Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Liz Kelly
American Government
Grade 12
Civil Liberties Unit
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Unit Overview
This civil liberties unit fits into a twelfth grade American Government curriculum. The unit will
cover seven 90-Minute class blocks. Throughout this unit, students will gain an understanding of
the Bill of Rights, due process, and the relationship between individual liberties and public
interest. Students will gain an understanding of how history influences our civil liberties today
by investigating the Bill of Rights and some landmark court cases. The unit also works to build
students’ skills in using contemporary and historical sources to support a position both in writing
and orally. Throughout the year, students have been working to familiarize themselves with
American politics in a variety of ways. Recently, the course has focused on digital literacy;
navigating the web to find, understand, and analyze information about the American
government. Students will continue working on that skill during this unit. This unit will also
include some writing and discussion activities; students will participate in a SAC lesson and a
Socratic seminar. The larger theme of the unit is citizenship education.
After investigating the three branches of government and their powers throughout the beginning
of the year, this unit will allow students to shift the focus to the American people and their
liberties. Students will gain a basic understanding of civil rights in this unit as they distinguish
between rights and liberties, helping to ease the transition into the next unit for the course: civil
rights.
Rationale
Civil liberties are an important concept in any social studies class, and hold particular
significance in government classes. This topic connects to the world beyond the classroom in
that the students are seniors who are at or approaching voting age. The unit will help students to
learn and make decisions about the importance of civil liberties in their own lives as voting
citizens in America. Civil liberties are also important for students entering adulthood to know
and understand so that they are aware of their rights. Understanding the relationship between
individual liberties and public interest will also help students function as active and informed
citizens in the United States.
Goals and Essential Questions
Goals
1. Students will be able to engage in political discussions.
2. Students will be able to understand the significance that civil liberties play in American
society.
Essential Questions
1) What are your rights at US citizens? (Content I-V)
2) How are your civil liberties protected? (Content VI-VII)
3) What happens when public interest and individual liberties clash? (Content VII-VIII)
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Unit Objectives
1) Students will be able to support a position in writing and aloud using evidence from
primary sources.
2) Students will be able to describe, analyze, and evaluate the Bill of Rights.
3) Students will be able to describe and analyze due process of law.
4) Students will be able to evaluate the relationship between individual liberties and public
interest.
Standards
NCSS Standards
V Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
VI Power, Authority, and Governance
X Civic Ideals and Practices
SOL Objective
GOVT.11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of civil liberties and civil rights by
a) Examining the Bill of Rights, with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms,
b) Analyzing due process of law expressed in the 5th and 14th Amendments,
c) Explaining selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights,
d) Exploring the balance between individual liberties and the public interest
Outline of Content
I.
II.
III.
Introduction
A. Bill of Rights
B. Civil Liberties
C. Civil Rights
D. Alien
E. Due Process Clause
F. Process of Incorporation
Freedom of Religion
A. Establishment Clause
B. Separation of Church and State
C. Religion and Education
1. Parochial
2. New Jersey School Bus Case
3. Wallace v. Jaffree, 1985
4. Lemon v. Kurtzman
a. Lemon Test
D. Free Exercise Clause
E. Van Orden v. Perry, McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky, 2005
F. Minersville School District v. Gobitis, 1940
Freedom of Speech and Press
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
IV.
V.
VI.
A. Libel
B. Slander
C. Sedition
1. Seditious Speech
D. Prior Restraint
E. Shield Law
F. Symbolic Speech
1. United States v. O’Brien, 1968
2. Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 1969
3. Virginia v. Black, 2003
4. Picketing
G. Commercial Speech
1. Wooley v. Maynard, 1977
H. Clear and Present Danger
1. Schenk v. US, 1919
Freedom of Assembly and Petition
A. Assemble
1. Peaceable
2. Civil Disobedience
3. Skokie Trial
B. Time-Place-Manner Regulation
1. Coates v. Cincinnati, 1971
2. Content Neutral
C. Public Property
1. Gregory v. Chicago, 1969
D. Private Property
E. Right of Association
Due Process of Law
A. Due Process
1. Substantive Due Process
a. Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 1925
2. Procedural Due Process
a. Rochin v. California, 1952
B. 14th Amendment
C. Police Power
1. Search Warrant
D. Right of Privacy
1. Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965
2. Roe v. Wade, 1973
Freedom and Security of the Person
A. Slavery and Involuntary Servitude
1. 13th Amendment
2. Discrimination
3. Jones v. Mayer, 1968
B. Security of Home and Person
1. 3rd Amendment
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
VII.
VIII.
