By now, you should be able to identify the background and purpose of the Bill of Rights and explain why it is still important today. Without it, Americans would not be free to speak, worship, or do many other things. When the first Congress of the United States wrote these 10 amendments to the Constitution, they set the ground rules for many of the freedoms that American people continue to enjoy. Other amendments to the Constitution have been added over the years. The newest amendments provide more rights to citizens and set up rules that the government must follow. Creating a Public Service Announcement

Image of a child© 2010 Associated Press
In a recent poll, less than 10 percent of American adults knew why the Bill of Rights was written! Something must be done to inform people, and you are just the person to do it. You will take on the role of someone who has recently been granted U. S. citizenship. Use your imagination to create your own name and story.

As a new citizen, you are excited about the freedoms and rights that your new government protects. You would like to help other citizens, including immigrants like you, understand what these rights mean. Explore the tab box below to learn more about this assessment.

Research:

To share your knowledge of the Bill of Rights with others, you will create a public service announcement that will appear around your community. Review the 10 amendments and explore examples of public service announcements to get started!

To read the text of all 10 amendments, visit the Bill of Rights Institute.
To see examples of public service announcements (PSAs), visit the Ad Council.
Prepare:

Remember that you need to attract people’s attention with a catchy phrase or title. Then you need to keep their attention by being direct and creative. Reading or watching a PSA should take only a minute of people’s time. The public service announcement should include:

Your imaginary name
An explanation, in your own words, of one of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution
An explanation, in your own words, of why it is important for a person to know the amendment you chose
An example of how the amendment would be used today

View a sample explanation of the Tenth Amendment
Sample explanation of the Tenth Amendment

The Tenth Amendment limits the power of the federal government by giving certain powers to the states. For example, the Constitution does not give the federal government the power to create schools. That means that states have the power, and the responsibility, to create schools. It is important for citizens to know this amendment so they can ask either the state or national government for something they need. For example, if people wanted class sizes to be smaller, they would need to ask the governor and legislature of their state—not the president—to make a law.

Present:

You can choose to present your public service announcement in many different formats. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Brochure: Create a brochure about the Bill of Rights. Your brochure should be made on paper folded in thirds. You may use a computer program to create the brochure and use photos or drawing tools for illustrations.
Television spot: Create a television spot about the Bill of Rights. Consider what images and information will best inform your viewers. Your television spot should be one to two minutes long.
Podcast: Create a podcast about the Bill of Rights. Your podcast should be one to two minutes long. Consider how your tone of voice and possible sound effects might enhance your content.
Poster: Create a poster about the Bill of Rights. Consider using photos or drawing tools to illustrate your poster.

Your public service announcement must be typed. If you choose to create a video or podcast, the script should be typed and submitted as well.

Visit the Web 2.0 tools area for additional presentation ideas. There are many 21st century tools available for creating and submitting work in the online environment. For more information about tools your school recommends, please visit the resource tools area in your course or contact your instructor.

Assignment
View the Grading Rubric found on page 4 of 03.06 Know Your Rights! before beginning the assessment.

Complete the reading and interactives for this lesson.
Complete the "Bill of Rights" self check.
Create a Public Service Announcement about the Bill of Rights.
Submit your finished PSA to 03.06 Know Your Rights.