Presents activities for teaching high school students about the freedom of religion. Includes student handouts that explain basic constitutional principles and summarize leading U.S. Supreme Court cases concerning religious liberty. Encourages teachers to invite students to speculate on the future relationship of religion and public education. (SG)

Presents seven brief articles on legal issues concerning young people. Addresses such topics as curfews, teen smoking, dress codes, and child labor. Some articles are student-written while others profile student activity. Student authors include Mike Michaud, Danny Rosen, Carrie Kendrick, and William Hansen. (MJP)

Presents an essay examining homeless shelter residents' freedom from unreasonable searches. Reviews the historical background of the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Explores factors considered when determining what is "reasonable." Analyzes the concepts of standing, what constitutes a home, and consent.…

Arranged in five chapters, this supplementary resource for junior high students contains information on the history, practical applications, and social consequences of the law. In chapter 1, students are introduced to the origin of laws through examination of a fable, the relationship between government and laws, types of laws, and law…

This document presents "Indiana v. Jamie L. Curtis," a fictional court case stemming from the search by school officials of a student's bookbag. The case is based upon the actual U.S. Supreme Court case of New Jersey v. T.L.O., which involved similar facts. The document includes background materials on the Fourth Amendment to the U.S.…

Designed as supplementary reading in American government or social studies courses, this compilation of articles is intended to help students gain a better understanding of the judiciary's role in the Illinois legal system. The first of three sections contains articles about judges and the court system. The second section examines the criminal…

These materials include the script for a mock trial in which students are asked to role play the participants in a case based on the facts of New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325 (1985). The case raised questions involving a students' rights to protection against unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment and schools' needs to…

Discusses a euthanasia incident in which a doctor claimed, in a letter to the "Journal of the American Medical Association," to have given a fatal dose of morphine to a dying cancer patient. Debates the ethical issues involved in the journal's decision to print the letter, withholding the author's name. (DB)

An introduction to criminal law, processes, and justice is provided in this high school level text. Content is divided into six chapters, each treating a particular aspect of criminal procedure and the social and political issues surrounding it. Chapter 1 considers the criminal, the effects of crime on its victims, and legislation to aid victims.…

This lesson for grade 12 is designed to increase student awareness of the debate surrounding flag burning, the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning, and the constitutional issues involved, specifically the First Amendment. Students play the role of staff members for a U.S. Senator. They research the issue and prepare both pro…

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…

Intended to educate youth and parents about the rights and responsibilities of youth in society, this manual outlines the prevailing rules as well as U.S. and Illinois laws applying to youth. Separated into four categories, the manual explores the relationship of youth to society, youth to family, social controls on youth, and the rights and…

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…

This curriculum is designed to introduce secondary students to the ideas behind the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution and the experiences of the Founders that led to the creation of this document. Its intent is to provide young people with a knowledge of how the Bill of Rights came into existence, why it took the form it did, and how it has…