You're+the+M.C.

 =You're the M.C. =

Introduction
We are going to take our study of the Bill of Rights to a new level. We are going to take them to the television studio A.K.A room 136! In our study of the Bill of Rights, we are going to create a television news program about controversial issues today that relate to the Bill of Rights.

We will create ten shows. Each show will be about one of the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights. Each show will include a panel of three students: an 'M.C.' who will host the show and ask thoughtful, probing questions; a 'Point Maker' who will argue one side of the issue; and a 'Counter-Pointer' who will argue the opposing side of the issue. Each student will research their issue and prepare their television presentation. Then in class, we will videotape the show. This is an audience participation news show, so there will be an opportunity for viewers to ask questions to the panel. After we have produced the show, we will splice all ten segments together to make an entire show.

After we have viewed the show in its entirety, each student will choose an issue they feel strongly about and write a letter stating their views to one of his or her government representatives. The letter can be sent via e-mail or the U.S. Postal Service.

The Quest
Is our government today following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights?

The Process and Resources
In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will research and analyze one amendment in the Bill of Rights. As a member of the group, you will explore Web pages from people all over the world who care about the Bill of Rights. Because these are real Web pages we're tapping into, not things make just for schools, the reading level might challenge you.

You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background information before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

Phase 1 - Background: All group members must complete.
Use the Internet information linked below to answer the following questions:

1) What right does your amendment protect? 2) Why do you think our 'founding fathers' wanted this amendment added to the Constitution? 3) What current events or issues relate to your amendment?

Answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.


 * [|Bill of Rights]
 * [|Interactive Constitution]
 * [|Bill of Rights and Related Issues]
 * [|Identifying Issues]
 * [|'How dead are the Bill of Rights?'] - Scroll down to find the article, 'How dead are the Bill of Rights?'

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives
INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) or Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**News Commentator #1 - 'Point' (One group member)**
<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to News commentator #1 - 'Point':

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill of Rights? 2. How does this current events issue show that our government today is still following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, and examples to support your point of view).

You may also use links listed under #2 ('Counter-point').

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment One: Should prayer be required in School?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Two: Should guns be outlawed? - View One] - Would outlawing guns make the U.S. more safe?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Four: Steriods don't really effect you in the long term, do they?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Nine: Just because it's not in the Constitution, does it we don't have privacy?]
 * [|Amendment Five: Can the local, state, and national governments really do that?] Is this a wise way to increase revenue for local and state governments?
 * [|Amendment Six: Can you stand up for yourself?] Why is it necessary for victims to face those they accuse?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Seven: Does a trial by jury mean justice?] - Click on Selection of the jury and decide if justice was served to the victims, Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldberg.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Eight:Should you play God? The religious perspective.]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**News Commentator #2 - 'Counter Point' (One group member)**
<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to News commentator #2 - 'Counter Point':

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill of Rights? 2. How does this current events issue show that our government today is **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NOT **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, and examples to support your point of view).

You may also use links listed about under #1 ('Point').


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment One: Should our school library be allowed to carry Goosebumps, Blubber, and The Chocolate War? - American Library Association - banned books list] - Should our school library be allowed to carry Goosebumps, Blubber, and The Chocolate War?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Two: Should guns be outlawed? - NRA's view - Founding Fathers and the Second Amendment]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|More Amendment Two stories]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Four: Why should students be drug tested?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Eight: Is the death penalty fairly administered?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Five: What is public use? How would I interpret it?]
 * [|Amendment Seven: Who knows better: a trained judge or untrained jury?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Nine: Do I, as a public school student, have a right to privacy in school?]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Amendment Six: Are you better off without a lawyer?]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> **MC of News Program-(One group member)**
<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Use the Internet information linked above under 'point' or 'counter-point' to answer these questions specifically related to MC of News program:

1. How does this current events issue relate to the Bill of Rights?

2. How does this current events issue show that our government today is still following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, and examples to support your point of view).

3. How does this current events issue show that our government today is **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NOT **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights? (Give specific details, facts, and examples to support your point of view).

4. Create questions that you can ask your two guests that would help you decide whether our government today is or is not following the principles stated in the Bill of Rights.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus
<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You have all learned about a different part of bill of rights. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Web pages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone on the team can live with.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Phase 4 - Real World Feedback
<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular government official.

2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Your Contact is: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,Helvetica,sans-serif;">