Materials+and+Unit+Plan

=Unit Plan: Building Citizenship through Civil Liberties=

__Theoretical Framework:__ The following unit is based on social learning theory as well as cognitive theory. The social learning takes place in various lessons where students learn by observing peers as well as the teacher. In direct instruction as well as student-centered projects, students will be encouraged to successfully learn the content and demonstrate their understanding. The class will be exposed to quality examples of work that demonstrate mastery of the material and positive feedback will be given when students and groups do a good job. Working with classmates should also motivate students to complete their work to the best of their ability. The cooperative environment is also conducive to learning in a constructivist framework. The student-centered activities allow groups to effectively build their knowledge by completing complicated tasks. Students will relate the more basic knowledge that will be delivered directly with the higher level tasks that will be completed on the project-based assignments. The connecting of concepts to previous knowledge will lead to long-term learning that will stay with the students. The teacher will also guide the students through careful instructions and supervision as the class navigates through much material that they are not familiar with.

__Context/Need for Instruction:__ The purpose of this project will be to teach Advanced Placement (AP) United States Government and Politics students about Civil Liberties concepts and issues in the United States. On the AP test that will be taken in May, they will be expected to have a deep understanding of basic rights that Americans are granted such as the freedoms of speech and religion. Students will also be taught to have a certain level of respect and appreciation for the liberties that will be discussed. They will become more effective citizens if they have a strong understanding of civil liberties and can make strong arguments in any discussion of the content in this unit. The unit will take place at an 8-12 high school in three classes varying in size from 18-24 students. Classes meet daily for 42 minutes in the yearlong class. All three classes meet in the second half of the day for students. The classroom includes a Promethean Board and projector mounted to the wall and ceiling as well as chalkboards and pegboards for student work around the room. Technologies such as a class set of laptops and student response systems that can be used with the Promethean software are also available when needed.

With some exceptions, the AP government students tend to have a positive attitude about learning. The students made the decision to take the more difficult government class offered. The students are also usually more motivated than other students of the same age. By the point in the year that the liberties unit will be given, they will be used to extensive assignments including much reading and writing. Most students are straight A or A/B students who will work hard to keep their grade point averages from suffering. AP students in the district are usually from middle to upper-middle class families who live in the suburbs. Although the students tend to have a strong academic background, abilities can vary widely. Some have a very easy time understanding concepts and doing well on chapter tests while others will struggle to understand many of the more difficult topics that are covered in the class. Motivation also tends to slip for students who realize that they will need to put forth a great amount of effort to receive an A in the course. Many of these young people are used to social studies classes that required less effort to achieve an outstanding grade. Learning styles also vary greatly each year in AP government. Many students prefer project based assignments, while many others indicate that they would like more lecture and guided reading assignments. As a result of this, the course uses a variety styles but does include much direct instruction due to the amount of content that must be covered in the time allowed. As a group, the AP classes demonstrate a very positive and open learning environment. Students are respectful to the teacher and one another even as the class covers very controversial topics where students disagree with one another. The small class sizes and maturity level typically demonstrated by students allow for a more casual than normal classroom experience where students are able to learn from the teacher as well as one another during the many discussions that take place.

__Goals/Objectives:__ To create a civil liberties unit that teaches students to: · explain the various rights given in the first amendment. · understand the limits that have been placed on free speech and religious freedoms. · evaluate historical instances when liberties have been taken away in the name of security. · describe the various rights of people suspected or accused of crimes in the US. · value basic liberties that are important for a healthy democracy.
 * Goals -**

The first four goals are needed because they will be important for the students to understand on the Advanced Placement test. A thorough needs assessment and goal analysis also confirmed that these would be useful goals for the students. The final goal is to ensure that this social studies unit instills in students important democratic values that are important to citizenship.
 * Rationale for Goals –**

