LessonPlan:“TheLivingConstitution:HowtheU.S.Constitutionchanges
throughinformalmeans”
AmericanGovernmentContentStatement#7:
ConstitutionalgovernmentintheUnitedStateshaschangedovertimeasaresultof
amendmentstotheU.S.Constitution,SupremeCourtdecisions,legislationand
informalpractices.
Thefollowingactivityprovidestheopportunityforstudentstoapplywhattheyhave
learnedabouthowtheU.S.Constitutionchangesovertimethroughinformalmeans.
Thisactivitywouldfollowalecturewherestudentsareinstructedonthefollowing
waysofinformallyamendmenttheconstitution:FederalCourtdecisions,
Congressionallaws,andactionsoftheexecutivebranch.
Thislessonisdesignedtobecompletedinoneclassperiod.Studentsaretobe
dividedintosmallgroupsfordiscussionandresearch.Studentswillneedaccessto
computers.
1. Studentsasagroupwilldiscussdifferentopinionsonthemeaningofthe2nd
Amendmenttodemonstratehowitcanbeinterpretedindifferentways.
2. Studentswillidentifyhoweachofthethreebrancheshasplayedarolein
helpingtoshapethemeaningofthe2ndamendmentbyresearchingactions
theyhavetakenonguncontrol.
TheMeaningofthe2ndAmendment
Whatdoes“therightofthepeopletokeepandbeararms”meantoday?
Text:
"AwellregulatedMilitia,beingnecessarytothesecurityofafreeState,therightofthepeopleto
keepandbearArms,shallnotbeinfringed."
Discussasagroup:
Whichofthefollowingdoyouthinkthe2ndamendmentwasintendedtoprotect?
_____1.Therighttopossessanatomicbomb
_____2.Therighttopossessahandgun
_____3.Therighttopossessabowanarrow
_____4.Therighttocarryaguninpublic
_____5.Therighttoown10guns
_____6.Therighttopossessanassaultgunthatcanfireupto1,000roundsperminute
_____7.Therighttocarryaconcealedweaponatahighschoolfootballgame
Whichofthefollowingrestrictionsdoyouthinkwouldbeviolationsthe2ndamendment?
_____1.Havingacriminalbackgroundcheckbeforebeingabletopurchaseagun
_____2.Acitywithahighcrimeratethatpassesalawbanningitscitizensfromowning
handguns.
_____3.Takingawaytherightofconvictedfelonstoownguns
_____4.Puttingagelimitsongunownership
_____5.Banning“copkiller”bullets
Howhavethedifferentbranchesofgovernmentchangedthemeaningofthe2ndamendment?
Researcheachofthefollowactionsandexplainhowtheyhavecontributedtotheinterpretationof
the2ndamendment’smeaning.
JudicialBranch:
1.SupremeCourtdecisionD.C.vHeller
2.RecentAppealsCourtdecision:Linkisalsoongoogleclassrooms
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/federalcourtupholdstoughguncontrollawsn
yconnarticle1.2402964
LegislativeBranch:
BradyHandgunViolencePreventionAct
ExecutiveBranch:
Obamaexecutiveordersonguncontrol:linkisalsoongoogleclassrooms
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/november_exec_actions_progress_report_final
.pdf