Presents a lesson plan for teaching about gangs and the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Includes a handout and discussion questions and identifies sources for further reading. (SG)

Designed for use at the high school level, this textbook is organized around four key ideas central to the U.S. Constitution: authority, privacy, responsibility, and justice. A knowledge of these ideas is necessary to understand the foundations of U.S. government and to evaluate important differences between a constitutional democracy and a…

The teacher's guide and a students' guide focus on basic constitutional issues dealing with the media and free press. Students examine case studies, tabloid headlines, and various policy issues relating to information dissemination in society. The guide provides recommended lesson sequences incorporating readings, directed discussions, and…

This curriculum is organized around four concepts--authority, privacy, responsibility, and justice--which form part of the common core of civic values and concepts that are fundamental to the theory and practice of democratic citizenship in the United States. Rather than focusing on facts and dates, the curriculum challenges students to think for…

A 4-day simulation activity encourages high school students to confront issues of law and journalism through exploration of seven legal issues: prior restraint, access to courts, rights of reply, libel, privacy, confidential sources, and use of stolen documents. The kit contains all materials needed for the simulation, including a director's…

Outlines a role play that highlights the potential conflict between freedom of the press and the rights of defendants and victims. Students assume the roles of representative characters (police chief, newspaper editor) in a small town where a sensational murder has occurred. They also conduct a class discussion. (MJP)

This book, part of the "Exploring the Constitution Series," provides a basic introduction to important areas of constitutional law. Each volume contains a general introduction to a particular constitutional issue combined with excerpts from significant Supreme Court decisions in that area. The text of the Constitution, a chronological…

Predicated on the belief that communications students are capable of understanding communications law and the processes that created it, this book examines U.S. Supreme Court opinions on the First Amendment. The book addresses the following topics: 1) the American legal system and freedom of expression (in introductory chapters); 2) defamation; 3)…