Students explain the phrase “landmark decision” in relation to Supreme Court opinions. Then they examine the effects of Supreme Court decisions that ended segregation in public places. Next they analyze landmark decisions relating to ethnic segregation and parents’ rights to freedom of religion in relation to schooling. Finally they look at categories of Constitutional amendments and explain why the abolishment of the poll tax required an amendment.
Students are introduced to the idea of “landmark decisions” and review that they will study key Supreme Court cases affecting civil rights. They view an image and short text about Thurgood Marshall’s appointment to the Supreme Court and recall earlier landmark cases such as Marbury v. Madison and Dred Scott v. Sanford. Students then respond to a prompt explaining why some Supreme Court decisions are termed “landmark decisions.”
Teacher MovesClarify the meaning of “landmark” as a turning point and share the Supreme Court’s description of a landmark decision as a case that has shaped history and continues to affect citizens today. Use student responses to highlight initial understandings of landmark decisions before moving on.
Students examine an image illustrating segregated facilities and read background text about post–Reconstruction civil rights cases focused on “separate but equal.” They use Plessy v. Ferguson to identify and record the effects of the decision in a table. Next, they read about Heman Sweatt’s challenge to the University of Texas and, using Sweatt v. Painter, explain the basis of the Supreme Court’s decision in his favor in a shared response space. Students then read about the landmark school desegregation case and, using Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka 1 and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka 2, complete a graphic organizer with three key details about the case and post a brief summary of its overall importance.
Teacher MovesRemind students that they can click the Opinions links in each case for additional information. After students record the effects of Plessy v. Ferguson, emphasize that segregation of public facilities continued and that “separate but equal” often meant inferior facilities for African Americans, setting the stage for later challenges. When discussing Sweatt v. Painter, share a strong student response and explain that the Court found the separate law school unequal under the Fourteenth Amendment, including both quantitative differences and intangible factors such as opportunity and prestige. After students summarize Brown v. Board of Education, reinforce that this decision ended “separate but equal” policies in public life across the United States.
Students view an image and caption about Sylvia Mendez and read about cases involving Mexican American students—Mendez v. Westminster and Delgado v. Bastrop I.S.D.—to see how federal courts challenged school segregation based on national origin. They then use Hernandez v. Texas to identify and state the key impact of that Supreme Court decision in a shared response space. Next, students read about the Amish community and the conflict between Wisconsin’s compulsory education law and Amish religious practice, then use Wisconsin v. Yoder to restate the Supreme Court’s decision in their own words and describe the key effect of the ruling in separate response prompts.
Teacher MovesAfter students respond about Hernandez v. Texas, highlight an exemplary answer and explain that the decision extended Fourteenth Amendment equal protection to Mexican Americans and all racial groups, prohibiting their exclusion from juries. When students summarize Wisconsin v. Yoder, share a strong response and clarify that the Court ruled Amish children could not be compelled to attend school past eighth grade because it violated parents’ Free Exercise rights. In the follow-up prompt, emphasize that the case limited state interference in how families raise their children and prioritized freedom of religion over state interests in mandatory education.
Students learn that 27 amendments have been added to the U.S. Constitution and, using a shared table, work as a class to identify broad categories or general purposes of Constitutional amendments. They then read explanatory text about how amendments often expand rights and examine the language of the Twenty-fourth Amendment abolishing the poll tax in federal elections, along with an excerpt from the Constitution Annotated explaining the historical use of poll taxes and why their removal was seen as essential to expanding participation. Finally, students respond to a prompt explaining why Congress chose to abolish the poll tax through a constitutional amendment rather than by including it in the Civil Rights Act.
Teacher MovesGuide students in categorizing amendments by purpose, noting that many expand civil rights while others adjust governmental procedures or reflect changing social norms. If students struggle with the poll tax question, use guiding questions about how a bill becomes a law versus how an amendment is ratified and how the Supreme Court relies on the Constitution in its decisions. Share a strong student response and explain that Congress pursued a constitutional amendment because poll taxes had previously survived constitutional challenges, and an amendment is more difficult to overturn or reinterpret than ordinary legislation.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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