http://inaugurationday.weebly.com/index.html 

 

This is a link to my webquest regarding Presidential Inaugurations. In this unit of study, students choose an historical presidential inaugural address to read and compare it to President Obama's address of 2009 or 2013. Then they create an essay or skit with a partner to compare and contrast the two pieces. Finally, we discuss what a "good" presidential inaugural address should tell us, and what we predict the next inaugural address in 2017 will provide us.

 

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This is a unit plan I created to explore the issue of Constitutionality throughout U.S. history, specifically regarding presidential restrictions of civil rights during times of crisis. It covers the time period from the creation of the Constitution all the way to today, and the lingering issues arising from the Patriot Act of 2001.

 

 

Constitutional Challenges throughout American History

Grade Level: 10

Allotted Time: Two Weeks

Name: Maura Martinez

Last Updated: 12/15/2009


 

Rationale and Overview of Unit

 

              My overall goals for this unit are for students to identify and analyze several historical and modern constitutional challenges, focusing on wartime restrictions of civil rights, limitations on protesting against the government, and some modern free speech issues. Students will develop an awareness of their own rights, and develop and express an opinion regarding the extent to which citizens’ rights should be protected in certain situations. Students will be exposed to many different viewpoints regarding these cases, resulting in a deeper understanding of the content compared to a superficial study of whether these Constitutional challenges were simply “right or wrong.” Finally, students will develop an understanding of the Constitution as something that has an influence on their lives, and as a living, imperfect document.

The main question of the unit will be: When is a government justified in restricting, suspending or removing the civil rights of its citizens? While looking at this question, we will explore the themes of national security versus personal freedoms, and the role of dissent in a democracy. The highlighting of several major questions of constitutionality over the past two hundred twenty years allows us to give a broad overview of American history while illustrating the importance of becoming aware of our rights as citizens and using those rights to make our community a better place. Additionally, contrasting historical and modern arguments using the same essential questions shows that the struggle over civil rights is ongoing and has relevance to students’ lives.

            Given the controversial and nuanced nature of this topic, I intend to offer students many opportunities to interact and debate the issues covered in class. After the introduction of the event or example of a Constitutional argument by lecture or primary source analysis, small group discussion with guided questioning will allow students to learn from one another, discover new viewpoints, and form opinions on the topic. Primary sources, role plays and video clips will be inserted where possible to enhance learning and provide several points of view. These dramatic activities will be more memorable for students, and hopefully result in more meaningful learning.

           

Assessments

The main assessments I will use in this unit are essays and exit slips. At the end of each class, students will have to write down a question they have about the content or an aspect of the lesson they would like to investigate in more detail. This way, I will be able to track the understanding and interest level of the students and adjust the lessons as needed. At the end of most lessons, students will write a one page essay for homework giving their opinion of the example covered in class, stating the issues that were under contention, and reviewing the reasons given by opponents and proponents of the action. Students will be expected to incorporate details from the lesson to support their position.

During the second half of the unit, students will begin to perform further research on a modern Constitutional challenge of their choice. At the end of the unit they must compose a letter to their Congressional representative or to the local newspaper stating their opinion on the issue and recommending a specific course of action. Letters must include supporting details from class discussion and their research, and reflect several points of view. There will be a list of issues for students to choose from if they cannot identify one by themselves. In addition to the letter, students will give a five minute presentation to the class on their topic, why they chose it, and the action(s) they would like Congress to take on the issue.


 

Standards used over the course of the unit:

 

NCSS standards 2, 6, and 10:

 

Standard 2, Time, Continuity and Change, Performance Expectations C & D:

c) Identify and describe significant historical periods and patterns of change within and across cultures;

d) Systematically employ processes of critical historical inquiry to reconstruct and reinterpret the past, such as using a variety of sources and checking their credibility, validating and weighing evidence for claims, and searching for causality.

 

Standard 6, Power, Authority and Governance, performance expectations A & B:

a) Examine persistent issues involving the rights, roles, and status of the individual in relation to the general welfare;

b) Explain the purpose of government and analyze how its powers are acquired, used, and justified.

