Name That Right!

Mailbox Magazine Dec/Jan 2001-2002

Use this game to help students focus on the ways citizens exercise their rights every day. Divide the class into groups. Give each group three 4” paper squares: one red, one white, and one blue. Write the following code on the board: red — freedom of speech, blue — freedom of religion, white — freedom of assembly. Have each group discuss these right, then have it write on each card two situations during which a citizen would exercise that right (for example, a group might list “moving to a new town and deciding which church to attend” on the blue card). Give each group a folder in which to store its completed cards. They play the following guessing game:

1. In turn, have one student from Group A read aloud a situation from one of his group’s cards. Keeping the card hidden in the folder.
   
   
2. Challenge Group B to identify the right that matches the situation.
   
   
3. Have Group A display the card that was read. If the guess is correct, award a red chip, plastic checker, or paper marker to Group B.
   
   
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 with Group B reading a situation to Group C. Continue until all situations on the cards have been read and discussed. Then declare the team with the most chips the winner.

Other possible situations:

               holding a march to protest a new law

               attending a meeting on a proposed park

               worshipping at a local synagogue

               an environmentalist giving a speech on air pollution

               a politician giving a campaign speech

Courtesy of the Warren County Historical Society