The right  to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins.
    Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes		      American Government 
Leslie Radler
 IT'S YOUR RIGHT! SUPREME COURT BROADCASTS
 

The Bill of Rights
Click on image to view copy of 
Bill of Rights

 		 . 
Welcome
"But it's my right!"  Have you ever heard someone say that?  Maybe you said it to your parent, teacher, principal, brother, sister, friend or even the police.  But...is it really your right?   Where do your rights begin?  Where do your rights end?  Consider the quote above by former Justice of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes, "The right to swing my fist ends at the other man's nose."

The Bill of Rights - written over 200 years ago - protects individuals rights by limiting government power.  Over the years, changing social, political, legal and economic conditions have led to broadened intrepretations of the Bill of Rights and additional amendments to the Consitution.  The work of defining the rights, freedoms and protections guaranteed under the Bill of Rights continues to day by the Supreme Court and its intrepretation of this important document.  It is useful to examine this statement of freeom to understand more clearly its meaning and impact in our daily lives.  (click on the image of the Bill of Rights above to view and/or print a copy )

You are about to embark on a radical journey where you and your partners will become experts on a Supreme Court case that has shaped your freedoms as contained in the Bill of Rights .  You  will teach this important informtion to your classmates and will also learn about other Supreme Court decisions from them.

Your Mission 
"Ok...What do I need to do?" you ask.  During this project, you will be choosing a Supreme Court case to research (within the guidelines set by your teacher) such as cases involving:  the death penalty, gun control, flag burning, student speech, abortion, locker searches.   You'll be using this web site , IT'S YOUR RIGHT! ,  other internet  sites, and resources available in the library.  You'll also be able to use the information you learned in our class discussion of the judicial branch and courts system. 

After completing  your research, you get to:

  • plan and organize a creative way to present your news team's information to the class using a NEWSCAST format (see activities page)
  • prepare a 1-2 page, typewritten summary of information from your presentation to turn in to your teacher.
  • Present your Supreme Court NEWSCAST to the class (live or on video!)
You will be using this web site, IT"S YOUR RIGHT,  to guide you through this project.  The yellow menu to the left contains the following links:
  •  An Activities page which describes the project requirements and process
  •  A Materials page which includes any handouts or other materials you'll need
  •  A Your Grade page which includes a rubric detailing how your project will be assessed
You will be able to work on your project from any computer with internet access,  in the library or at home. So... even if you are absent on a class research day or would like to work on the project at home you'll have access.

Now, click on the Activities link to get started! 
  last revised: 08/18/00
 Teacher's Name and e-mail address  Leslie Radler
School Name  Paradise High School
School Address  5911 Maxwell Drive, Paradise, CA  95969