**A.** **Explain the various rights given in the first amendment.** 1. On an essay style response, students will name and describe the various rights of expression listed in the first amendment to the US Constitution. 2. On a reading and response assignment, students will evaluate the validity of various cases involving symbolic speech. 3. Students will construct a timeline of the history of selective incorporation that includes an explanation of the important cases. **B.** **Understand the limits that have been placed on free speech and religious freedoms.** 1. In a class discussion, students will explain libel, slander, and obscenity and discuss what conditions must be met for the expression to not be protected speech. 2. Students will propose various hypothetical cases that could arise involving the free-exercise clause and argue which side would win. 3. Students will propose cases involving the establishment clause and other students will evaluate the constitutionality of the examples. **C.** **Evaluate historical instances when liberties have been taken away in the name of security.** 1. In a brief research essay, students will choose a historical case of the government limiting rights in the name of security and evaluate the constitutionality of the act. 2. Students will read about the USA PATRIOT Act and debate classmates about the constitutionality and effectiveness of the policy. **D.** **Describe the various rights of people suspected or accused of crimes in the US.** 1. On a formal assessment, students will recall that the Exclusionary Rule was established in the case //Mapp v. Ohio// and be able to explain what the rule means. 2. Students will create a graphic organizer that explains what police may search on a person before and after arrest, and what rights the arrested person is entitled to. **E.** **Value basic liberties that are important for a healthy democracy.** 1. On a survey, the students will agree that civil liberties are important and that the right to express unpopular ideas must be protected as well as popular ones.
 * Objectives (categorized by goal) -**

__Strategies and Materials:__
 * Strategies and Explanations -**
 * Objective || Strategy || Explanation ||
 * A1 || Recall || Students will be able to list first amendment rights. ||
 * A2 || RULEG and elaboration || Students will learn what makes symbolic speech and then determine if several examples qualify. ||
 * A3 || Organizational || Students will relate historical events to one another on a timeline. ||
 * B1 || Recall || Students will explain forms and conditions of unprotected speech. ||
 * B2/3 || RULEG and elaboration || Students will learn constitutional principles and then apply them both by creating cases and evaluating cases. ||
 * C1 || EGRUL Integration || Students will learn of examples of the government limiting rights by reading and writing about historical instances. Students will better understand constitutional principles after completing the assignment. ||
 * C2 || Elaboration || Students will take new information about the PATRIOT Act and add their own beliefs and ideas. ||
 * D1 || Recall || Students will recall //Mapp v. Ohio// and the Exclusionary Rule. ||
 * D2 || Organizational || Students will relate and categorize rights of people accused of crimes in the United States. ||
 * E1 || Mental Rehearsal || Students will get opportunities to think about how they would give or not give people liberties in various situations. ||


 * Unit Lessons with Materials -**
 * Lesson || Materials || Details ||
 * 1st Amendment Explanation || Class computer, Promethean Board. || Students will read the first amendment on the Promethean Board and be asked to identify the important points in the document. Students will write down the various rights of expression and the class will discuss them. ||
 * Symbolic Speech readings || Textbooks, symbolic speech worksheet. || Students will read in their textbooks what the courts have determined to be acceptable symbolic speech. They will then be given a worksheet with various scenarios where symbolic speech was claimed and determine the validity of each argument based on previous information. ||
 * Limits on Speech discussion || Promethean Board || Using the interactive whiteboard, the teacher will explain that certain types of speech are not protected by the 1st amendment (libel, slander, obscenity). Students will note which situations the court has not allowed free speech in. ||
 * Free-Exercise/ Establishment cases || Textbooks, paper/pencil or computer to compose and evaluate cases. || Using their previous knowledge of the religion clauses in the 1st amendment, students will propose hypothetical lawsuits involving the Free-Exercise and Establishment Clauses. Students will then be asked to evaluate the cases based on their knowledge. ||
 * Selective Incorporation timelines || Textbooks, laptops, internet access, various software titles (Word, Inspiration). || Using information from the textbook and online sources, groups of students will track historical progress in the idea of selective incorporation on timelines. The timelines will be created on a class set of laptops and students will include important court cases and other legal changes to incorporation. Students will get options on which software/internet application to use for the project. ||
 * Exclusionary Rule explanation || Promethean Board || The teacher will give a brief explanation of //Mapp v. Ohio// and the Exclusionary Rule on the interactive whiteboard. Students will discuss the case and write down important facts. ||
 * Search Graphic Organizer || Textbooks, laptops, various software options. || Using textbook and online information, groups of students will create a graphic organizer explaining what police may search in various situations such as in a car, after an arrest, or in public. Laptops will be used to create the organizers on either software such as Inspiration or online applications such as [|Glogster] or [|Prezi]. ||
 * Liberty vs. Security Research || Laptops (to research cases), Patriot Act Reading. || Students will choose from a list of controversial issues when the US government denied liberties in the name of security. They will then write a brief summary of the event and evaluate the constitutionality of the events based on prior knowledge from the unit. This lesson will be concluded with a reading about the PATRIOT Act and an informal discussion/debate between students about the effectiveness and legality of the law. ||

