Teaching Problem Solving (TIPS) through Educational Technology Interdisciplinary

By

Maria Bruno

Stevenson High School

Bronx, New York

October 2000

A Fair Trial For All

Meeting the English Language Arts Standards of New York State:

E1) Reading

E2) Writing

E3) Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

E6) Public Documents

Amendment 14

AMENDMENT 14 (1868)

SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

SECTION 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

SECTION 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or Judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

SECTION 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

SECTION 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Introduction

Have you ever been accused of something you did not do? How did you feel? Has anyone made you sit on the back of the bus, or drink out of a different water fountain because of the color of your skin? While reading To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee it is important that you understand the time period of the Great Depression. The Fourteenth Amendment (above) promises all native-born Americans citizenship, equal protection under the law and due process, the course of judicial proceeding design to protect an individual’s rights. This Amendment was suppose to insure that African-American citizens have a fair trial. However, in the 1930’s, discriminatory jury selections and failures to appoint counsel for African-American defendants frequently meant that blacks were not well represented in court and faced decisions by an all-white, all-male jury.

Task 1: The South

Your first task will be to work in groups to brainstorm on what you associate with the South- people, states, historical events, attitudes, food, books, movies and so on. Each group will complete a Graphic Organizer.

Task 2: The Great Depression

You will now research and narrow in on the South during the Great Depression. Before you begin to search here are some keywords that you should become familiar with while studying race relations in the South: Please define all words.

1. lynching

2. Ku Klux Klan

3. equality

4. Jim Crow laws

5. segregation

6. suffrage

7. riots

8. discrimination

9. conflict

10. racism

Internet Resources

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart8.html

www.Africana.com/tt_026.htm

http://tlc.ai.org/depressi.htm

http://sac.uky.edu

http://amatecon.com/greatdepression.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsowhom.html

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/intro01.html

You will answer these questions about the Great Depression:

1. What were the Jim Crow laws?

2. Who was the President of the United States during the Depression?

3. What was the “new deal” promise?

4. When did World War II begin? When did it end?

5. What were some of the hardships that African-American’s had to endure?

6. What roles did women play in the 1930’s?

7. What happened on Black Thursday?

8. How was the economy of the 1930’s different from today’s economy?

9. What roles did African-American’s play in American society in the 1930’s?

10. List some ways that American society has changed since the 1930’s.

Task 3: Trial By Jury

In To Kill A Mockingbird Tom Robinson is represented in court by Atticus.

Atticus must convince the jury that Tom is not guilty of the crime he is accused

of committing. In parts of the South in the 1930’s, only white males were called

for jury duty. How could a Black man get a fair trial? You will research the

process on how a jury is chosen today. What would happen in today’s society if a

jury was all white males?

Internet Resources

http://www.cato.org/dailys/12-09-98.html

http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/html

http://www.lectlaw.com/def/j015.htm

http://www.wylie.co.2a/eagles/jury.htm

http://www.nylj.com/links/civ11.html

http://212.net/crime/jury.htm

Questions to consider:

1. On what grounds would Atticus be able to appeal the case?

2. How might Atticus deal with jury selection?

3. How might Atticus question Tom differently?

4. How might Atticus question the Ewells differently?

Process

I Task 1: Group Process/Brainstorming

a- You will be placed in groups of 4-5

b- Decide on the roles for each member of the group

1) Secretary

2) Team Leader

3) Recorder

4) Facilitator

c- Define problem or idea to be brainstormed.

d- Start brainstorming. The recorder should write down all responses on the graphic organizer.

e- Once you are finished, go through the results.

f- All Graphic Organizers must be handed in.

II Task 2: The Great Depression

a- Individually you will define the keywords.

b- As a group you will research the Web using the sites provided.

c- Each group must answer the questions on the Great Depression. The questions will be handed in.

III Task 3: Trial by Jury

a- As a group you discuss racism in America. Has anyone ever encountered racism?

b- Discuss the emotions and ideas that accompany racism.

c- Each group will prepare a mock trial in which they enact an appeal of Tom Robinson’s case. The Group is to prepare a script or notes to work from.

Characters to consider are: 12 Jury members, Atticus, the judge, Mayella Ewell, Sheriff Heck Tate, Bob Ewell.

Evaluation

Each group will prepare a mock trial and present it to the entire class.

Your grade will be based on the following:

1. Team Participation- 30%

2. Graphic Organizer/Questions/ Keywords definitions-25%

3. Mock Trial- 30%

4. Attendance-20%

Conclusion:

By completing the web quest you have learned how to work with others to complete a common goal. Also, you have learned about American society in the 1930’s compared to American society today. You have discussed racism and prejudices in our society. Hopefully, you will apply this knowledge to your everyday life and try to recognize when you are being prejudice towards someone. Always remember that killing Tom was like killing a mockingbird.