Creating Our Own Bill of Rights
Created byTalyah Huss
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Creating Our Own Bill of Rights

Grade 8History3 days
In this 8th-grade history project, students create their own bill of rights, drawing inspiration from historical documents like the English Bill of Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights to address contemporary challenges to individual liberties. Students will explore foundational documents, determine which rights are most important for freedom and a fair society, and draft their own bill of rights tailored to address contemporary issues and diverse needs. Finally, they will defend their bill of rights in a persuasive essay, reflecting on the historical and philosophical ideas that influenced their choices and on how their understanding of rights evolved throughout the project.
Bill of RightsIndividual LibertiesHistorical DocumentsContemporary IssuesDemocratic SocietyRights and Responsibilities
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as informed citizens, create a bill of rights that reflects the most essential rights and responsibilities for a just and democratic society, drawing inspiration from historical documents and addressing contemporary challenges to individual liberties?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What rights are most important to citizens?
  • How does a bill of rights protect individual liberties?
  • What responsibilities do citizens have in a democracy?
  • How can historical documents influence modern society?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • I can name and explain the rights in past bills of rights, like the English Bill of Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights.
  • I can decide which rights are most important for freedom and a fair society.
  • I can write my own bill of rights that deals with today's issues and fits the needs of different people.
  • I can explain why my bill of rights is important, using what I know about history and the ideas behind individual rights.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

A Letter from the Future

Students receive a 'letter from the future' detailing a world where certain rights have been eroded. They must analyze the letter, identify the missing rights, and debate their importance, connecting it to the project of creating their own bill of rights.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Rights Recognition Report

Students will explore foundational documents like the English Bill of Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights to identify and explain key rights. This activity builds a base understanding for later activities.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Each student selects either the English Bill of Rights, the U.S. Bill of Rights, or another relevant document.
2. The student reads their selected document and lists the rights it protects in their own words.
3. The student writes a short report explaining each right and its historical context.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn individual report of rights found in a historical bill of rights, with explanations and context for each.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: 'I can name and explain the rights in past bills of rights, like the English Bill of Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights.'
Activity 2

My Top Five Rights

Students individually decide which rights are most important to them and justify their choices in a personal essay. This activity encourages critical thinking and justification of opinions.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Based on previous research, each student creates a list of key rights.
2. Each student chooses the five most important rights and justifies their choices in a written essay.
3. The student includes different perspectives and societal needs in the essay.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA written justification for the selection of the top five rights, reflecting on different viewpoints and considering societal needs.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: 'I can decide which rights are most important for freedom and a fair society.'
Activity 3

Drafting My Own Bill of Rights

Students individually draft their own bill of rights, tailored to address contemporary issues and diverse needs, using knowledge gained in prior activities.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review the rights discussed in previous activities and brainstorm contemporary issues that might require new rights or modifications to existing ones.
2. Each student drafts their own bill of rights, including specific language and justifications for each right.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn individually written bill of rights that addresses contemporary issues and reflects the diverse needs of society.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: 'I can write my own bill of rights that deals with today's issues and fits the needs of different people.'
Activity 4

Defense of My Bill of Rights

Students will write persuasive essays defending their created bill of rights, drawing on historical context and philosophical underpinnings. Students will reflect on the entire process of creating a bill of rights.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Each student writes an essay explaining the importance of their own bill of rights, referencing historical documents and philosophical ideas.
2. Following the essay, students reflect on the process, discussing what they learned and how their understanding of rights evolved in a reflective journal entry.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA persuasive essay defending the student's own bill of rights, along with a reflective journal entry on the learning process.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: 'I can explain why my bill of rights is important, using what I know about history and the ideas behind individual rights.'
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Creating a Bill of Rights

Category 1

Historical Understanding

Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of historical bills of rights (e.g., English Bill of Rights, U.S. Bill of Rights).
Criterion 1

Identification of Rights

Accurately identifies and explains key rights in historical documents.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies and comprehensively explains a wide range of rights from historical documents, demonstrating a deep understanding of their context.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies and explains several key rights from historical documents, showing a good understanding of their context.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some rights from historical documents but struggles to explain their meaning or context fully.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify rights from historical documents and provides limited or inaccurate explanations.

