Introduction
Target Audience: This Webquest is targeted at students in my civics class who are completing their First Amendment unit. These students will be preparing for the Supreme Court case simulation and their subsequent final majority or dissenting opinion papers. These students will likely be sophomores or juniors in high school.
Rationale: This module is important because the information contained within will be vital to your success in the simulation activity and the the subsequent paper. It is also intended to help you build the skills necessary to fully participate in the simulation activity.
Standards Addressed:
C6.1: Use forms of inquiry and construct reasoned arguments to engage in public discourse around policy and public issues by investigating the question: How can citizens acquire information, solve problems, make decisions, and defend positions about public policy issues?
9-10.6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
Content/Skills Addressed: Upon completion of this module, students should be able to use the documents presented to make a case supporting their argument during the simulation activity. They should also be able to appropriately use these documents when writing their opinion papers.
Task
Case: Crafty Corners is a national corporation that declares itself to be founded on Christian values. Their founders and owners believe that life believes at conception. Consequently, they argue that it violates their First Amendment right to Freedom of Religion to have to offer insurance plans to their employees that provide certain types of contraceptive (such as the Morning After Pill).
You decide: Does Crafty Corners have the same protections under the First Amendment as a corporation that an individual does?
You must read and be able to discuss all of the documents in this Webquest. Although they may not support your argument, this does not excuse ignorance!
Process
Document Analysis Worksheet: Use this worksheet to help you break down the documents presented in this Webquest.
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
McCollum v. Board of Education (Also read Opinion for this case)
Pembina Consolidated Silver Mining Co. v Pennsylavania
Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Abington School District v. Schempp
Evaluation
Required Components:
1. Completed Document Analysis Worksheets for each document (40 points)
2. Brief write-up on which documents support your claim. How do you plan to use these documents? What are some potential biases of these documents? This should be at least 1 page, double spaced. (10 points)
**Students will be given an Incomplete grade if the Document Analysis worksheets without the write-up.
Conclusion
By the end of this Webquest, you should feel confident arguing your case before your peers. Work with your group members to use the documents most effectively to support your claims for your position for the simulation. Remember, while the simulation is a group effort, the paper is an individual assignment! Please do not work in pairs or groups to complete this assignment!!