· Microsoft Word: Word processing and simple graphics. · Microsoft PowerPoint: Slide presentations. · Microsoft Publisher: Pamphlets, flyers, advertisements. · Audacity: Audio presentations. · Inspiration: Graphic organizers. · Photo Story 3: Photo stories with narration. · Movie Maker: Video presentations. || · [|Glogster]: Interactive poster presentations. · [|Prezi]: Interactive student presentations. · WikiSpaces: Wiki presentations. · [|SlideShare]: Online slide presentations. · [|VoiceThread]: Collaborative photo and narrative presentations. || American Government: 10th edition, by James Wilson and John Dilulio || Parts of teacher created PowerPoint presentations will also be used in the direct aspects of instruction described. To view presentations, [|click here]. || · [|Incorporation Doctrine] · [|USA PATRIOT Act reading] || · [|Miranda Rights] · [|HUAC hearings] – example for security vs. liberty ||
 * Description of Materials –**
 * The following materials will be used in the activities as described above. ||
 * Class set of Laptops || A cart of 30 Lenovo ThinkPads will be used for various projects. The computers will have wireless access to the internet and include the software discussed below. ||
 * Promethean Board || Students and the teacher will use an interactive whiteboard for presentations and lessons. This will allow users to interact with the content during student presentations and presentations of websites that are being utilized. Interactive student response systems (clickers) are also available to make the presentations more interactive. ||
 * Presentations Software || The following software titles will be available on the laptops for use in student presentations:
 * Online Applications: || The following websites are examples of sites that students could use to complete the unit projects:
 * Textbook || The AP student textbook that will be used throughout the unit is:
 * Teacher created presentations and rubrics. || Examples of teacher created project instructions and rubrics are found in Report Two.
 * Outside Readings || As indicated in the unit plan, several outside readings will be used to supplement the lessons, below are two examples.
 * Video Clips || As concepts are being explained in the unit, video clips may be used as examples. Below are two examples of such videos.
 * Student Materials || As students complete the assignments listed in the unit, they will also use a number of resources not listed in this summary. These will include literature, images, videos, audios files, and websites. ||


 * Practice for Objectives -**
 * Objective || Practice || Feedback ||
 * A1 || Students will practice describing their knowledge of basic first amendment principles in writing and verbally. || Feedback will be given when discussing the issues in the classroom by the teacher and classmates. Feedback will also be given when students write about the details on a formal assessment. ||
 * A2 || Students will practice the skills of understanding and evaluating symbolic speech by discussing the content and writing about it. || Students will receive written feedback after the teacher has reviewed the assignment and less formal feedback as the assignment is being discussed before and after the work is completed. ||
 * A3 || Students will practice explaining the major steps of incorporation by writing about them on a graphic organizer. || Feedback for the practice will be given by members of the project group. The teacher will also give feedback as the projects are being created and upon their completion. ||
 * B1 || Students will get practice learning the limits on speech by writing about them and discussing them with classmates and the teacher. || Feedback will be given as the topics are discussed and as students incorporate the concepts into future assignments and assessments. ||
 * B2/3 || Students will get practice building their understanding of the religious clauses in the first amendment by reading about cases, writing about them, and evaluating their validity. || Informal feedback will be given verbally by the teacher as the assignments are being completed and then formally when the assignments are graded. Feedback will also be given by peers as students evaluate the work of one another. ||
 * C1 || Students will practice evaluating the constitutionality of an act by reading what others have written and writing their own opinions. || Feedback will come from the teacher monitoring work while students are writing. Students will get an opportunity to ask the teacher questions about their progress and understanding. ||
 * C2 || As students debate the PATRIOT Act, they will practice their ability to articulate beliefs backed by knowledge of the US Constitution. || Feedback will come from the teacher and classmates who will both be a part of the debate process. ||
 * D1 || Students will practice building their knowledge of the Exclusionary Rule by reading about the concept, taking notes on it, and discussing it with classmates and teacher. || Feedback will come in the form of clarifications during the presentation and discussion and formal written feedback will come after a written assessment. ||
 * D2 || Practice of student knowledge of rights of the accused will come by writing about legal search requirements on the project. || Feedback will come from group members and the teacher throughout the creation of the project. ||
 * E1 || Students will practice having a positive attitude about the importance of constitutional rights by learning about the impact liberties have had on US history throughout the unit. || Feedback will take place informally by the teacher stressing the importance of the content and hopefully by students eventually stressing the same points. ||

