First Amendment

The First Amendment

Many people think that below are the 45 most important words in the United States.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Find out about the First Amendment and what makes it such an important part of our county's past, present, and future.

Students Teachers

Students

Grolier Encyclopedia: Bill of Rights
Read an encyclopedia about the development of the Bill of Rights.

First Amendment and School Publications
This article discuss how teachers and administrators can make sure that student journalists understand their legal obligations and rights under the First Amendment.

First Amendment Online
From the University of Minnesota Law School, you'll find a resource center with primary sources, polling data, news and more, all related to First Amendment rights.

Copley First Amendment Center
This site includes a history of the First Amendment and information on each of the five freedoms.

ACLU: Student Rights
The American Civil Liberties Union provides a number of resources to help students understand their rights at school.

Teachers

A Lesson in Literary Censorship
This lesson includes tasks for students (which include reading a banned book), resources, and evaluation tips.

A Case for Reading: Examining Banned Books
Use this lesson by the International Reading Association to help students understand how challenges to books occur.

The First (and Last Word): Applying the First Amendment to Internet Issues
Students discuss Internet content control and how it relates to child safety, privacy issues, spam, and filtering in the context of First Amendment rights.

Future of the First Amendment
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation funded a research project to examine the knowledge and attitudes of high school students, teachers, and administrators about First Amendment issues. The result is this Web site that discusses the study's findings. Read about the key points, watch videos of students and teachers discussing the issues, and find many resources.

HighSchoolJournalism.org: Introduction to First Amendment
Use this detailed lesson plan for high school journalism and civics classes for a thorough grounding in First Amendment rights.

NCTE Guideline: The Student's Right to Read
Find out how the National Council of Teachers of English responds to banned books.

First Amendment Schools
This site is a collaboration between the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and the First Amendment Center. It's part of a national initiative designed to transform how schools teach and practice the rights and responsibilities of citizenship that frame civic life in our democracy. Find resources, quizzes, and a comprehensive discussion of the five rights outlined in the First Amendment.