What does it mean to me?

I've been reading a great deal about new learning environments and mulling over the possibilities of different methods and perhaps even different modes of educational thought.

I'm wondering, at the moment, about how I can convince my students that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, in general, is worthwhile for them to study. Yeah, the spill about being an educated citizen and protecting freedom is fun to say, but what impact does that really have on average students--or any students?

What does it mean to me, anyway? I cherish the freedom that I have in this country, and I know that by and large those freedoms are protected by the ideas in the Constitution. But these ideas are so abstract. I could talk to the students about wearing an armband to class, and allow them to see that they do have some rights. But, they really aren't that interested in protest. I could discuss with them the limits of the freedom of the press, but they aren't publishing much on their own; so they're not that concerned with libel and slander. I could talk with them about the establishment and free exercise clauses, but religious freedom's not really on the top of the list these days... cynical, I know.

Unfortunately, maybe the 2nd and 4th amendments will draw some interest. Maybe guns and searches and seizures are more of a reality to many of the students than free speech and petition of government. We could talk about the 10th amendment, but even the Feds ignore that one these days.

I suppose I've gone on a bit more of a rant than I first intended. The ultimate goal is to determine how to intrigue the students. I really want them to want to learn about their government. I want them to want to know about their rights; not just for a test. Woe is me. Back to the whiny teacher mantra....