Terrorism:  Threat or Paranoia

A Web Quest for High School

By

Yvonne Calderón

CalderonEstevez @aol.com

 

 

INTRODUCTION

We must protect our Nation!!!! That’s what the police said when they came to remove associates of Mr. Dyson from their homes and sent them to a temporary shelter. It seems that during the investigation of Mr. Isanu Dyson and his brother, the police found out names and addresses of people of Afghani background, and decided to round up all these people saying that they pose a threat to our nation. They were taken to several shelters and told that they were to remain there for their as well as our (the country’s) protection. Mr. Abin Zubay has announced that he will fight this in court because their rights have been violated.

 

 

TASK

Your task will be to determine if Mr. Zubay’s right of equal protection has been violated, or can he and the rest be held in the shelters. You will research court cases on equal protection and act as part of either Mr. Zubay’s defense team or as the prosecution.

 

 

PROCESS

You will be divided into groups of four. Each group will:

  • First complete an analysis of Korematsu v United States from the Project Legal case library
  • Using the CompuLegal method, complete a similar analysis of the case of Mr. Zubay
  • Either be part of the defense team or the prosecuting team
  • Research the issue of equal protection
  • Use the websites listed in your research
  • All “defense” teams and “prosecuting” teams will join to become one defense and one prosecuting team and pool all information gathered
  • Each team will prepare their case “for” or “against” Mr. Zubay
  • The case will be presented in a power-point presentation
  • Each team will select the “lawyers” who will present their case to the judge (me)

 

 

RESOURCES

www.Findlaw.com

www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal

http://supt.law.cornell.edu./supct/

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

 

 

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated using the following rubric:

 

Grade of A

  • Shows thorough understanding of the topic
  • Addresses all aspects of the task
  • Shows ability to analyze, evaluate, compare/contrast issues
  • Richly supports topic with relevant facts, examples, and details
  • Presents a strong and well organized power-point “case”

Grade of B

  • Shows a good understanding of the topic
  • Addresses all aspects of the task
  • Shows ability to analyze, evaluate issues
  • Includes relevant facts, examples, and details, but not support all aspects of the “case”
  • Presents an organized power-point “case”

Grade of C

  • Presents satisfactory understanding of the topic
  • Addresses most aspects of the task
  • Able to analyze issues and events, but not in depth
  • Uses some relevant facts, examples, and details
  • Presents power-point “case”, but not very organized

Grade of D

  • Shows little understanding of topic
  • Attempts to address topic, but uses vague and/or inaccurate information
  • Uses little facts, examples, or details
  • Cannot present an acceptable power-point “case”

 

 

Conclusion

As a result of this Quest you have learned about equal protection. Do you think that the laws should change as a result of the tragedy that occurred on 9/11,  or are we being paranoid?

 

Standards Addressed

ELA- 1, 2a,3b,3c,4

Social Studies- 4