Supreme Court Case Assignment

Objective: Students will research a Supreme Court Case and present their understanding of the two sides of the
case and its outcome to the class. They will illustrate an understanding of the impact of the court’s decision on
our civil rights and civil liberties.

Instructions:
• Choose a partner and a Court Case.
• Read the background information on the case.
• Create a 6-slide power point presentation on the case. Here is what should go on each slide:
o Slide 1: Name of case, year, and at least 1 picture.
o Slide 2: Background information on case (tell the story of how the case came to be), can include
1 picture
o Slide 3: Explanation of argument for one side of the case (their position and reasons for
supporting it), can include 1 picture
o Slide 4: Explanation of argument for 2nd side of the case (their position and reasons for
supporting it), can include 1 picture
o Slide 5: Decision in case and affect the decision has on our civil rights or civil liberties (what we
can or can’t do because of this decision), can include one picture.
o Slide 6: Group’s opinion of the decision in the case and reasons for this opinion
• Present slides to the class. Each person must present two of the slides other than the title slide. You can
decide how to divide them up.
• Students will take notes on the decisions and impact of the cases on provided form.

Rubric: 50 points total

• Presentation: 10 points
o Exemplary: (9-10)
• Explains all required aspects of case and can answer questions regarding the case
o Proficient(6-8)
• All points of the case are covered, but weak in support.
o Progressing (0-5)
• Unable to explain every point of the case.

• Slides: 40 points
o Exemplary (36 – 40)
• Each slide contains the required components
• Slides are creative and colorful with pictures on most of them that relate to the topic of
the case
• Complex understanding of issues of case is evident.
o Proficient ( 32-35)
• Each slide contains the required components.
• Basic understanding of issues of case is evident.
o Progressing (26 – 31)
• Missing certain components of the slides.
• Misunderstanding of certain issues in the case.
 Court Cases/Topics Sign Up List

Plessy v Ferguson: Separate but Equal __________________________________

Brown v Board of Education: Separate but Equal __________________________________

Mapp v Ohio: Searches and Seizures __________________________________

Engel v Vitale: School prayer __________________________________

Griswald v Connecticut: Birth control and privacy __________________________________

Miranda v Arizona: Miranda Rule __________________________________

In re gault: Juvenile rights __________________________________

Abington v Schempp: Bible readings in school __________________________________

Furman v Georgia: death penalty __________________________________

Wisconsin v Yoder: School attendance for the Amish ___________________________________

Roe v Wade: Abortion ___________________________________

Wallace v Jaffree: Moment of Silence ___________________________________

Tinker v De Moines: Students’ symbolic speech ___________________________________

Hazelwood v Kuhlmeier: School newspapers _____________________________________

New York Times v US: government censorship _____________________________________

New Jersey v TLO: School searches _____________________________________

Gideon v Wainwright: Right to an attorney _____________________________________