2. 4th Amendment
a. Writs of Assistance
3. Probable Cause
a. Florida v. J. L., 2000
b. Minnesota v. Carter, 1999
4. Automobiles
a. Carroll v. United States, 1925
b. California v. Acevedo, 1991
5. Exclusionary Rule
a. Mapp v. Ohio, 1961
C. Drug Testing
D. PATRIOT Act
1. Wiretapping
2. Airplane Security
Rights of the Accused
A. 5th Amendment
B. Writ of Habeas Corpus
1. Article 1, Section 9
C. Bill of Attainder
1. United States v. Brown, 1965
D. Ex Post Facto Law
E. Grand Jury
1. Ex Parte
2. Indictment
F. Double Jeopardy
G. Speedy and Public Trial
1. Barker v. Wingo, 1972
H. Trial by Jury
1. Bench Trial
I. Right to Defense
1. Gideon v. Wainwright, 1963
J. Self-Incrimination
1. Miranda Rule
Punishment
A. Bail
1. Stack v. Boyle, 1951
B. Preventive Detention
C. Cruel and Unusual Punishment
1. 8th Amendment
2. Lockyer v. Andrade, 2003
D. Capital Punishment
1. Furman v. Georgia, 1972
E. Treason
1. Article III, Section 3
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Assessment and Evaluations
Formative
Class Participation: students are engaged and attentive in class to receive full credit
Classwork: students complete class work to the best of their abilities and turn it in
Bellringer: students answer short review question(s) completely and thoughtfully at the
beginning of class on Days 1-6
Homework: students complete homework assignments including study guides
Summative
Seditious Speech Discussion
Objective(s) 1, 2
Content III C
Writing Prompt
Objective(s) 1, 2
Content III F
Gideon Socratic Seminar
Objective(s) 1, 4
Content VII I
Rights vs. Privileges True/False Worksheet (25 Questions)
Objective(s) 2-4
Content I-VIII
Two Vocabulary Quizzes with matching and multiple-choice (20 Questions Each)
Quiz 1: Objective(s) 2
Content I-IV
Quiz 2: Objectives(s) 3-4
Content V-VIII
Unit Test with matching (15 Questions), multiple choice (30 Questions), and short answer (2 of 4
Questions)
Objective(s) 1-4
Content I-VIII
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Table of Specifications for Unit Test
CONTENT
Knowledge
COGNITIVE LEVEL
Comprehension Application Analysis
Synthesis
M
Primary
Sources
Bill of Rights
Due Process
of Law
Evaluation
Support
H
H
L
Describe
Analyze
Evaluate
H
M
Describe
Analyze
M
H
Individual
Explain
Evaluate
Liberties and
Public
Interest
Scale of Instructional Emphasis: L= Low Emphasis, M= Moderate Emphasis, H= High
Emphasis
Writing Prompt
Answer the following questions in a well-constructed essay:
Explain the details and significance of the following court cases: United States v. O’ Brien,
1968, Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 1969, Virginia v. Black, 2003. What do these cases
have in common? How are they different? Explain your reasoning and use evidence to support
your answer.
Rubric
Organization
Introduction
5 pts
Distinct and Focused Content Paragraphs 10 pts
Conclusion
5 pts
________ 20 pts
Concepts and Content
Explain Significance
Explain Similarities
Explain Differences
Mention Symbolic Speech
Mention No Blanket Ruling
________ 50 pts
20 pts
10 pts
10 pts
5 pts
5 pts
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Use of Evidence
Cites At Least Three Documents
Evidence is Relevant
Documents Properly Cited
________ 20 pts
5 pts
10 pts
5 pts
Conventions
Less Than Three Spelling Mistakes
Grammar and Usage are Correct
________ 10 pts
5 pts
5 pts
TOTAL: ________ / 100 pts
Materials and Resources
Computer with Internet Access
Projector
Computer Lab
White Board (Markers, Eraser)
Images for Notes
Primary Sources
Handouts/Graphic Organizers
Bellringer Sheets
Notebook Assignment Sheets
School Resource Officer
Unit Calendar
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Topic:
Introduction,
Freedom of
Religion
Topic:
Freedom of
Speech and
Press
Topic:
Freedom of
Assembly
and Petition
Topic: Due
Process of
Law; Start
Freedom and
Security of
the Person
Topic:
Finish
Rights of the
Accused and
Punishment
Topic:
Review and
Unit Test
Objectives:
2
Objectives:
1, 2
Objectives:
2
Objectives:
3, 4
Topic:
Finish
Freedom and
Security of
the Person;
Start Rights
of the
Accused
Objectives:
4
Objectives:
1, 4
Objectives:
1-4
Activities:
Rights vs.
