Full Lesson

1. Greet students upon entry into the classroom and welcome them to social studies. 
2. Tell students that today we will be examining the First Amendment.
3. Begin the Freedom of Expression slide deck and display slide 2.
4. Read the First Amendment to the class.
5. Ask students to make a list about what they already know about the First Amendment using a brainstorming tool. Answers could be collected via Jamboard, Pear Deck, handwritten sticky notes, mind mapping, or another brainstorming tool.
6. Allow time to share several responses.
7. Ask for volunteers to help rephrase the amendment. Share slide 3 (“In Other Words”) to support the paraphrasing attempt.

• Print copies of the First Amendment for students to read and/or annotate as needed.
• Desks arranged in tables/clusters is recommended to better facilitate student collaboration.
• Allow sufficient wait time for students to formulate an opinion.
• Consider allowing students think-pair-share time to formulate answers.

• First Amendment could be translated or provided as audio files, as needed.

1. Tell students that today we will be focusing on freedom of expression, which includes the ideas of free speech and a free press as outlined in the First Amendment.
2. Continue with  the Freedom of Expression slide deck and display our compelling question on slide 4 (“Have our First Amendment rights changed over time?”)
3. Continue to display slide 5 (Freedom of Expression).
4. Tell students that as they watch Freedom of Expression, they should listen for two of our vocabulary words—censorship and defamation.
5. After watching the video and reviewing the vocabulary words, give a brief explanation of limited speech and protected speech.
6. Have students work in groups to follow-up the video by answering the following questions:
• Why might something be censored? What types of materials might be censored?
• Are we allowed to criticize public officials? Should this type of speech be censored?
• Why do you think the First Amendment protects freedom for unpopular opinions?

• Break down the compelling question as needed, including any vocabulary or concepts unfamiliar to them.
• Ask a student to rephrase the compelling question.
• Prompt students to provide synonyms or draw sketches to illustrate the definitions as an alternative option.
• Utilize closed captioning when viewing videos or access the Show Transcript feature (when viewing through YouTube platform), if needed. 
• Replay video or allow students to view on their own devices, if needed.

• Explore subtitle options to change language when viewing video through YouTube.
• Group discussion questions could be translated or provided as audio files, as needed.

1. Lead a brief class discussion by asking the following questions:
• What does it mean to express yourself?
• What methods do we use to express ourselves?
• Are there other ways to express ourselves without using our words? 
• Why do you think the Framers included an amendment to spell out our freedoms of speech and press?
2. Take a class poll on one of more of the following questions:
• Does freedom of speech mean you can say anything you want?
• Should there be limits on what people are allowed to say?
• Are students entitled to freedom of speech protections?

• Provide appropriate wait time to allow students to formulate answers.
• Class poll could be taken with simple thumbs up/thumbs down or secret paper ballot.

• Class discussion questions could be translated or provided as audio files, as needed.

1. Tell students they will now investigate several freedom of expression cases by analyzing Supreme Court decisions.
2. Provide students access to the Freedom of Expression slide deck and the Freedom of Expression graphic organizer.
3. Review the Freedom of Expression graphic organizer together to ensure students understand the purpose and expectations using slide 6 (“Let’s Investigate YOUR Freedom of Expression”).
4. Display slide 7 (“Freedom of Speech”) to review the meaning of freedom of speech.
5. Using your routine strategy for setting up groups, establish collaborative teams of ideally three students each, allowing each student to be an "expert" for their respective case.
6. Allow students time to investigate their respective case exhibits on freedom of speech (slides 8-13: Exhibits A, B, and C) and share information with their group.
7. Circulate the room to check in on the progress of each group and provide guidance and redirect, as needed.
8. Display slide 14 (“Freedom of the Press”) to review the meaning of freedom of the press.
9. Allow students time to investigate their respective case exhibits on freedom of speech (slides 15-20: Exhibits D, E, and F) and share information with their group.
10. Circulate the room to check in on the progress of each group and provide guidance and redirect, as needed.
11. Return to full-class format to discuss the organizer. Consider asking one or more the following discussion questions:
• Which speech case outcome was most surprising to you? Why?
• Which press case outcome was most surprising to you? Why?
• Can you think of other examples where speech or the press have been limited or protected?

• Teacher may wish to model how to investigate and analyze Exhibit A and expectations for how to complete the organizer.
• Consider allowing students to utilize a speech-to-type feature to record their answers on the graphic organizer.
• Utilize a text-reader function, when needed.

• Supreme Court case exhibit slides could be translated or provided as audio files, as needed.

Extension

• Students can investigate other freedom of expression cases including:
  • Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
  • Texas v. Johnson

1. Congratulate the young scholars on taking on today’s investigation.
2. Return to our compelling question: Have our First Amendment rights changed over time?
3. To answer the compelling question, students will record an audio or video response to discuss how our freedom of speech and/or our freedom of the press has evolved. Be sure to discuss how freedoms have been protected and/or limited over time.
4. Consider utilizing the Inquiry Reflection Tool as a means of student self-reflection. 

• Alternatively, students could submit a written or illustrated response for the summative assessment.
• Consider allowing students to utilize a speech-to-type feature to record their answers, if needed.

Extension