Harlan+Institute

Constitutional Education Essential Questions

1. What gives someone the right to hold up signs at military funerals that say, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers"? 2. Who decides a question like this? 3. Is it safe to say then that the U.S. Supreme Court is responsible for setting standards?

4. Is the Constitution of the United States a living document? 5. How many Amendments are there to the Constitution? 6. Did the Amendments strengthen or weaken the Constitution? 7. What does the Constitution of the United States mean to you?

Wikipedia says: [] Resource for Constitution Day http://cybraryman.com/constitution.html

Look at briefly: The First Amendment freedom of speech The Fourth Amendment unreasonable search and seizure The Eighth Amendment cruel and unusual punishment The Fourteenth Amendment due process

Denying or abridging someone of their Consititutional rights is determined in a court of law. Which one determines on the case. Can anyone give an example of a local court? Is is city or county? State Supreme Court - civil/criminal Additional Information: Oklahoma Supreme Court [] Federal District Circuit Court - 11 plus the District of Columbia U.S. Supreme Court []

1. Justices are appointed by the President of the United States. Where does that power come from? 2. What do the Justices of the Supreme Court do? 3. What if you were a Justice of the Supreme Court?

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What: Does the First Amendment protect the right of protestors to display signs containing offensive messages about gay people near funerals of fallen military service members? Partnering with the Harlan Institute located at: [], we will look at Constitutional law as it applies to your rights as a citizen of the United States. To assist us with this lesson, we will Skype with an attorney who will serve as our mentor on the above date. Our Skype session will begin promptly at 10:15 a.m. Our attorney is a member of the Harlan Institute. Harlan Institute was organized by Josh Blackman, a law student, from George Mason University School of Law. Join this session to discuss the constitutionality of picketers who picket at military funerals while displaying signs that say, “Thank God For Dead Soldiers”. Please watch the short video located at [] entitled Snyder v. Phelps prior to our meeting on the 28th. The lesson plan is located at: []. Also please look at the link that provides an overview about the duties of the U.S. Supreme Court []. See what CNN says about the Harlan Institute at [].

March 3, 2011

Updates AND What You Will Do:

Register as a student online at harlaninstitute.org Blog - pick one of the topics on the lesson plan page Class Blog is called: GT Blog and the class code is 1788 Make predictions

Mashable poll and noteworthy developments []

COME BACK TO CLASS ON THE 8th of MARCH READY TO SKYPE WITH MR. CARRINGTON FROM BOSTON (3rd hour) - CHANGE TO 3/11/11??

Additional Information: Oklahoma Supreme Court []

March 11, 2011

U.S. Supreme Court upheld the First Amendment rights of the WBC to protest at military funerals. The vote was 8-1.

View this clip from Channel 5 []

What is this saying?

What does this say about sovereignty? What is sovereignty? []

Blog....look over the precedent cases, the oral arguments. Then write concurring and dissenting opinions. What does concurring mean? What does dissenting mean?

AGAIN COME TO CLASS READY TO SKYPE WITH MR. CARRINGTON FROM BOSTON ON 3/11/11???

Perspective - Looking at the law, you have to look at it from the perspective of the balcony. Thank you to Peter Pappas - blog "Copy and Paste". []