Privileges
PreAssessment;
Activities:
Class Notes;
Symbolic
Speech
Activity;
Activities:
Class Notes;
SAC Lesson
Activities:
Class Notes;
Procedural
vs.
Substantive
Activities:
Class Notes;
Jigsaw
Lesson in
Computer
Activities:
Class Notes;
Gideon
Socratic
Seminar;
Activities:
Review
Game; Unit
Test
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Concept
Formation
Lesson
Writing
Prompt;
Socratic
Seminar
Assessment: Assessment:
Formative
Formative
Bellringer,
Bellringer,
Participation, Participation,
Classwork,
Classwork;
Rights vs.
Summative
Privileges
Writing
PrePrompt;
Assessment
Summative
Seditious
Speech
Socratic
Seminar
Activity;
School
Resource
Officer Q&A
Assessment: Assessment:
Formative
Formative
Bellringer,
Bellringer,
Participation, Participation,
Classwork;
Classwork
Summative
Vocabulary
Quiz 1
Lab with
streetlaw.org
Rights vs.
Privileges
Assessment
Assessment:
Formative
Bellringer,
Participation,
Classwork;
Summative
Vocabulary
Quiz 2
Assessment: Assessment:
Formative
Summative
Bellringer,
Unit Test
Participation,
Classwork;
Summative
Gideon MinSocratic
Seminar;
Rights vs.
Privileges
True/False
Worksheet
Daily Lesson Plans
*Students complete bellringer assignments during the first ten minutes of each class period.
Students work individually to answer the bellringer questions and write their answers on their
bellringer sheets, kept in their notebooks. After students complete the bellringer each day, we
will discuss the answers as a class. At the end of the unit, I will collect students’ notebooks and
review their individual answers.
Day 1
Topic(s): Introduction, Freedom of Religion
Essential Question(s): 1
Objective(s): 2
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11a, c
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class. What is your favorite individual liberty and why?
Rights vs. Privileges Pre-Assessment- Students individually complete a true/false pre-assessment
worksheet to help inform my instruction throughout the unit; this will also provide students with
an understanding of what they already know, and which unit topics they need to pay particular
attention. Students will see this pre-assessment sheet again at the end of the unit (Day 6), as a
quick summative assessment so that both the students and the teacher can see students’ progress.
Essential Questions- I will introduce the three essential questions for the unit and explain their
function as focal points for the unit. I will explain how we will address each of the essential
questions throughout the unit, and how one of these questions will appear on students’ unit test
as an essay prompt.
Concept Formation Lesson- what are civil liberties? This lesson will particularly focus on
distinguishing between civil liberties and civil rights.
Vocabulary Terms- Distribute first set of vocabulary terms for students to define in order to
prepare for the first vocabulary quiz on Day 3.
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Day 2
Topic(s): Freedom of Speech and Press
Essential Question(s): 1
Objective(s): 1, 2
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11a,c
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class.
Class Notes- introductory lecture for ten to fifteen minutes about the freedom of speech and
press.
Seditious Speech Socratic Seminar- students investigate and evaluate text explaining Schenck v.
United States, 1919. After reading the text, students will take about five minutes to complete a
quick entrance ticket for the discussion. Students will participate in a fifteen-minute Socratic
seminar about Schenck v. United States, 1919.
Model Reading- Students learn strategies for annotating texts and using annotations to construct
an outline for a paper.
Writing Prompt: Students investigate and evaluate three symbolic speech cases and respond to a
prompt. Students work during class to read the texts then respond to the writing prompt.
Day 3
Topic(s): Freedom of Assembly and Petition
Essential Question(s): 1
Objective(s): 2
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11a,c
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class.
First Vocabulary Quiz- students are tested on their knowledge and understanding of the first set
of vocabulary terms.
Class Notes- introductory lecture for fifteen minutes about the freedom of assembly and petition.
Structured Academic Controversy (SAC lesson) - students learn proper discussion skills for a
SAC lesson. Students work in groups of four to answer the question “was the ruling of De Jonge
v. Oregon successful” using primary and secondary sources. Students investigate how the court
used due process to ensure that states secured the First Amendment right to assemble.
Vocabulary Terms- Distribute second set of vocabulary terms for students to define in order to
prepare for the second vocabulary quiz on Day 5.
Day 4
Topic(s): Due Process of Law, Freedom and Security of the Person
Essential Question(s): 1, 2
Objective(s): 3, 4
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11b,d
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class.
Class Notes- introductory lecture for twenty minutes about due process and freedom and security
of the person.