 

Standard 10, Civic Ideals and Practices, Performance Expectations A, B, C, F, H, I, J:

a) Explain the origins and interpret the continuing influence of key ideals of the democratic republican form of government, such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law;

b) Identify, analyze, interpret and evaluate sources and examples of citizens’ rights and responsibilities;

c) Locate, access, analyze, organize, synthesize, evaluate, and apply information about selected public issues—identifying, describing, and evaluating multiple points of view;

f) Analyze a variety of public policies and issues from the perspective of formal and informal political actors;

h) Evaluate the degree to which public policies and citizen behaviors reflect or foster the stated ideals of a democratic republican form of government;

i) Construct a policy statement and an action plan to achieve one or more goals related to an issue of public concern;

j) Participate in activities to strengthen the “common good,” based upon careful evaluation of possible options for citizen action.


 

Unit Objectives

As a result of participating in this unit of study, students will be able to:

  • Identify and analyze, through the study of primary and secondary sources, historical and recent constitutional challenges from many different perspectives

  • Develop and express an awareness of the rights afforded to them by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

  • Develop and express, orally and in writing, opinions regarding the extent to which citizens’ rights should be protected by the government in certain situations

  • Come to understand the Constitution as a living and imperfect document, through close study and discussion of the document, its history and its modern significance

  • Analyze primary sources from early American history through today, in order to gain a fuller understanding of the various perspectives involved in each case

  • “Translate” early American language into their own words

  • Write position papers, using accurate details to support their opinions and acknowledging the validity of several points of view in each case

  • Get involved in the community by writing to their congressional representative and/or writing an editorial piece for the local newspaper regarding a recent Constitutional challenge.


 

Unit Level Questions

  • Should the government ever violate the Constitution to preserve the Constitution?

  • If the federal government should have extraordinary powers during a crisis, what type of governmental system should be put in place to protect against tyranny and despotism?

  • If the government should not have any extra powers, how can it adequately provide security?

  • To what extent is it justifiable for the government to suspend the rights of citizens?

  • Under what specific conditions (ie. war/terrorist threat, natural disaster, pandemic, chemical weapon) would this be acceptable?

  • What have been some of the results of the precedents set by the government in past suspensions of civil rights?

 

Lesson Titles

  1. The Foundations of the Constitution

  2. The Ratification of the Constitution

  3. The Sedition Act of 1798

  4. Andrew Jackson and the War of 1812

  5. Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

  6. Civil Liberties during World War I

  7. Civil Liberties during World War II

  8. 9/11 and the USA Patriot Act

  9. The Art of Protest and other modern First Amendment Issues

  10. Unit Project Presentations


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Foundations of the Constitution

Date: Day 1

 

Essential Question: What aspects of democratic government found in the Constitution were influenced by earlier works? To what extent do the works of early political thinkers still have significance today?

 Standards:  2, 6, 10

Transformative teaching context: Transformative perspectives as “Add-Ons.” The critical theory of pedagogy will be used to evaluate the sources we use for this lesson. We will seek to understand the critical period of American history by employing historical thinking (in the initiation) and seeking thick description of the time period, its political thinkers, and their written works. We will also explore the relevance of this topic today, by discussing these works in a modern context.

 

Student Objectives:

  • Identify aspects of democratic government (social contract, natural rights, separation of powers, and checks and balances), in writing on a graphic organizer and verbally in class discussion, by studying primary sources that influenced the Constitution

  • Translate language from primary sources and the Constitution into their own words

  • Using a graphic organizer and verbally through class discussion, compare and contrast the Constitution and the documents that it used for inspiration

  • Through the completion of a homework assignment, develop and express an opinion regarding the modern significance of one of the works read in class

Initiation:

Students will be directed to respond to the following quote in a written paragraph:

“There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. The innovator has the enmity of all who profit by the preservation of the old system and only lukewarm defenders by those who would gain by the new system.” –Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, written in 1515

Put this quote into your own words. What does it say about the possible outcomes of uncertain times, such as the years following the Revolutionary War? Do you think this quote applies to today? Why or why not?

Learning Activities:

  • Lead a class discussion of the students’ answers to the initiation activity. How did they respond to the questions? Discuss the students’ opinions of the quote and its relevance to the Constitution and today.

