Make Friends and Influence Justices: A Supreme Court Exercise and Webquest

By J. Goring

John F. Kennedy High School

Bronx, NY

A recreation of yesterday evening:

(ring…ring…)

Yes? Hello?

Help! I got your name from the Kennedy directory, and I know you’re supposed to be the best attorney in the 11^th grade. My best friend just got suspended for making fun of the principal of our school over the Internet, something both of us think is unconstitutional. We want to fight this all the way to the Supreme Court, but we’re not sure how great an argument we’ll make. We need your knowledge and expertise to assist us. Will you take the case?

Don’t worry. I’m on it!

The Assignment:

Prepare an argument for the Supreme Court on the right of this student to make fun of his school principal via the Internet. This argument should be five minutes in length, must refer to appropriate Constitutional amendments and legal precedent as seen in previous Supreme Court cases (use at least three). The argument must be supplemented by a Powerpoint presentation consisting of no fewer than four slides.

Potential Resources:

TIPS website: www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.html

American Bar Association website: www.abanet.org

Your government textbook

Evaluation:

· Speech referencing amendments and legal precedent: 75%

· Powerpoint Presentation: 25%