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The Amendments through Case StudiesGrade Level: 11-12Subject: Constitutional LawPrepared by: Aaron DoreOverview and Purpose:Students will explore the application of various Constitutional Amendments to everyday life

by analyzing Supreme Court cases, and reporting on their findings. This lesson will becompleted after a thorough discussion of some Constitutional Amendments.

Educational Standards (These are the Michigan High School Content Expectations forCivics) C5.3.6 - Describe the rights protected by the First Amendment, and using case

studies and examples, explore the limit and scope of First Amendment rights.

C5.3.7 - Using the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Amendments, describe

the rights of the accused; and using case studies and examples, explore the limit and

scope of these rights. C5.3.8 - Explain and give examples, using case studies, of the role of the Fourteenth

Amendment in extending the protection of individual rights against state action.

Objectives:Specify skills/information that will be learned

TLW summarize a Supreme Court case based on specific amendments to the United

States Constitution

TLW organize information to be used in a presentation regarding how a specific case

refers to one of the United States Constitutional amendments.

TLW collaborate with other members in the class to review a case, organize

information, and create a presentation for the entire class.

TLW produce, with other classmates, a voice thread presentation to disseminateinformation regarding the case to the class.

Materials Needed:

iPads, iTouch, iPhone, or other smartphone

Computers with Internet access

Other Resources:(websites, videos, books, etc.)

The following apps for iPad, iPhone, iTouch or most smartphones: Pocket Justice,

Voice Thread, and MindJet

The website voice thread located at http://voicethread.com

Information:Give and/or demonstration necessary information

1. Students will be broken up into groups, and given a Supreme Court case to review

and analyze, utilizing the following amendments: 1st, 4th-8th and the 14th.

2. Groups will utilize the mobile app pocket justice to search for and review their given

case.

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3. While reviewing the selected case, groups will use the mobile app MindJet to organize

their thoughts in a logical format. MindJet is an app that allows students to organize

and share brainstorms with other group members.

4. Groups will then use voice thread to present their cases and findings.

5. Voice thread presentations will be shared with the entire class.

Verification:Steps to check for student understanding

1. Answer questions to consider when reviewing cases.

2. Submit MindJet information to the teacher.

3. Students will share their voicethreads with the entire class.

Activity:

Describe activity that will reinforce the lesson

After teacher led discussion regarding the listed amendments, students will use court casesto see how those amendments have been applied in various situations.

Teacher will need to introduce the technology to be used, and provide handouts with basic

information and instructions for students on how to use the technology.

Once placed into groups, students will need to locate their case using the mobile apppocket justice which will give students an overview of the case, actual arguments, and

how each justice voted with brief biographies on each.

While reviewing the case students will be given the following questions to consider:1. What is the name of the case, the year it occurred?

2. What are the facts of the case - Why was it brought before the court?3. What is the Constitutional Issue that was raised?

4. How did the court answer the Constitutional Issue?

5. What was the courts rationale?6. What, if any, justices concurred and why?

7. What justices were in the dissent and why?8. How did this case impact our lives today?

Students will take the information and put it into a MindJet mind map to organize thoughtsto prepare for a group presentation.

Once students have gathered information they will begin to put that information into a

presentation using voice thread to collaborate with all group members. This will allow foroutside work on the project. After the presentations are complete they will be shared with

the entire class.