  • Show the articleii.org introductory video to the unit, “War and the Constitution.” Ask students to summarize the video, and for responses or questions.

  • Distribute copies of primary documents and graphic organizer. Divide the class into groups of two or three to read and analyze the primary sources. (Alternatively, distribute one primary document to each group, then use the jigsaw activity to share the group’s interpretations of the document with the rest of the class.)

  • Guide the reading by providing the following questions:

    • When was this document written, and for what audience?

    • Who is the author, and what are his possible motivations in writing this document?

    • Which aspect(s) of our government do you see in this document (social contract, natural rights, separation of powers, checks & balances, or other)?

    • Which part(s) of the Constitution does this document reflect?

    • Summarize the main points of the document in your own words.

  • Return to whole class formation. Ask students to volunteer their findings of each document. As each source is discussed, have the class agree on one summary of the source to write in the graphic organizer. Post this summary on the board.

 

Closure: Review with the class the connections of each document to the Constitution. To what extent are the ideas in these documents important to the Constitution and to democracy in general?

 

Assessment: Students will be informally assessed by filling out an exit slip identifying one question they have about the material introduced in class or one aspect of the class they would like to learn more about. For homework, their formal assessment will be to write a one page essay identifying the one document we studied today that they think has the most significance today, using details and quotes from their notes on the documents to support their opinion.


 

 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Ratification of the Constitution

Date: Day 2

Essential Question: In what ways did Shay’s Rebellion influence the Constitutional Convention and its subsequent ratification?

 Standards: 2, 10

 Transformative teaching context: Co-Centered transformative and traditional concepts. This lesson focuses mainly on the analysis of documents, without including any community involvement. By employing critical pedagogy, we will question our primary sources to determine their validity and point of view, and seek out a thick description of the time period.

Student Objectives: After viewing information on a website, in a writing exercise students will:

  • Identify in writing and discussion the major issues that were discussed at the 1787 Constitutional Convention

  • Identify  in writing and in discussion the concerns and views of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists

  • In writing and in class discussion, explain the importance of Shay’s Rebellion to the Constitutional Convention.

 

Initiation: Show students the political cartoon “The Looking Glass for 1787”. Provide them with the text and analysis of the cartoon on a handout, with lines below for them to respond to it.

From http://www.shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/shaysapp/artifact.do?shortName=doolittle_cartoon:

 

Ask the students to answer these questions about the cartoon:

  1. What is the significance of the Bible quote on the bottom of the cartoon, “A house divided against itself cannot stand?”

  2. Notice the wagon sinking in the mud, signifying Connecticut. What does the author suggest will be the consequences of continued fighting over this issue?

Ask students to volunteer their responses; discuss their answers as a class. Point out the Anti-Federalist in the cartoon saying, “Success to Shays.” Ask if anyone had heard about Shay’s Rebellion in U.S. History. If one has, ask them to share what they know; if not, share the timeline of Shay’s Rebellion events, such as from The History Place website (historyplace.com) or the Springfield College website.

Learning Activities:

Click on the “Show large version of picture” under the scene; this scene gives lots of details and background to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. If multiple computers are available, students may visit the sites themselves or in small groups. Have them take notes listing the major issues and concerns that the Federalists and Anti-Federalists were dealing with at the time.

  • Click on the links below the picture marked “Observers;” The Thomas Jefferson link has excerpts of personal letters expressing his feelings about the new (pre-Bill of Rights) Constitution. Similar features are available for each person highlighted in the picture. Instruct students to make a note of the significant features of these links, as well, especially the arguments and concerns present in the personal letters and journal entries of the people involved.

  • Divide students into groups of two or three, explaining that the groups will be responsible for composing either a scripted debate between Federalist and Anti-federalist issues or two letters/journal entries, one from each point of view. Offer copies of excerpts from the Federalist Papers and other primary sources, to be used to provide details for their writing. Guide their writing with the following questions:

    • What were the main reasons Federalists wanted a stronger national government?

    • What were the main reasons Anti-federalists were unsatisfied with the proposed Constitution?

    • What was the role of Shay’s Rebellion in the Constitutional debate?

