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Technology and The Law

This lesson plan outlines a social studies class on the relationship between technology and law. Students will read about issues like free speech, cyberbullying, and online privacy, then split into groups to summarize one issue, debate stances, and present their findings to the class. The teacher will assess students based on notes taken and peer evaluations of discussion participation and presentation skills. The goal is for students to understand how technology impacts civil liberties and critically think about these contemporary legal topics.

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Dirk DeKoning
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100 views5 pages

Technology and The Law

This lesson plan outlines a social studies class on the relationship between technology and law. Students will read about issues like free speech, cyberbullying, and online privacy, then split into groups to summarize one issue, debate stances, and present their findings to the class. The teacher will assess students based on notes taken and peer evaluations of discussion participation and presentation skills. The goal is for students to understand how technology impacts civil liberties and critically think about these contemporary legal topics.

Uploaded by

Dirk DeKoning
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson Plan: Technology & The Law

Names: Vanessa Mathews, Kyle Deger, and Brad Perkins

Class/Subject: High School Social Studies (Political Science) Class

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes:

1. Students will be able to summarize a section of the reading and orally present what they read to the
class.

2. Students will be able to critically think about the issues presented and formulate their own
opinion(s).

3) Students will construct and lead a debate/discussion regarding the relationship between civil liberties
and modern technology.

Content Standards:
1.B.5a Relate reading to prior knowledge and experience and make connections to related information.
1.C.5b Analyze and defend an interpretation of text.
18.A.4 Analyze the influence of cultural factors including customs, traditions, language, media, art and
architecture in developing pluralistic societies.
18.C.4b Analyze major contemporary cultural exchanges as influenced by worldwide communications.

Materials/Resources/Technology:

1. Copies of “Technology & The Law” reading


2. Notebooks
3. Writing utensils
4. Multiple Dictionaries
5. Chalkboard/Whiteboard
6. Chalk/Dry-erase markers

Teacher’s Goals:

1. For the students to have a better understanding of the impact that technology has in today’s court
systems.
2. For the students to effectively communicate with one another, in presenting their issue and voicing
their opinion.

3. For the students be able to formulate an opinion on the issues and be able to critically think about
what the result may be.

4. For students to be able to apply a primary source (Bill of Rights) to a contemporary issue.

Time:
Before class: Teacher write out the first and fouth amendment on the board (Listed below under
Introduction)

2 min: Start of Class:

Ask the students to close their eyes and raise their hand if the following sentences may be true to them.

1) Raise your hand if you have social networking site (i.e. facebook, myspace, etc.)

2) Raise your hand if you play video games that depict violence.

3) Raise your hand if you have ever downloaded a movie or song illegally on the internet.

4) Raise your hand if you have ever participated in cyberbullying or have been the victim of
cyberbullying.

Ask the students to keep their hands up, and open their eyes. Eyeball if it is the majority or minority of
the classroom.

10 min: Introduction of Lesson:


Using the results and situations presented earlier, talk to the students about the reading that they are
going to read and how it incorporates the civil liberties we previously covered in our lesson on the Bill of
Rights (1791). Teacher will briefly recap the First and Fourth Amendments because they will be
discussed in the readings for today’s lesson.

Have two different students read aloud the first and fourth amendment (on board):
First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,
against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon
probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched,
and the persons or things to be seized.

Ask students these questions:


What kinds of actions would infringe upon your rights, according to these amendments?
What are some concrete examples of the freedoms given to the citizens in the First Amendment?

Keep in mind these amendments while you are reading.


There will be five issues that have to do with technology and the law, and they will be discussing all five
as a group.

63 min: Lesson Instruction:


1) Pass out the reading.

2) Read the introduction (the first four paragraphs) together. (Read-aloud, teacher reads to class)

3) Explain that they will be split up into five groups and each group will take an issue (Free Speech,
Cyberbullying, Violent Video Games, Downloading, Online Privacy) and be prepared to summarize the
issue and the background. After they have presented their issue, each student will take a stance on the
issue (agree/disagree). The facilitators of that issue will then lead a short debate/discussion and then
the class will vote (Encourage the creation of a few questions). Afterwards the group must summarize
what the court has said regarding that issue and what to watch for in regards to that issue.

4) Break the class up into five groups. Give them approximately fifteen minutes to read and prepare as a
group (paired reading, one student reads while the others summarize). Make sure that the students are
taking notes of their own issue and the other issues once presentations begin. As the students are
reading the article, they should look up any words they do not know in the dictionary and write the
definition down.

5) Bring the focus of the class back and have the groups present. Make sure they follow the pattern of:

-Summarize the issue and the background. This includes defining to the class the unfamiliar terms they
wrote down while reading the article.

-Have the classmates take a stance on the issue and support it.

-Facilitate debate/discussion.

-Take a vote.
-Summarize what the courts have said and what to watch for.

5 min: Assessments/Checks for Understanding:

Each student will be evaluated on the notes they have taken (by teacher) and a peer evaluation as well.

Peer Evaluation:

Name of Evaluator ________________________________

Rate peers on a scale of 1 to 3. (1 being poor, 3 being great)

Peer 1
Summarizing Participation: /3

Discussion/Debate Leader: /3

Presentation Skill: /3

Total: /9

Peer 2
Summarizing Participation: /3

Discussion/Debate Leader: /3

Presentation Skill: /3

Total: /9

Peer 3
Summarizing Participation: /3

Discussion/Debate Leader: /3

Presentation Skill: /3

Total: /9

5 min: Closure/Wrap-Up/Review:
Briefly go over results of the voting, and talk about the reading in general.

Ask if the students have any comments/questions/concerns.

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