Project # 15

Civil Rights Supreme Court Cases that Shaped America

Grade:
11-12

Overview

Students will use the Internet to research Civil Rights Court Cases and Amendments. Students will be put into groups and assigned a Civil Rights Court Case and work together to gather information from books, websites, and newspaper articles. Students will make a video reenacting events related to their court case. Students will also make a PowerPoint presentation using Google docs covering the main points of the court case and the outcome. After videos and PowerPoint presentation are finished the groups will present both to the class. Students will then upload both PowerPoint presentations and videos into their personal blog page.

Entry Event

The teacher will show a PowerPoint presentation on a Civil Rights Court Case that was not assigned to a group. The Presentation should also be an example of what the students Presentations should look like.

Duration

This project should take no longer than 5 days (keep in mind this project is for high school students)

Content Standards

SS(12)United States Government

2. Analyze purposes, organization, functions, and principles of the constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

SS(12)United States Government

3. Explain how the federal system of the United States divides power between national and state governments, including areas of taxation, revenue distribution, federal grants, distribution of entitlements, regulation of interstate commerce, and enforcement of contracts.

Local/National Standards

NSS-C.9-12.1

How does the Government established by the constitution Embody the purposes, values and principles of American Democracy?

How does power and responsibility distributed, shared, and limited in the government established by the United States Constitution?

What is the place of law in American Constitutional system?

How does the American political system provide for choice and opportunities for participation?

Materials Needed

Put students into groups
Go over rules of working in a group
Assign Supreme Court Cases to groups

Technology Resources Needed

Computers
Presentation Software
Digital Projector
Video recording device

Day 1

Introduce project by explaining the role of U.S Supreme Court to students. The teacher will then put students into assigned groups and explain rules of working in groups. Teachers will also give groups their assigned Supreme Court Case.

Day 2 and 3

Students will spend 2 days in the library using the computers and books for research and work on their PowerPoint presentation

Day 4 and 5

Students will present their PowerPoint and videos to the class. Students will upload both PowerPoint and video to their blog (each group should not take more than 5 minutes for their presentation)

Reenactments and videos should be done by groups outside of class for homework

21st Century Competencies

Collaboration
Communication
Critical thinking
Creativity and Innovation

Formative Assessment

Blog post
Rough Drafts
Notes
Check list

Summative Assessment

Oral Presentation, with rubric
written Products, with rubric
Performance
Peer Evaluation

Reflection Methods

Blog Post
whole-class Discussion