  • When groups are done writing (allow 15 to 20 minutes), ask for volunteers to share their compositions. Do they accurately portray the concerns of the people involved? How did the Constitutional Convention deal with the concerns of both groups?

 

Closing: Review the timeline of the ratification of the Constitution, noting that it took two years for all thirteen colonies to agree to adopt it. What connections to today can we draw to the protracted fights over issues like health care? Do people today have the same kinds of interests and concerns as the Federalists and Anti-federalists had? Perform some basic Internet research on the class computer to generate a list of modern Constitutional issues. Ask students to copy down at least five to choose from for their unit project of a letter to a local newspaper suggesting a specific course of action on the issue. Their choice must be handed in by day 4.

 

Assessment: Students will hand in their responses to the cartoon and their group writing as a demonstration of their learning. They will also fill out an exit slip identifying one thing they would like to learn more about.

 


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Sedition Act of 1798

Date: Day 3

Essential Question: To what extent was John Adams justified in passing the Sedition Act of 1798? What effects did the Sedition Act have on early American society? To what extent did the Sedition Act balance liberty and security?

Standards: 2, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Co-Centered transformative and traditional concepts. This lesson focuses mainly on the analysis of documents, without including any community involvement. By employing critical pedagogy, we will question our primary sources to determine their validity and point of view, and seek out a thick description of the time period.

 

Student Objectives:

  • Explain the differences, after reading and discussing both documents, between the Seditions Act and the First Amendment

  • Through the study of primary newspaper sources of the period, identify the social and political responses to the Sedition Act

  • Develop and express an opinion of the Constitutionality of the Sedition Act

 

Initiation:  View YouTube video on XYZ Affair from Ignite Learning at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afB5NJmER5M

Discuss the video, and what might happen today if a country was attacking the US and demanded a bribe to stop. Define the word “sedition,” and ask students to come up with an example of seditious language.

 

Learning Activities:

  • Distribute copies of the First Amendment and the Seditions Act, asking students to point out any differences between the two. Why would John Adams be compelled to suspend the freedom of speech of certain people?

  • Distribute or display excerpts of the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions. Who could have written them? Were they ever passed as laws in those states? What could have happened if states had been allowed to decide the Constitutionality of any federal laws?

  • Divide the class into groups of three or four. Each group must have one judge, one defendant, and one prosecutor. Any groups of four may add a defense lawyer role to their group. Ask the students to act out a trial in which the defendant has been accused of publishing “seditious libel.” Provide copies of primary sources from the time period which were actually accused of being seditious, or ask them to invent their own using other sources as inspiration. What would the argument of the prosecution be? What about the defense? Is truth a sufficient defense for language that is considered to be seditious? The judge of each group will write down the arguments given by both sides and his or her decision on the case, supported by details from the documents used in class.

  • When all groups are finished hearing their cases, have groups volunteer to share their verdicts. What should the punishment be for those found guilty? Discuss some of the real life sentences of the people convicted of sedition in 1798-1800. Were they too lenient, just right or too harsh? If these laws hadn’t been in place, what might have happened with France?

 

Closing: Review the class’ comparison of the First Amendment and the Sedition Act. Was the Act Constitutional? Why or why not? Regardless of its Constitutionality, was Adams justified in taking this measure?

 

Assessment: For homework, students will write a one page newspaper article, taking on the role of either a proponent or opponent of the Sedition Act. Articles must incorporate details to defend their opinion regarding the Constitutionality of the Sedition Act, using class notes on the primary documents viewed today to support their answers.

Students must also bring in their choice of Constitutional topic for the unit project tomorrow.


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: Andrew Jackson & the War of 1812

Date: Day 4

 Essential Question: To what extent was Andrew Jackson justified in declaring martial law in New Orleans during the War of 1812? Was the punishment he received appropriate? Why?

Standards: 2, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Co-Centered transformative and traditional concepts. This lesson focuses mainly on the analysis of documents, without including any community involvement. By employing critical pedagogy, we will question our primary sources to determine their validity and point of view.