__Assessment Experiences:__ For the needs assessment, one of the three AP classes were asked a series of questions on a questionnaire. This sample polled about one-third of students involved in the government classes and was representative of the whole group. For comparative data, twelve students who were successful on the previous year’s AP test were given a similar set of questions. The “successful” group consisted of a sampling of students who received a three, four or five (out of five) on the test taken last May.
 * Needs Assessment –**

Survey questions (listed below) assessed both content knowledge and attitudes about citizenship: Content Knowledge – Free Response 1. What are civil liberties? 2. Where is the freedom of speech found and what does the concept mean? 3. Where is the freedom of religion found and what does the concept mean? 4. What limits are there to freedom of speech? 5. What limits are there to freedom of religion? 6. What rights do Americans have when they are accused of a crime? 7. Give two examples of the US limiting the rights of citizens in the name of security. Attitudes – On a scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. 1. Freedoms of speech and religion are important American values. 2. People with unpopular beliefs have a right to express themselves publically. 3. It is dangerous when in a democracy, the government censors political speech.

The needs assessment process provided important information about which content areas instruction needs to be most focused on. Students will need instruction on what types of expression are included in the freedom of speech. Current students and some previous students seemed unfamiliar with symbolic speech and expression that is also protected. Limits on speech will also have to be included in the unit to help students understand that there are some legal limitations to expression. It also seems clear that current students have a limited understanding of how religion is addressed in the first amendment. The “free-exercise” and “establishment” clauses need to be addressed as well as the limits that have been placed on religious freedom. Some time must also be spent on covering historical events when liberties were sacrificed in the name of security. The current students were not able to identify such events. As this content is covered, there must be an effort to help students realize the importance of respecting the basic liberties that are being discussed. Many current students indicated only moderate support for protecting minority opinions and limiting government censorship.

According to the assessment, learners have a basic understanding of liberties issues and a basic respect for the values discussed. The unit will need to increase their understanding of concepts to the level that will lead to success on the AP exam and improve their attitudes to prepare them for citizenship. The learning environment is appropriate for multiple methods of instruction including project based assignments. Class sizes are relatively small and a significant amount of technology resources are available in the classroom.


 * One-to-One Evaluation –**
 * 1) A small group of AP students will be asked to complete a mini-lesson about civil liberties.
 * 2) The teacher will explain that the purpose of the lesson will be to improve the upcoming lesson.
 * 3) Students will be given laptops, instructions, and a rubric for the assignment.
 * 4) The groups will begin to familiarize themselves with the assignment and assemble a small group of items for a timeline.
 * 5) The groups will then choose a computer application to create their timelines on and begin to assemble the project.
 * 6) Throughout the process, the teacher will ask students for feedback related to the purposes of the evaluation.
 * 7) After the mini-timelines are taking shape, students will take a survey about the work and the teacher will again ask verbally for student feedback.

By observing the students completing the evaluation, the teacher felt like the assignment went well overall. Students got to work quickly and helped one another understand the instructions and content. The groups found quality examples in the textbook and online and worked very well on the various computer applications used. All students were successful in completing the work and seemed to take an interest in the content. They also seemed to have a good attitude. Informal discussions with the students and groups confirmed the observations listed above. Students liked the assignment and asked for some minor clarifications on the instructions. The choices offered to complete the assignment were appreciated by students. The class was quickly able to explain the concept of selective incorporation. As a result of the evaluation, the following changes will be made to the project:
 * · Instructions will be broken down into smaller, easier to understand sections.
 * · More time will be spent on introducing the concept of selective incorporation. This will include a general reading assignment about the topic that will be followed by a discussion.
 * · Instructions will include a discussion about finding quality online sources and the expectations for citations in the project.
 * · A significant amount of time must be set aside for the whole project to be completed. This could be 3-4 class days plus outside work.


