Web Quest: What is Due Process?

By Rebecca Garro

8th Grade Social Studies, 183

 

 

 

Introduction

Students at my school often feel powerless and victimized.  They feel that they are not a part of the governmental system under which they live.  The goal of this web quest is to acquaint students with the term “due process” and to understand that they have special rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

 

 

Task

Students will be able to identify the significance of the term due process by taking part in a classroom role-play. The role- play will simulate an illegal search and seizure of a person’s home. Students will then view and complete a worksheet on a visual from the Tips web site. Students will then be instructed to review relevant cases regarding due process on the web site Student will be able to relate due process to their daily lives.

 

 

Process

  1. Teacher will secretly ask three students to play out the following roles: 1) a Police Officer 2) a parent at home with their teenage child in the evening after returning from work and 3) a 13 year old child.
  2. The teacher will instruct the student playing the officer that they are to bang loudly on the door and when it is open they are to tell the occupant that the wanted to ask her a few question because someone had told them that they thought something suspicious was going on in this house.
  3. Teacher instructs the students playing the occupants to let them in. Student officers are told to pretend to search the house ask no questions and take items from the house and then arrest the thirteen-year-old child. The mother offers no resistance.
  4. Teacher stops the role-play at this point and asks students what just happened here? Teacher elicits answers from students and facilitates discussion. Expected responses may include that wasn’t fair. The police can’t just come into your house like that. Teacher should accept all reasonable responses gearing discussion toward the idea that the police were in error and civil rights had been violated, specifically the right to Due Process.
  5. Students should use the websites to understand the specific amendment relating to this area. 
  6. Students should utilize the various web sites listed in resource section to create a power point presentation explaining the term Due Process to the public.
  7. Students should be required to present their completed project to the class.

 

 

Resources

TIPS Web Site

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal

TIPS Web Site on Due Process

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/due1.html

Cornell University law Site on the Fourth Amendment

http://wwwsecure.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmentiv

US History Site

http://www.U.S.history.org//

Ben’s Guide Site

http://www.bensguide.gpo.gov

Department of Justice Site

http://www.doj.com

 

 

Evaluation

 

Below Standards

Meets Standards

Exceeds Standards

Information

No title

No Outline/Table of Contents

Many Misspelled words

Incorrect or missing punctuation

Writing does not follow logical flow, disorganized

 

 

Title

 Few

Proper sentence structure and punctuation

Writing follows logical thought process. Information is organized.

Title

Outline table of contents

No misspelled words

Writing follows logical thought process and engages creative writing tools i.e. simile, metaphor, personification etc.

Proper sentence structure and punctuation and grammar.

Presentation

No art work, sound or visual effects

Artwork included, but is not relevant to project theme.

Some artwork, visual and sound effects relevant to project theme.

Artwork, sound effect, visual effect used to enhance project theme. Simultaneous narrative of power point presentation.

 

 

Conclusion:

Students will produce a power point project based on discussion of the Fourth Amendment.  Students should be required to present their completed project to the class.  This presentation will display their understanding of the due process clause.  Students will gain a greater understanding of their rights.

 

 

Standards

English Language Arts

Standard 1 Language for Information and Understanding

Standard 3 Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Standard 4 Language for Social Interaction

Social Studies

Standard 5 Civics, Citizenship, and Government