 

Student Objectives:

  • After reading accounts of his actions in the battle of New Orleans, summarize and analyze, orally and in writing, the actions taken by Andrew Jackson during the war of 1812 and their consequences

  • Read, analyze and discuss with classmates the Constitution’s language in Article I concerning habeas corpus and martial law

  • Develop and express an opinion, in discussion and in writing, regarding whether Jackson’s actions were justified

 

Initiation: Students will be asked to respond in paragraph or bulleted list form to the following quote from former Texas Congressman Craig Washington:

 

“I prefer a man who will burn the flag and then wrap himself in the Constitution to a man who will burn the Constitution and then wrap himself in the flag.”

 

Put this quote into your own words. Do you agree with this statement? Is it better to strictly follow the rules of the Constitution than to perform an unconstitutional act that may keep the country safe? In what situation would that be acceptable? For example, suppose there is a pandemic of a bad flu virus; a terrorist attack of a biological weapon; or a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina. Who should have the power to make this decision? Jackson was not the president, but a general in the Army when he declared martial law in New Orleans. Should the Congress or the president be the only one able to make these decisions? Why or why not?

 

 

Learning Activities:

  • Discuss students’ responses to the initiation. What spectrum of opinions is present in the class? What hypothetical situations are identified as justifying unconstitutional behavior?

  • Remind students about the XYZ Affair, and point out the connection between that and the beginning of the War of 1812. Distribute or display information regarding Andrew Jackson’s actions in New Orleans during the War of 1812, along with congressional records of the debate over refunding Jackson’s $1000 fine resulting from his actions.

  • Divide class into four groups; each group will study a copy of the speech of one real life 1840s Congressperson in the debate over Jackson’s actions, focusing on the question of the justification of his actions and whether the fine imposed on him should be reimbursed. After the groups have confirmed the position of their Congressman’s argument, break the groups up so that each group has at least one representative “expert” on each Congressman’s point of view. Have groups discuss the issues and concerns of each side of the debate. While acting in the role of their Congressman, students should be encouraged to seek out and consider the views of the other group members.

  • Return to whole class grouping. Ask students to individually compose a paragraph stating their opinion of the Constitutionality of Jackson’s actions in New Orleans and on the refund of his fine, supporting their position with details from the documents. As time allows, discuss students’ responses to the initiation. Ask if anyone changed their mind, and why they did.

 

Closing: Review a timeline of events of the War of 1812. Ask students to imagine how Jackson’s actions may have been received if he had lost the battle, or if the Treaty of Ghent hadn’t been signed at the same time. Does his success in New Orleans justify his actions?

 

Assessment: Students’ initiation responses will be collected as a demonstration of their learning for this lesson. Students will also fill out an exit slip identifying one thing from this lesson that they would like to learn more about. For homework, students must begin researching their chosen Constitutional topic for their unit project. They will be instructed to bring in a one page summary of their research to be collected the next day.

 


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Civil War and Habeas Corpus

Date: Day 5

 

Essential Question: To what extent did Lincoln’s suspensions of habeas corpus keep Americans safer during the Civil War? What individuals or groups were most affected by Lincoln’s instructions?

 

Standards: 2, 10

Transformative teaching context: Co-Centered transformative and traditional concepts. This lesson focuses mainly on the analysis of documents, without including any community involvement. By employing critical pedagogy, we will question our primary sources to determine their validity and point of view.

Student Objectives:

  • Examine the balance between security and civil liberties during the Civil War by a study of, and written response to,  primary documents written by Lincoln and others

  • Compare and contrast in writing previously studied Constitutional challenges with those from the Civil War era

  • Evaluate in writing whether Lincoln was justified in suspending habeas corpus, based on the study of various primary documents

 

Initiation:  Play You Tube video “Habeas Corpus” by Ignite Learning, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxYACTGPzAE

Ask students to summarize the video and for any questions or comments. Display the section of the Constitution regarding the right of habeas corpus. Ask about its importance to democracy.

 

Learning Activities:

  • Divide the class into four groups. Distribute copies of the documents. Each group will study one document (note: one group will study both the proclamation and the letter to Winfield Scott) and determine its key points, main arguments, the perspective of its author, and its intended audience.

