This documentary explores the Fourth Amendment case Mapp v. Ohio in which the Supreme Court ruled that evidence illegally obtained by police is not admissible in state courts. The 1961 case redefined the rights of the accused. A PDF lesson plan accompanies this video.
Jury Selection on Trial: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
If the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial is to be realized, the process used for selecting jurors must also be fair. Before Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co., the constitutional principle of equal protection under the law had been applied to federal jury selection practices in criminal trials but not in civil trials. In this lesson, students learn about jury selection and how the role and responsibilities of government in civil and criminal jury trials are viewed by the Supreme Court.
Key Constitutional Concepts
This three-part documentary discusses why and how the Constitution was created at the Constitutional Convention and explores the protection of individuals’ rights in the Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright and limits on presidential power through checks and balances in the Supreme Court case Youngstown v. Sawyer.
Each segment is about 20 minutes.
Closed captions available in multiple languages, including Spanish.
Grade 9-12 Methods of Interpreting the Constitution
The purpose of this lesson is to explain the two overarching modes of constitutional interpretation, strict and loose construction, and their use and application to particular Supreme Court cases. After an in-class investigation activity to explore the methods of interpretation, students will be given the opportunity to express their opinions of the merits and limitations of each method during a mock Supreme Court session where students will revisit two Supreme Court opinions.
Grade 9-12 The Bill of Rights 2.0
This lesson builds on prior knowledge of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights by asking students to think critically about the issues and philosophies central to both. Through investigation and debate, students are asked to question why certain rights were added to the Constitution and why others were not. The discussion will encourage students to synthesize historical and contemporary perspectives about their rights to decide if those rights are still relevant and comprehensive
A Conversation on Freedom of Speech
Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Anthony M. Kennedy and Sandra Day O’Connor and students discuss the First Amendment’s right to free speech, and in particular students’ free speech rights in the Supreme Court cases Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and Morse v. Frederick. In the Tinker case, students wore black armbands to school in silent protest of the Vietnam War. In the Morse case, a student held up a sign that said “Bong HITS 4 Jesus” at a parade.
A Conversation on the Constitution: Jury Service
Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss the history and responsibilities of juries and the role they play in the U.S. judicial system. This video complements FAQs: Juries, 11 short videos about the history of juries and what to expect as a potential juror.
The Story of the Bill of Rights
This documentary tells the story of these individual freedoms that often are taken for granted today. But in 1787, when they were first discussed at the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers rejected them. Why were these rights controversial then? The full story about these rights, including what they say and what they mean, is explained. Ten short videos examine each of the amendments in the Bill of Rights.
A Conversation on the Right to Trial by an Impartial Jury
Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen G. Breyer and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss with high school students the Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co. case and the Sixth Amendment right to trial by an impartial jury. The video complements the documentary Jury Selection: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
A Conversation on Judicial Interpretation
Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Antonin Scalia and a group of students discuss the different theories, primarily Originalism vs. The Living Constitution, of how to interpret and apply the Constitution to cases. A PDF lesson guide accompanies this video