Internet and Literature Resources for Educators

Other Resources

The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
http://www.pluralism.org/

Religion and Public Education Resource Center
http://www.csuchico.edu/rs/rperc/

Religion and Ethics Newsweekly
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/index.html

Religion in the Public Schools: Anti-Defamation League
http://www.adl.org/religion_ps_2004/default.asp

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
http://pewforum.org/about/

Teaching About Religion
http://www.teachingaboutreligion.org/

Bill of Rights Institute
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/

Constitutional Rights Foundation
www.crf-usa.org/

Center for Civic Education
http://www.civiced.org/

The Religious Freedom Page
http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu

U.S. Department of Justice - First Freedoms Project
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/religdisc/firstfreedom.html

First Freedom Center
http://www.firstfreedom.org/

National School Boards Association – School Law Issues
http://www.nsba.org/MainMenu/SchoolLaw/Issues.aspx

Curriculum Materials on the Constitution and Bill of Rights

First Freedom Center - High-School Lesson Plans
http://www.firstfreedom.org/education/teachers.html

The Constitution for Kids
http://www.usconstitution.net/constkidsK.html

Education for Freedom: Lesson Plans for Teaching the First Amendment
http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=13588

Exploring Constitutional Law
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/home.html

Why the Bill of Rights - What Impact Does It Have?
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/pdf/borday/brrl_u1_l2.pdf

The First Amendment: What's Fair in a Free Country
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=339Bill of Rights: A Reading Comprehension Lesson
http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/billofrights.asp

Picture Books and the Bill of Rights
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/ForEducators/LessonPlans/BillofRights/5489.shtml

Bill of Rights Day
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/Byrnes-celebrations/billrigh.html

What Responsibilities Accompany Our Rights?
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=Lesson_21_What_Responsibilities_Accompany_Our_Rights_Student_Book

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/teach/freeResources/
Lessons/?action=showDetails&id=128&ref=showCatD&catId=8

An Approach to Teaching Religious Tolerance
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/lessons/search/?k=Religion

Religious Convictions: Exploring Current Debates Involving the Separation of Church and State
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020204monday.html

Justice Learning: Civic Education in the Real World
http://www.justicelearning.org/home.asp

Separating of Church and State
http://www.crf-usa.org/bria/bria134.html

Tolerating Diversity: Exploring the Shaping of Tolerance and Intolerance
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021230monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

In Whom Do We Trust? An Examination of the Separation of Church and State
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000501monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash: Examining the Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Government
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010205monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Religious Convictions: Exploring Current Debates Involving the Separation of Church and State
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020204monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Literature for Elementary Students

Below is a selection of nonfiction children’s books to teach about the Constitution and Bill of Rights to elementary students. The numbers in brackets are recommended grade levels. The Education for Freedom site [above] recommends using children's biographies of key people who exemplified freedoms in the Bill of Rights. The Picture Books and the Bill of Rights site [above] gives examples of children's books that could be used to teach civics lessons about rights.

Allen, Kathy. U.S. Constitution. Capstone Press, 2008. (K-1)
Coleman, Warren. The Bill of Rights (New True). Children’s Press, 1987. (K-2)
Hamilton, John. The Bill Of Rights (Government in Action!). Checkerboard Books, 2004. (3-6)
Hamilton, John. The Constitution (Government in Action!). Checkerboard Books, 2004. (3-6)
King, David C. Freedom of Assembly (Land of the Free). Millbrook Press, 1997. (3-6)
King, David C. The Right To Speak Out (Land of the Free). Millbrook Press, 1997. (3-6)
Krull, Kathleen. A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights: Curfews, Censorship, and the 100-Pound Giant. HarperCollins, 1999. (4-5)
Peterson, Christine. The U.S. Constitution (First Fact Books), 2006. (K-1)
Pearl, Norman. The Bill of Rights (American Symbols). Picture Window Books, 2002. (K-2)
Pearl, Norman. The U.S. Constitution (American Symbols). Picture Window Books, 2004. (K-2)
Sobel, Syl. The Bill of Rights: Protecting Our Freedom Then and Now. Barron's Educational Series, 2008. (2-5)
Sobel, Syl. The U.S. Constitution and You. Barron's Educational Series, 2001. (2-5)
Teitelbaum, Michael. The U.S. Constitution (Our Government and Citizenship). Child’s World, 2004. (2-3)
Travis, Cathy. Constitution Translated for Kids. Synergy Books, 2006 (5-8)