  • When groups are done reading their documents, reassemble the class and discuss their findings. What were the opinions expressed in each document? What details helped the readers gain a fuller understanding of these events? What was the conclusion of each group concerning whether Lincoln was justified in suspending the civil rights of Americans?

  • Distribute a graphic organizer with space to summarize each document. Review their main arguments and their significance to the War.

 

Closing: Ask students to use the information from the graphic organizer to compose a paragraph or list explaining their opinion of the Constitutionality and justification of Lincoln’s actions. Summarize the major arguments for and against the suspension of habeas corpus rights. How did this issue differ from the situation faced by General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans? This may be finished for homework.

 

Assessment: Student paragraphs will be collected as an assessment of their understanding. Students will also be directed to fill out an exit slip identifying any questions they have, or one thing they would like to learn more about.

 

 


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Sedition Act of World War I

Date: Day 6

 

Essential Question: In what ways did the government restrict the free speech of Americans during World War I? What was the purpose of the Sedition Act, and who was most affected by it?

 Standards: 2, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Co-Centered transformative and traditional concepts. This lesson focuses mainly on the analysis of documents, without including any community involvement. By employing critical pedagogy, we will question our primary sources to determine their validity and point of view.

 

Student Objectives:

  • Compare and contrast, in writing and graphically, the Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917/1918 to the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

  • Develop and express an opinion, orally and in writing, as to the Constitutionality of the free speech restrictions put in place during World War I

  • Through class discussion and in writing, examine the balance between national security and civil liberties during this time period

 

Initiation: Students are directed to respond in paragraph form to the following quote by Dr. Carl Sagan:

 

“I also wish that the Pledge of Allegiance were directed at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as it is when the President takes his oath of office, rather than to the flag and the nation.”

 

Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? How would the duties and responsibilities of a citizen be different if their first loyalty was to the Constitution rather than to the flag and the country as a whole?

 

Learning Activities:

  • Discuss the quote from the initiation. What reasons do students give for their opinions of the quote?

  • Display the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 on the screen. Distribute copies of the 1917 and 1918 laws concerning espionage and sedition to the students. Ask them to point out any similarities and differences between the two sets of documents. Construct a Venn diagram on the board with students’ answers; have students copy one down in their notebooks or distribute a Venn diagram sheet.

  • Distribute copies of the rest of the documents. Students may read them alone or in pairs; for each document, ask students to identify the major points made, the author’s point of view, and the intended audience. What are some of the potential consequences of documents such as the La Follette and Debs pieces, which criticize the government? Is it justifiable to punish such speech in a time of war? Why or why not? Have students take notes on each document for them to review later.

 

Closing: Review the major arguments of the documents, ensuring that students have them written down in their notes. Bring up the initiation quote again, asking what the difference would be if we pledged allegiance to the Constitution rather than the flag. In times of war, such as during World War I or today, what is the role of dissent? Does the potential danger of sedition outweigh the risk of the loss of civil rights? Why or why not?

 

Assessment: Students will respond to the closing questions in a one page essay or by composing a brief speech/editorial protesting an aspect of the government we discussed in class, which will be collected for homework the next day. Students will also be asked to fill out an exit slip identifying any questions they have, or one thing they would like to learn more about.

Students should also be continuing to conduct research on their chosen topic for their unit project.

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Japanese Internment of World War II

Date: Day 7

 

  • Essential Question: What are some of the reasons that Japanese Americans were forcibly detained during World War II? To what extent did Japanese Americans pose a threat to the national security during this time?

 

Standards: 2, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Fully transformative context. We will be using the aesthetic perspective to inform our analysis of art work by Japanese Americans interned during WWII. We will also use critical theory to consider our sources and analyze the intentions of the authors.

 

Student Objectives:

  • Develop and express an opinion orally and in writing regarding the justifications used to detain and relocate Japanese-Americans and confiscate their property

  • Through class discussion and notebook review, connect the material to previous lessons regarding Constitutionality

  • Compare and contrast, through class discussion and by creating a Venn diagram, the treatment of Japanese-Americans during World War II to the treatment of government critics during World War I

     

Initiation: Show the video “The Constitution Project: Korematsu and Civil Liberties.” Remind students to take notes as they watch the video. Discuss the main points of it as a class after viewing.

