TPACK Template

Subject Social Studies – Civics & Economics

Grade Level 8th grade

Learning Objective CE.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the

foundations of American constitutional government by
b) explaining the significance of the charters of the
Virginia Company of London, the Virginia Declaration of
Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of
Confederation, the Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom, and the Constitution of the United States,
including the Bill of Rights;

CE.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of citizenship and

the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens by
b) describing the First Amendment freedoms of religion,
Content

speech, press, assembly, and petition, and the rights

guaranteed by due process and equal protection of the
laws;
Activity This activity focuses on the Constitution and Amendments

Note for the Teacher: do the simulation/game on your own

time to have a good grasp on it before attempting to do it with
the class. There is a full tutorial that walks you step-by-step and
simplifies everything for you. This will ensure the class going
smoothly.

Teacher instructions:
1. Briefly review amendments with students
2. Share your computer screen through a projector or live
screencast with the students and go to the iCivics game
“Do I Have a Right?” (website link provided below)
3. Demonstrate how the simulation works
a. There will be different scenarios presented by
various characters that walk into the law firm.
Click them to read their situation aloud.
b. Read through the amendments with the
students through the “Rights Review” folder in
the bottom left
c. Choose the correct lawyer that has the correct
amendment to defend the character’s situation
Pedagogy

i. Lawyers will only have some

amendments unlocked that they can
defend cases with. If a person has a
 situation that has a right, but no lawyer
can tend to the person, choose the
“come back tomorrow” option.
d. Do one more demonstration so students get a
better grasp of it
4. Turn on students’ microphones so they will be able to
answer which amendment best matches the characters
situations
5. Have students use their notes about the amendments to
do this game with you
6. Read the situations of the characters aloud
7. Keep the case description open and have students read
their notes to choose which amendment correctly
matches the situation
a. Use the “Rights Review” folder to double-check
answers
b. There is also a “case analyze” tab that can be
opened to the left-hand side of the case
description – use to walk students through
choosing the correct amendment
8. Allow students to use their microphones to choose an
answer collectively
9. Continue until the game is done
10. Discuss with the class why the Constitution/Bill of Rights
are important
a. What would happen to these situations if there
were no rights to protect these people?
b. How did the First Amendment help people?
c. Was it easy or hard to figure out how the
amendments protect us in various situations?

If there are no microphones, have the students respond by…

1. If there are live cameras to display students, have them
given a thumb up or thumb down as you read an
amendment for each case.
2. If the class is not live and meets in an online space, this
simulation as homework
a. Have students screenshot their certificates at
the end and upload it as an assignment to show
proof that they did it adequately
Technology  “Do I Have A Right?” simulation on iCivics.org
Technology

https://www.icivics.org/games/do-i-have-right
 Computers
 Microphones
 Webcam cameras
By Nina Elizabeth Del Rosario