Introduction:

You just left school and are walking to 143rd street to get on the 6 train. You are listening to Biggie Smalls on your headphones.

You are rapping along with the song as you enter the train car.

A cop comes up to you and makes you take off your earphones.

“Hey you’re bothering everybody on the train. Shut up,” the cop says.

“I ain’t bothering anybody. Leave me alone.”

“Don’t talk back to me. Open your bag.”

“I ain’t opening my bag,” you say and then walk through the doors into the next subway car.

“Freeze,” the cop screams. He pushes you against the wall and opens your bag. He finds spray paint and tag stickers in your bag. You are arrested.

Task:

Using CompuLEGAL you have to defend yourself in court. You need to use the Bill of Rights and past Supreme Court Cases in your defense.

Process:

You will break into groups of three and type a legal argument using CompuLegal in your defense.

In your argument you must include:

· Four supreme court cases that would favor your argument

· Two amendments from the Constitution

You will have to present this legal document to four judges: two teachers and two twelfth grade students. The teachers will be representing the police in your class. After hearing each case, the class will vote and decide the outcome of the groups depending on each argument. Each group must give a summary of each Supreme Court case and each amendment used in their argument and explain how each applies to your case.

Resources:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/fos.html

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.table.html

http://lawcrawler.findlaw.com/scripts/lc.pl?entry=Freedom+of+Speech&sites=findlaw

www.encarta.com

Evaluation:

You will receive two different assessments of your project.

1. Your group will receive a grade based on the context of your legal document. Did you include three Supreme Court cases? Did you include two Constitutional amendments? Did you summarize each of these requirements? Did you apply them to your legal defense?

2. Your group will also include a grade on your presentation. Is each member in attendance during the presentation? Was each member of the group involved in the presentation? Did each person speak clearly with complete understanding of the legal defense the group is trying to use? Is each member dressed appropriately for a presentation? Is there an order to the presentation? Is it clear the group planned when each member would speak?

Writing Rubric

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Supreme Court Cases	You have included 0-1 Supreme Court Cases in your argument.	You have included 2 Supreme Court Cases in your argument.	You have included 3 Supreme Court Cases in your argument.	You have included 4 Supreme Court Cases and have used them to defend yourself.
Amendments	You have used 0-1 amendments in your argument.	You have used 2 amendments in your argument.	You have used 2 amendments and have a clear understanding of those amendments.	You have used 2 amendments and have applied these amendments to your defense.
Writing	Hand-written and messy.	Typed with at 10 or more grammatical mistakes.	Typed with 5-9 grammatical mistakes.	Typed with less then five grammatical mistakes.
Your defense	Not able to tie in the amendments and the Supreme Court cases to prove innocence.	Used only amendments or Supreme Court cases, not both, for your defense.	Used both amendments and Supreme Court cases, but not able to tie them together.	Used both Supreme Court cases and amendments together in your defense.

Presentation Rubric

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Dress	Two to three people in your group are wearing jeans and sneakers.	Two of the three people in your group are dressed appropriately (slacks, collared shirt, shoes).	All three people in your groups are dressed appropriately (slacks, collared shirt and shoes).	All three people in your group are dressed in shirt, tie, and slacks or a dress.
Speaking	One to two members of the group does all the speaking.	All three members participate but most of the presentation is mumbled and hard to understand.	All three members participate in the presentation. It is clear what points the group is trying to make.	All three people participate and the presentation is clear and makes a convincing argument in their defense.
Organization	Students do not have a clear order as to when each group member is to speak.	Students do have an order in which they are speaking, but they are cutting each other off.	Students have a clear order and speak one at a time.	Students have a clear order and there is a smooth transition from one to another as they present their defense.
The verdict	The class finds your argument unconvincing and you are sentenced to jail.	The class finds your argument somewhat convincing but you still need to serve jail time.	The class finds in your favor and the case is thrown out.	The class finds in your favor, the case is thrown out and the police officer is to go to jail.

Combined score:

The panel of judges will complete the presentation rubric. The teacher will complete the writing rubric.

30-32: A

27-29: A-

24-26: B

21-23: B-

18-20: C

15-17: C-

12-15: D

Below 12 is an F

ANYONE RECEIVING A GRADE OF 17 OR LOWER MUST RE-DO THEIR PROJECT.

Conclusion:

The police are constantly violating our rights under the constitution. They try to intimidate teenagers because the police assume teenagers do not know their rights. It is important that all people know their rights so that if they are ever unjustly arrested they will have the information necessary to protect themselves in court.

Some questions to think about:

Why do you think the founding fathers attached the Bill of Rights to the Constitution?

Can you think of a situation where people in the wrong can use the Bill of Rights?

Explain the idea of democracy. Is the Bill of Rights a necessity in a democracy? Explain.