 

Learning Activities:

  • Ask students to identify which Constitutional Amendments were cited in the video. Distribute or display the selected Amendments, and review them carefully, noting the language that seems to apply to this case.

  • Distribute the primary documents to students, dividing them into government sources and Japanese-American sources. Pair students, giving each student only one type of source, along with the appropriate primary source analysis sheet for pictures or cartoons. After students finish reading, have the pairs meet to discuss and debate the reasons given for the internment and the arguments against it. Was this action justified, given the unprecedented nature of the Pearl Harbor attack? Why or why not?

  • Assign students a one page letter for homework, from the perspective of a Japanese American detained at an internment camp, stating their opinion on the internment using details to support their argument.

 

Closing: Ask students to get their notes from the video and from the previous class. How do the issues raised today connect to the Sedition Act of 1918? Create a Venn diagram in your notes, and discuss your findings.

 

Assessment: Student letters will be collected for homework the next day as a demonstration of their understanding. Additionally, exit slips will be collected, on which students will be asked to write one question they have about the topic or one aspect of the lesson they would like to study in greater detail.

Students should also be finishing the research on their chosen Constitutional issue, and beginning the rough draft or outline of their letter. These will not be collected yet, though.


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: 9/11 and the USA Patriot Act of 2001

Date: Day 8

 

Essential Question: To what extent was the Bush administration justified in restricting the civil rights of Americans in the aftermath of 9/11? What have been some of the consequences of these restrictions?

 

Standards: 6, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Fully transformative context. This lesson incorporates a member of the cultural commons: an employee of the ACLU will address the students and discuss some ways they can raise awareness of Constitutional issues in the community. We will also use critical pedagogy to inform our interpretation of the PBS Frontline film, “Cheney’s Law.”

 

Student Objectives:

  • Through viewing the film “Cheney’s Law” and studying primary documents, identify and discuss specific civil rights that have been limited in the past eight years

  • Through viewing the film and participating in a class discussion, develop and express an opinion of the justification of the use of torture, wiretapping, etc.

  • Compare and contrast, through class discussion and notebook review, the Patriot Act of 2001 to the previous laws we have studied

  • Identify and evaluate ways students can raise awareness of Constitutional issues in the community, via a visit from the Educational Program Manager from the ACLU of CT

 

Initiation: Show students the Patriot Act poster. Ask their impressions of it. What message is it trying to send about the legitimacy of the Patriot Act? Do they agree with this message? Why or why not?

 

Learning Activities:

  • Show Frontline video, “Cheney’s Law.” Provide students with copies of discussion questions to make notes on while viewing.

  • After video is over, facilitate a class discussion of the issues. What have the students heard about the use of torture, warrantless wiretapping, and other ways in which Presidential powers have been broadened?

  • Present the guest speaker from the ACLU, to discuss strategies students can use to raise awareness of Constitutional issues in their community.

 

Closure: Refer students to their earlier notes from other lessons in the unit. How does the Patriot Act compare to the other laws we have explored? Try to find at least two similar cases and two different cases that we have learned about in this unit. Also review the guest speaker’s points: Is there another approach we should take as a class to become more involved in the community with this issue?

 

Assessment: Students will be assigned homework to write their final draft of their letter regarding a modern Constitutional issue. During day 10, students will present a summary of their letter. Students should also prepare notes to read from for their presentation, including a summary of their issue and their proposed plan of action.


 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: The Art of Protest and other First Amendment Issues

Date: Day 9

 

Essential Question: To what extent is protest a necessary part of our democracy? How is the subject of Art intertwined with the concept of protest?

 

Standards: 6, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: Fully transformative context. This lesson incorporates the subject of fine arts, using a critical pedagogy and an aesthetic perspective to consider the topic of protest.

 

Student Objectives:

  • Through the study of several pieces of protest art, determine the importance and success of Art’s role in protesting alleged abuses by the government

  • Debate with classmates the importance of protesting to a democratic society, balancing the need for national security with the rights recognized in the Constitution

  • Evaluate the artistic techniques used by several artists in their protest work

 

Initiation: Display selected works from Fernando Botero’s Abu Ghraib series. Review the events and consequences of the military’s actions in the prison in Abu Ghraib. Ask for responses to the art work, and discuss the importance of artists’ freedom to produce work like this that may be offensive or difficult to look at.

