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SCOTUS: Civil Rights

Persistent Issue:
What actions are justified in the interest of the welfare or security of the community?
Central Question:
Is the Supreme Court the best governmental institution to decide issues of civil rights?
Topic:
Supreme Court
Course:
Government
Strategy:
Talk Show
Sub-Strategy:
Sub-Strategy
Grade Level:
12
Lessons in this unit:
  1. SCOTUS: Civil Rights

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Alabama Course of Study Standards – 12th grade U.S. Government

  • Standard 4: Explain how the federal system of the United States divides powers between national and state governments.
  • Standard 13: Evaluate constitutional provisions of the judicial branch of government of the United States, including checks by the judicial branch on other branches of government, limits on judicial power, and the process by which cases are argued before the United States Supreme Court.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

1.
Classroom Video #1 – Teacher Instruction

Ms. Williams provides an introduction to the activity to students, and introduces the question that students are going to answer.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

2.
Classroom Video #2 – Developing Argument Creation

Ms. Williams spends time working with a group and uses soft scaffolding to help a group through their work.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

3.
Classroom Video #3 – Role Explanation in Round Table

Ms. Williams explains roles and provides scaffolding prepration for the round table activity.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

4.
Classroom Video #4 – Role Preparation

Ms. Williams helps small groups prepare for roles.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

5.
Classroom Video #5 – Round Table for Discussion

Ms. Williams leads the round 3 discussion. Each student group presents their compelling arguments from different perspectivees.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

6.
Classroom Video #6 – Brown Final Student Discussion

Ms. Williams starts a final discussion with the whole group. She provides soft scaffolding by prompting questions. Students freely join the final discussion.
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

7.
Classroom Video #7 – Obergefell Final Discussion

Ms. Williams moves on to Obergefell. She starts a discussion by asking a quesion of "Do you think that the Supreme Court was the right institution to decide on gay marriage?"
Lesson Video
Teacher Reflection

8.
Classroom Video #8 – Essay Instructions

Ms. Williams gives directions of the culminating activity. Students are asked to write a law journal essay.

Kristen Williams

Kristen Williams has been a social science classroom teacher for the past 10 years. She currently teaches AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, and Government/Economics 12 at Opelika High School in Opelika, Alabama. Kristen previously taught U.S. History to sophomores and juniors at Dadeville High School in Dadeville, Alabama. She holds a Master’s in Secondary Social Science Education from the University of Southern California, and a Master’s of Instructional Leadership and Administration from the University of West Alabama. In addition to teaching, Kristen has served as the Student Government Association sponsor and co-coordinator of the school’s Problem Solving Intervention Team.

During Kristen’s tenure as a teacher, she collaborated with Dr. Jada Kohlmeier and her colleague at OHS, Beverly Belcher, on two projects that involved teaching government using a Problem-Centered Inquiry approach; one on the Supreme Court and one on Presidential Executive Orders. In addition, Kristen served as a supervising teacher for numerous practicum students and several student teachers.

Opelika High School

Opelika High School has a population of approximately 1250 students in grades 9-12. It is the only high school in Opelika, Alabama. The school operates on a block schedule, with classes meeting 96-minutes every day for one semester.

This unit was taught in a regular 12th grade Government class. The students ranged in ability levels and were a diverse group based on race and socioeconomic status.