helpful for writing a report...links in the text further your understanding of the subject." - Will
"...a great site wth other links at the bottom too." - Stephanie
"...a straightforward, clear view of the 1st Amendment." - Julian
First Amendment Schools
Resources for Students, Teachers, Administrators and the Community
"I like the idea of having a school where they teach you about your rights...on the site." - Sara
"It shows that people should be involved in politics and in securing their rights". - Adam
"It talks about each specific part of the 1st Amendment and the freedom it gives." - Joseph
First Amendment Timeline
"This site has lots of details...a nice timeline, and makes the most sense to me of all the sites." - Daniel M.
"...it has events leading up to the creation of the 1st Amendment...will help give a sense as to why this Amendment was created..." - Neethi
"...illustrates the Amendment in the most comprehensible manner, because it shows the plan and ideas step by step." - Dimitar
First Amendment Survey
from the First Amendment Center
Four Free Speech Cases for students to decide
from the First Amendment Center
Justices to Hear Landmark Free-Speech Case
From the Washington Post
kidSPEAK!
Where Kids Speak Up for Free Speech!
"I thought this was best because it is a site where kids get a chance to talk instead of adults." - Alex
"...helps kids understand that they have First Amendment rights and freedom to speak." - Andrea
"...opinions and stories of kids our age...easy to understand...has a summary of the story...has an entertaining cartoon that I liked." - Cyrus
"...talks about kids who stand up for themselves...shows some books that were banned from schools..." - Leah L.
"Kids say their opinions after reading a book. It will give you a chance to express your opinions" - Yejin
"...there are many stories and if you are more interested, you can follow up on the story further." - Anna B.
Teach the First Amendment
US Constitution
!
America's Historical Documents
Ben's Guide to US Government
Grades 6-8
"Easy to understand and easy to navigate..." - Ted
"...fun games like the "Place the State" game that got me interested in the website." - Annika
"...it is on the 1st Amendment and the rest of the Constitution , so there is a lot to learn." - Collin
"...easy to understand, organized and detailed." - Ben
"...cut up into sections so I can find exactly what I'm looking for." - Nellie
Bill of Rights
Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)
Bill of Rights Golf
"Fun and educational at the same time." - Danny
"Fun and informative about court cases." - Daniel K.
Charters of Freedom
The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights
Constitutional Rights Foundation--Social Studies, Civic Education, Service-Learning, Law-Related Education, Civic Participation
Federalist Debates
National Constitution Center
Philadelphia Museum
Our Documents - 100 Milestones
Bill of Rights (1791)
Oyez
U.S. Supreme Court Case Summaries, Oral Arguments & Multimedia
"...you can hear what it is like in the Supreme Court." - Katy
The Constitution for Kids (4th-7th Grade)
The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net
"Categories make it much easier to search around for information." - Conor
The Constitutional Convention
The Illinois First Amendment Center
United States Constitution
Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)
1st Amendment Organizations:
Freedom to Read Foundation
American Library Association
kidSPEAK!
!
Links to Specific Supreme Court Case Information:
Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969)
from First Amendment Center
from the Bill of Rights Institute
Engle v. Vitale (1962)
from First Amendment Center
from the Bill of Rights Institute
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
from First Amendment Center
Morse v. Frederick (2007)
Washington Post article
from the Bill of Rights Institute
Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982)
from the Bill of Rights Institute
New York Times vs. United States (1971) - The Pentagon Papers Case
from the Bill of Rights Institute
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