Gov't Basics: Bill of Rights and the Supreme Court

Starter 7:  Bill of Rights
Read through the Bill of Rights.  See links to document on the docs page of my DP.

1. Which of these rights do you think is the most important?  Why?  
2. Which do you think is least important?  Why?  
3. What’s one thing you would like to see added, removed, or revised?  Why?
4. When you’re done, put your name on your power diagram of the Checks and Balances and tack/tape it on the wall. Spend 2-3 minutes scoping out other students’ diagrams and try to clarify any confusions you may have had by seeing other examples.

Starter Discussion: In small groups of 4-5, share your starter responses.  Try to come consensus on the most important right and the least important right.  Then, try to come to consensus on your top revision to the Bill of Rights.  Write your group’s “answers” on the whiteboard.

Homework Review:  Discuss and clarify any confusions about last night’s homework

Judicial Review:  Marbury v. Madison
Before we dive into understanding Voting Rights and the ways in which the 3 branches of the government have functioned throughout the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as modern disputes about voting discrimination we’re going to learn about how the Supreme Court  (Judicial branch) came to play the precise role we know it to play today by studying a Supreme Court case called Marbury v. Madison, 1803.

1. Key term:  JUDICIAL REVIEW!
2. Summary of Case:  Read this one-page summary of the case and summarize it to your partner.\
3. Minutes 8-27.
4. The intro was all about how the Supreme Court used to have very little power until this Supreme Court case and a brief intro of John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court)
5. NPR Podcast:  Kittens Kick The Giggly Blue Robot All Summer”
   1. Listen to this NPR More Perfect podcast and take notes! Here are some questions to guide your listening and notetaking:
      1. How did Marshall (aka Obi-wan Kenobi) “save” the Supreme Court from Jefferson’s Darth Vader ways??
      2. What ultimately became the core question that this case sought to answer?
      3. Who was Marbury? Who was Madison?
      4. What did Jefferson do upon learning of all the newly appointed Supreme Court judges?
      5. What was the main issue that spurred this case?

DP Update and Writing Reflection
Time to work on your Writing Reflection DP Update that is due tomorrow! (Remainder of class)

HOMEWORK:

1. DP and Writing Goals:  Email link to completed DP to Lori before the start of class on Friday.
2. HONORS Essay Revisions:  If you want to revise Honors Essay 1, you have until Thursday, 9/22 to submit a revised version.  Please note that a revision must be submitted with the original copy and rubric, and should be heavily annotated (either digitally or by hand) to show the revisions you made.