AP/Honors US Government and Politics
Lakewood High School
2013
We the Students: Supreme Court Cases for and about Students
Learning Objectives
 Students will learn how United States Supreme Court cases have been applied directly to high school students.
 Students will hone their oral communication skills through presentation of case briefs, discussion of the cases and discussion
of hypothetical application of the Court’s decisions.
 Students will identify the values and principles at the heart of each issue under discussion while helping clarify their own
values.
 Ultimately, students will be able to identify the tension points that exist between rights and responsibilities that help define our
democratic society.
 Students will continue building their writing skills in a five-paragraph persuasive essay. Confirm or reject the Supreme
Court’s decision in one of the cases presented during class. Defend your answer.
Activities
 Read “Points to Ponder” and discuss in small groups – Monday, 11/4/13
 Read assigned Supreme Court case(s) – Monday, 11/4/13
 In class, write a case brief for the above – Tuesday, 11/5/13
 Present the case brief to a small group, turn typed brief in to Mr. Sowards – Wednesday, 11/6/13
 Discuss the case in using the assigned exercises – Tuesday, 11/12/13
 Facilitate a large group seminar discussion using case briefs and the above exercises – see schedule below
 Write a persuasive five-paragraph essay confirming or rejecting the Supreme Court’s decision in one of the cases presented in
class – Typed, double-spaced draft due for peer review Friday, 11/22/13; Return peer review Monday 11/25/13;
Court case quiz 11/25/13, Final draft due to Mr. Sowards Wednesday, 11/27/13.
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AP/Honors US Government and Politics
Lakewood High School
2013
Steps for briefing a Supreme Court case
 State the procedure – a quick statement about how the case made it to the Supreme Court
 Name the parties – who are the plaintiff and the defendants
 State the facts – who did what to whom
 State the issue – what are the legal issues the court must decide
 State the holding – what does the court decide
 State the court’s reasoning – how does the court justify their decision
Grading
 Daily participation
 Typed Case Brief – 25 points (essay category)
 Peer Review – 5 points (participation)
 Essay – 100 points (essay)
Schedule
Group
Topic
Cases
Exercises
Mariah Avellaneda,
Hailey Duitsman,
Mikayla King,
Alondra Meza,
Joey Roberts,
Aimee White
The Heart and Soul of the
Constitution: Freedom of Expression
West Virginia State Board of
Education v Barnett (pp. 14-19);
Tinker v Des Moines
Independent Community School
District (pp. 23-27)
2.5 (p. 23), 2.5 (p. 27),
2.7 (p. 31)
Karr v Schmidt (pp. 34-35)
2.9 (p. 35)
Bethel School District No. 403 v
Fraser (pp. 37-40)
2.12 (p. 41), 2.15 (p.
43)
Good News Club v Milford
Central School (pp. 48-53)
2.21 (p. 54)
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Presentation
Date
Wednesday
11/13/13
AP/Honors US Government and Politics
Lakewood High School
2013
Spencer Baugh,
McCalla Evans,
Kaytie Klinck,
Sara Newman,
Jake Ryan,
Brandon Wooten
Larissa Block,
Baylee Gould,
Marissa Lasso,
Kendall O’Kinsella
Jasmin Sandoval
Public Schools and Religion Under
the Constitution
The Fourth Amendment: Searches of
Students and Their Belongings
Engel v Vitale (pp. 73-76)
4.2 (p. 76)
Lee v Weisman (pp. 78-86);
Sante Fe v Doe (pp. 87-92)
4.3 (p. 92)
Zelman v Simmons (pp. 97-101)
4.5 (p. 101)
Stone v Graham (pp. 102-103)
4.6 (p. 103)
Newdow v U.S. Congress (pp.
108-110)
New Jersey v T. L. O. (pp. 123128)
Board of Education of
Independent School District No.
92 of Pattawatomie County v
Earls (pp. 131-140)
5.3 (p. 140)
City of Chicago v Morales (pp.
141-144)
5.5 and 5.7 (p. 144)
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5.1 (p. 128)
Thursday
11/14/13
Monday
11/18/13
AP/Honors US Government and Politics
Lakewood High School
2013
Michaela Boyd,
Tyler Hill,
Jacob Mack,
Mackenzie Palafox,
Alisa Smith,
Equal Protection: Drawing Lines by
Race, Wealth, Gender, Citizenship,
and Sexual Orientation
Brown v Board of Education of
Topeka (pp. 163-166)
Harassment in the Halls: Sexual
Harassment and Bullying at School
7.6 (p. 179)
Boy Scouts of America v Dale
(pp. 195-200)
“For the Class” (p. 200)
Gebser v Lago Vista Independent 8.1 (p. 206)
School District (pp. 204-206)
Davis v. Monroe County Board
of Education (pp. 207-214)
8.2 (p. 214), “For the
Class” A, B, C (pp.
214-215)
“For the Class” (pp.
216-218)
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Tuesday
11/19/13
Cooper v Aaron (pp. 168-170);
Griffin v County School Board of
Prince Edward County (pp. 170- 7.3 (p. 172)
171)
Gratz v Bollinger (pp. 176-179)
Brady Camp,
Deven Jackson,
Sierra McFadden,
Ken Pineda,
Connor Smith
7.2 (p. 166)
Wednesday
11/20/13
AP/Honors US Government and Politics
Lakewood High School
2013
Ellen Dowell,
Eljay Johnson,
Cassie McGee,
Kim Pitts,
Jacob VanWinkle
All the News Fit to Print at School:
Freedom of the Student Press
Hazelwood School District v
Kuhlmeier (pp. 57-63)
3.1, 3.3 (p. 63)
Squelching Debate: A Different
Sort of Blair Witch-Hunt (pp.
64-66)
For the Class (p. 66)
Killion v Franklin Regional
School District (pp. 67-70
3.5 (p. 70)
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Thursday
11/21/13