Criterion 2

Historical Context

Provides accurate and relevant historical context for the identified rights.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides insightful and detailed historical context, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the rights' origins and evolution.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides accurate and relevant historical context, showing a clear understanding of the rights' origins.

Developing
2 Points

Provides some historical context, but it may be incomplete or lack relevance.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides minimal or inaccurate historical context.

Category 2

Justification and Prioritization

Articulates and justifies the selection of the most important rights for a fair and free society.
Criterion 1

Selection of Key Rights

Chooses the most essential rights and provides clear justifications for their importance.

Exemplary
4 Points

Selects the most essential rights with compelling and insightful justifications, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of their impact on freedom and fairness.

Proficient
3 Points

Selects key rights and provides clear justifications for their importance, reflecting a solid understanding of their role in a free society.

Developing
2 Points

Selects some relevant rights but struggles to fully justify their importance or connect them to broader societal values.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to select essential rights and provides weak or unclear justifications.

Criterion 2

Consideration of Perspectives

Considers different perspectives and societal needs in the selection and justification of rights.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of diverse perspectives and societal needs, integrating them seamlessly into the justification of selected rights.

Proficient
3 Points

Considers different perspectives and societal needs when justifying the selected rights, showing a good understanding of diverse viewpoints.

Developing
2 Points

Acknowledges different perspectives and societal needs but does not fully integrate them into the justification of selected rights.

Beginning
1 Points

Fails to adequately consider different perspectives and societal needs.

Category 3

Bill of Rights Creation

Creates an original bill of rights that addresses contemporary issues and diverse needs.
Criterion 1

Addressing Contemporary Issues

Effectively addresses contemporary issues and challenges through the proposed rights.

Exemplary
4 Points

Addresses contemporary issues with innovative and highly relevant rights, demonstrating a deep understanding of current challenges.

Proficient
3 Points

Addresses contemporary issues with relevant and well-articulated rights, showing a good understanding of current challenges.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to address contemporary issues, but the proposed rights may be vague or not fully relevant.

Beginning
1 Points

Fails to adequately address contemporary issues.

Criterion 2

Language and Justification

Uses clear and specific language to define each right and provides sound justifications for its inclusion.

Exemplary
4 Points

Uses precise and impactful language to define each right and provides comprehensive and persuasive justifications for its inclusion.

Proficient
3 Points

Uses clear and specific language to define each right and provides sound justifications for its inclusion.

Developing
2 Points

Uses language that is sometimes vague or unclear and provides justifications that are not fully developed.

Beginning
1 Points

Uses unclear language and provides minimal or weak justifications.

Category 4

Defense and Reflection

Explains the importance of their bill of rights, referencing historical documents and philosophical ideas, and reflects on the learning process.
Criterion 1

Persuasive Argumentation

Constructs a persuasive argument for the importance of their bill of rights.

Exemplary
4 Points

Constructs a highly persuasive and compelling argument, drawing on historical documents and philosophical ideas with sophistication and originality.

Proficient
3 Points

Constructs a persuasive argument, referencing historical documents and philosophical ideas effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to construct a persuasive argument, but the connections to historical documents and philosophical ideas are weak or unclear.

Beginning
1 Points

Fails to construct a persuasive argument and makes minimal connections to historical documents or philosophical ideas.

Criterion 2

Reflective Insight

Demonstrates reflective insight on the learning process and evolution of understanding.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates profound reflective insight, articulating a clear and nuanced understanding of how their perspective on rights evolved throughout the learning process.

Proficient
3 Points

Demonstrates thoughtful reflective insight on the learning process and how their understanding of rights evolved.

Developing
2 Points

Shows some reflection on the learning process, but the insights are limited or superficial.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides minimal or no reflection on the learning process.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating your own bill of rights?

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Question 2

To what extent do you think your bill of rights reflects the needs and values of a just and democratic society?

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Question 3

How has your understanding of individual rights and responsibilities changed as a result of this project?

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Question 4

Which historical document (e.g., English Bill of Rights, U.S. Bill of Rights) had the biggest influence on your bill of rights, and why?

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Question 5

If you could add one more right to your bill of rights, what would it be and why?

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