Civil Rights, Civil Liberties and the US

Constitution

Unit Portfolio PresentationMatt Varley

Unit SummaryStudents will take part in a series of activities designed to explore the civil right protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution. Each student will research Constitutional amendments and how the Supreme Court has interpreted them, then report their findings in either a newspaper article or interview format.

Curriculum-Framing Questions• Essential Question

How much power should the government have to control my life?

• Unit QuestionsHow much protection should be given to the civil rights and civil liberties of citizens?Does the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court adequately protect the civil rights of its citizens?

• Content QuestionsWhat protections are given to citizens in the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the U.S. Constitution ?How has the Supreme Court specifically interpreted the civil rights protections of the Constitution?

Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, and the U.S. Constitution

ProjectThis project will help my students develop 21st century skills by:• Collaborating with peers• Collecting data through a variety of print and

electronic sources about civil rights and civil liberties

• Analyzing and synthesizing complex information regarding the U.S. Constitution and federal court interpretations of the Constitution

• Communicating with others in a newspaper or interview format

• Find ways to increase student awareness of their civil rights and liberties under the U.S. Constitution

• Have students identify problematic or controversial areas pertaining to civil rights throughout American history

• Have students collaborate in their research and

My Goals for the Unit

Request for Feedback

• Places I could find a classroom in a different climate for my students to work with

• Ideas for helping students take more responsibility for their own learning