 * Small Group Evaluation –**
 * 1) A small group of students will be given the materials and instructions to complete the Search Graphic Organizer assignment. The teacher will explain the process as he plans to during the actual unit.
 * 2) Students will work on the graphic organizer with minimal interference from the teacher. He will be available to answer questions, but will not ask students for feedback during the assignment.
 * 3) Students will complete a small graphic organizer in comparison to the actual assignment. They will only be asked to explain part of the search process.
 * 4) After students have completed the lesson, they will complete surveys asking for feedback about likes, dislikes, and suggestions.

The small group evaluation ran very well. Students were able to locate the appropriate information from their textbooks and create quality graphic organizers. It was a more simple assignment compared to the one-to-one evaluation and students worked very quickly. At the beginning, some students did struggle initially finding the textbook information and if this assignment was completed in its full version more clear directions would be given. The groups worked well together and seemed very comfortable with the technology made available to them. The students seemed to like the project and had a strong understanding of the limited content at the end of the assignment. The survey data listed below confirms a student interest in the assignment and includes some quality feedback.

The information collected showed that the graphic organizer is an assignment that many students are interested in completing. They like the opportunity for creativity and find it a fun assignment. The weaknesses discussed by some students are the strengths of the assignment to others. Like any assignment, the organizer will appeal to certain learning styles more than others. For example, some students wanted more time to present and others wanted no presentation. The suggestions provided perhaps the most useful feedback. One good idea was the incorporation of media that demonstrates the rights of people accused of crimes. A student suggested showing clips from the show “cops.” Several other students felt that the incorporation of outside sources beyond the textbook would be a welcome addition. The assignment could certainly be an effective part of the instructional unit, and although students suggested adding to the requirements, additions would have to be very limited due to time constraints.

The one-to-one and small group evaluations both provided quality information about the civil liberties unit. Both project based assignments worked well overall but the work revealed minor issues that must be addressed. Both assignments would have to have more refined instructions for students to read before they begin their work. The teacher will also have to spend more time discussing concepts and expectations before the students start working. This should include the use of media such as video to help teach the introductory content. The teacher must spend time with all groups throughout the projects ensuring that everyone is on the right track. Proper citations will also need to be discussed in the type of assignments explained. Students need to get in the habit of giving credit for the work of others. The many options given to students to complete the projects seemed to be popular and an effective way to meet the needs of all students, but a little more time could be spent explaining the options. When the full assignments are given, enough time must be set aside for students to do a good job meeting the requirements.

__Performance Measures:__ Students learning will be evaluated before, during, and after the instructional unit.
 * Pre-Assessment –** As described in Report Two, students will take a pretest to determine previous knowledge of the unit content. Informal discussions with students will also help gauge prior knowledge.
 * Formative Assessment –** The teacher will carefully monitor student progress in learning concepts during the unit. This will include informally observing progress and adjusting instruction accordingly. Students will also be graded on the several individual pieces of the unit to help assess learning.
 * Post-Assessment –** At the conclusion of the unit, students will be given a formal assessment similar to the AP exam that will be taken at the end of the course. An example of this assessment is found in Report Two.

__References for Materials:__

Audacity. ([]).

FindLaw. (2009, January 5). Your Rights with the Police. //YouTube.// Retrieved from []

Glogster EDU ([]).

Inspiration. ([]).

Matheson, S., Phelan, W., Conneen, A., & Moore, M. (2007). Special Focus: The Incorporation Doctrine. //The College Board.// Retrieved from []

Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Publisher). ([]).

Photo Story 3. ([]).

Prezi. ([]).

Slideshare. ([]).

Universal News Reels. (2006, September 18). Hollywood ‘Red’ Probe: HUAC Hearings Begin. //YouTube.// Retrieved from []

USA PATRIOT Act. In //Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.// Retrieved from []

VoiceThread. ([]).

Wikispaces. (http://www.wikispaces.com/).

Wilson, J.Q., Dilulio, J.J. (2006). //American Government: 10th Edition.// Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Windows Movie Maker. ([]).