 

Learning Activities:

·         Display earlier works of protest art, such as Picasso’s Guernica, Francisco Goya’s Third of May,1808, and/or Eugene Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People

·         Carefully critique each artwork, giving factual information about a specific artwork to guide classroom discussion as necessary (i.e. Title, artist, physical characteristics of artwork, history of artwork and/or the imagery presented in that artwork). What do the students see in the artwork? What do they think might be happening? Who are some of the characters presenting in the artwork, and how could they be important?

·         Guide classroom discussion/critique onto how an artwork may be a form of protest. What or whom did the artist choose to present in the painting? Why do you think the artist chose this specific event, person, or perspective on an event? What exactly do you think the artist could be protesting? War in general? Interrogations or the containment of prisoners? The dehumanization during war time? A specific country or a countries’ foreign policy? The media? Could the artist be interested in presenting a figure as a martyr?

·         Begin to compare artworks of similar themes to each other. What do they have in common? What makes them different? Can an artwork made in response to one specific historical event be relevant to another historical event? How so? Which painting might be more effective or successful as a form of protest? Why? Probe students for personal reactions to specific works, using the following questions:

o   What elements of Picasso’s Guernica might lead the viewer to interpret it as a work against war? Are there any images to make it obvious this is a painting about war?

o   Consider the physical qualities of Guernica. The painting is in black and white. The dimensions are 17’ x 27’. How do you think these elements affect the interpretation of the work?

o   How would your interpretation of Fernando Botero’s Abu Ghraib painting differ if it wasn’t titled Abu Ghraib?

o   Think back to some of the other Abu Ghraib paintings, do you think the artist is making a statement about the Global War on Terror? On the treatment of prisoners detained by the US? On the media’s desensitizing of war related images on the public?

 

Closing: In class discussion, ask students to identify the work that they think most successfully protests war and why. Remind students that they also need to prepare for their presentations tomorrow. They will make a five minute presentation summarizing their letter writing activity.

 

Assessment: As a formal assessment integrating the subject of Art, students will be instructed to produce a work of protest. This could be a poster or drawing, photograph, song, poem, political cartoon, skit, or short film. Students will have one week to work on these products, and they must incorporate details from at least one Constitutional issue.

Questions and learning activities adapted from: http://www.hotalingart.com/uploads/Protesting_Through_Art.pdf

 

 

 

Teacher: Maura Martinez

Class: 10th Grade Civics

Topic: Unit Project Presentations

Date: Day 10

 

Essential Questions: How do the Constitutional challenges from long ago connect to those from today? What modern Constitutional issues are you concerned about? What actions do you think need to be taken to address them?

Standards: 2, 6, 10

 

Transformative teaching context: fully transformative context. Community involvement and thick description of historical and current events are central to this lesson. We will also use critical pedagogy to question our sources and seek out various points of view.

Student Objectives:

  • Present individual projects to the class, regarding a modern Constitutional challenge and their recommended course of action

  • Through engaging in discussion after and between presentations, explain connections between historical and recent Constitutional challenges

 

Initiation: Students can either present in the front of the room or form a circle with their desks to facilitate a true discussion. Begin by introducing the following quote by Patrick Henry, a Revolutionary War hero:

 

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”

 

Learning Activities:

  • Choose a volunteer to begin the discussion with a response to the quote. How does it tie into the unit?

  • If students are not volunteering to present, start choosing them (or alternatively, create a schedule of times for them to sign up for in advance). As topics are introduced, ask about connections among them. Are there any overarching themes that students can identify?

 

Closure: Review the main ideas of the lesson topics, and repeat the essential questions. How have the students’ views of Constitutional and First Amendment freedoms changed and grown over the last two weeks?

 

Assessment: The students will be graded on their presentation and written work, including knowledge of the material, preparation and respectful behavior. Any extra material brought in will count towards extra credit.

 


 

 
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