Procedural vs. Substantive Activity- students will work in pairs for ten minutes to complete an
activity that assesses their ability to distinguish between procedural and substantive due process.
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
School Resource Officer Q&A- The school resource officer will talk to the class for one hour
about their rights in relation to their interactions with police officers, and answer questions posed
by the students.
Day 5
Topic(s): Freedom and Security of the Person, Rights of the Accused
Essential Question(s): 2, 3
Objective(s): 4
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11d
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class.
Second Vocabulary Quiz- students are tested on their knowledge and understanding of the
second set of vocabulary terms.
Class Notes- finish notes for ten minutes about the freedom and security of the person
Class Notes- introductory lecture for ten minutes about the rights of the accused.
Jigsaw Lesson in Computer Lab- students will work in small groups of three or four to
investigate an assigned court case. Students will use the streetlaw.org website to find information
about their assigned court case, the final decision, and its significance
(http://www.streetlaw.org/en/landmark/cases). Students will share their findings with the class.
Study Guide- Distribute study guide for unit test; the study guide is due on Day 7. This study
guide will include four essay prompts, one of which students will complete on the unit test; these
essay prompts will directly address the essential questions for the unit.
Day 6
Topic(s): Rights of the Accused, Punishment
Essential Question(s): 3
Objective(s): 1, 4
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11d
Activities: Bellringer- Students individually answer a review question for the first 10 minutes of
class.
Class Notes- finish notes about the rights of the accused.
Socratic Seminar- students will read and annotate a primary text written by Clarence E. Gideon
and answer questions on a short entrance ticket. Students will evaluate the text in a quick,
fifteen-minute Socratic seminar.
Class Notes- introductory lecture for fifteen minutes about punishment.
Rights vs. Privileges- Students individually complete a quick true/false summative assessment
(the same pre-assessment from Day 1), at the end of class. This will help both the students and
the teacher to see students’ progress; we will go over the worksheet after all students are
finished, and they will be able to take it home to use as a study guide to prepare for the test.
Day 7
Topic(s): Review and Unit Test
Essential Question(s): 1-3
Objective(s): 1-4
Standards: NCSS V, VI, X; SOL 11a-d
Liz Kelly: Civil Liberties Unit Plan
Activities: Review Game- students work in pairs to answer review questions for the first 30
minutes of class. Each pair uses a dry-erase board on which to write their answers. Pairs earn one
point for each correct answer; the pair with the most points at the end of the review receives five
points of extra credit on their unit test grade.
Turn in Notebook- Students turn in their notebooks for class. Throughout the unit, students
number and keep all of the worksheets and study guides completed in class or at home. I will
check students’ notebooks to make sure all of their assignments are complete, and I will read
their bellringer answers.
Unit Test- students work for one hour to complete their unit test. Students will complete an essay
portion of the unit test that will directly address the essential questions (i.e.: Identify and describe
three liberties granted to all US citizens. Why are these liberties important? How are they
protected?)
Differentiation
I will differentiate within this unit to meet the needs of my students. I will challenge some
students by giving them the opportunity to work individually on various assignments, while still
offering support for other students by giving them the opportunity to work in pairs and small
groups during class. Students will also work together as a whole class in various points
throughout the unit after students individually construct their understandings of a theme or
concept. Students will investigate court cases that cover a variety of perspectives, allowing them
to make connections with their own perspective while learning about perspectives of others. I
will use a variety of instructional techniques to differentiate lessons in this unit, too; students will
work individually, in pairs, small groups, and as an entire class to understand and evaluate their
civil liberties. Students will interact with a variety of forms of information throughout this lesson
including primary and secondary texts, letters, short films, and digital sources. Students will use
multiple levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy throughout this unit in various formative and summative
assessments.
Accommodations
I will adapt the lessons to meet the needs of students in the American Government classes with
IEPs, 504 plans, or other specified needs. Since the IEPs for the students that I will teach are
concerned with reading deficiency, I will make sure to include concise language in my
assignments and to limit the length of the excerpts from documents that we read in class. Some
students exit the classroom with a Special Education teacher to complete tests and quizzes in one
of the American Government classes; the Special Education teacher reads the tests and quizzes to
these students who struggle with reading. Some accommodations that I could provide for these
students throughout the unit include allowing them to read assigned texts ahead of time,
incorporating visual and audio effects, allowing for front of class seating, and allowing for
extended time to complete tests, quizzes, and reading assignments. Since the Special Education
teacher will be in the room, I know someone will be available to read assignments aloud if
necessary. I will collaborate with the Special Education teacher throughout the unit to discuss
effective instructional strategies.