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Supreme Court Case Story Time
Mr. Moreno, American Government
Directions. We are going to have story time! You will create an old school paper
storybook* to teach your peers about one HISTORIC Supreme Court Case. To do so,
you’ll need to think of a COOL story you remember from when you were a kid, then you’ll
research your case and tell the story of that case in a storybook kind of way…Got it? “Once
upon a time”…
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
1. Choose a story you remember
2. Research Your case Online
3. Make sure you have taken down the critical information for your case (see below Details below)
4. Create a storyline using simple explanations (Make it easy for 5 year old kids to understand)
5. Draw or print illustrations to show your audience what is going on!
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For the complete decisions see the comprehensive Supreme Court site
at Cornell University - http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/
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And another site of interest should be http://www.oyez.org from
Northwestern University.
*Instructions for old school paper storybook: Get 3 pieces of white paper and
fold them in half. Staple at the top, middle, and bottom of the folded edges…and
waalaa you’ve got your story book. Use the cover page as your title page
Details, Details! Here are the details you need to make sure you get a Fabulous Grade!
FACTS OF THE CASE (2 Pages) ....................................................................................................10points
We need to know what is going on with the people involved in the case, what’s the deal, how’d they get here
STARE DECISIS (2 Pages) …………………………………………………………………………………..10points
We need to know about previous decision the SC has made that may effect this case
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION (2 Pages) ………………………………………………………………..10points
We need a clear picture of what the Constitutional Issue before the Justices is….Why is this case so important?
IMPLICATIONS (2 Pages) …………………………………………………………………………………...10points
Who cares? Why is this case so important, what are its effects?
DESIGN & DELIVERY………………………………………………………………………………………..10points
How much effort, color, organization, creativity, and coolness went into this project? How you present it?
50 pts Total
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Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Judicial Power
1. Marbury v Madison (1803)
2. Baker v. Carr (1962)
Contract Law
3. Fletcher v. Peck (1810)
4. Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)
Separation of Powers/Federalism
5. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
6. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
7. Munn v. Illinois (1877)
8. Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway Co. v. Illinois (1886)
Freedom of Speech
9. Schenck v. United States (1919)
10. Gitlow v. New York (1925)
11. Debs v. United States (1919)
12. Schecter Poultry Corp. v. The United States (1933)
13. United States v. Butler (1933)
14. Dennis v. United States (1951)
15. Yates v. United States (1957)
16. *Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
17. *Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982) - Censorship Case
18. *Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
19. Texas v. Johnson (1989)
State Rights & Students' Due Process
20. *Goss v. Lopez (1975)
Right To Privacy
21. Roe v. Wade (1973)
Executive Privilege / Separation of Powers
22. United States v. Nixon (1972)
23. Ex Parte Milligan (1866)
Labor Law
24. In Re Debs (1895)
25. Lochner v. New York (1905)
Freedom of the Press
26. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)
27. NY Times v. United States (1971)
28. *Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) - Students Rights
Search and Seizure
29. Weeks v. United States (1914)
30. Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
31. Olmstead v. United States (1928)
32. Katz v. United States (1961)
33. *New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1984)
Rights of the Accused
34. Betts v. Brady (1942)
35. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
36. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Civil Rights
37. Plessey v. Ferguson (1896)
38. Brown v. Board of Ed. Topeka Kansas (1954)
39. Korematsu v. United States (1944)
40. University of California Regents v. Bakke (1976)
Freedom of Religion
41. *Engle v. Vitale (1962)
42. *Abington v. Schempp (1963)
43. *Epperson v. Arkansas (1968)
44. *Wallace v. Jaffree (1985)
45. Other
* Denotes cases that pertain to
education, law, and students’
rights