Ross James

2/18/16
Unit Topic: _Social Studies_____________________ Grade
level:__8__________
Stage 1 Desired Results
Content Standard/Established Goals(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.5
Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially,
comparatively, causally).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3
Identify key steps in a text's description of a process related to
history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are
raised or lowered).

Understanding(s)
Students will understand that:
1. Change can occur based on
Supreme Court Rulings
2. Empathy can be used to better
understand perspectives
Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will know:
1. How certain cases make it to the
Supreme Court
2. Why the Hyde Amendment is
important to the topic of abortion
3. How laws are sometimes changed
in our country
4. How to Debate
5. How to refute an argument
6. Why forming a well structured
and evidence based argument is
an important skill to have as a
democratic participant
7. How the Supreme Court decides
on verdicts for a case

Essential Question(s):
What is Change?

Students will be able to

1. Form a well structured evidence
based argument
2. Participate in formal conventions
of debate
3. Argue for certain perspectives
they may or may not agree with
4. Empathize with certain
perspectives they may or may
not agree with
5. Refute an argument
6. Decide on a verdict for the case
using the same proceedings as
the Supreme Court

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):
Other Evidence:
1. Formulate a well structured
- I will observe students practice

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

argument
Argue for a certain perspective
Refute an argument
Participate in a Supreme Court
simulation
Empathize for a perspective they
are not advocating for
Rule on a decision for the
Simulation using formal Supreme
Court Proceedings

Beginning Culminating

Learning Activity

ARE framework in class in various

circumstances
I will also observe them use it to
help form an argument with the
sources they bring to class
I will see students argue for
certain perspectives in the mock
trial and the final trial
I will observe students practice
argument refutation using I
Disagree game
I will observe students utilize it in
the mock trial and the actual trial
Students will be present during
the Supreme Court Simulation
After the exercise I will observe
what students have to say about
the opposing sides for their
debate in their reflection pieces
I will watch the designated
judges practice their decision
making skills on the second day
of class, and use them during the
final simulation to decide a
verdict

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Objectives/Goals

Formative Assessment

Students will research and

utilize primary and
secondary sources to form
organized and evidence
based arguments that
utilize text to text
connections

Students will learn how

to formulate arguments
with the information
that they brought to
class for the sides of
their arguments.

Students will find sources

that support the stance
they take on the Hyde
Amendment. Students will
use these source to help
construct an argument
that they will use in the
supreme court simulation

Students will use the

ARE framework to learn
how to form arguments
by connecting
assertions, reasoning,
and evidence to make a
cogent argument

Students will learn how

to formulate arguments
with the information
that they brought to
class for the sides of
their arguments.

In class students will take

turns connecting
assertions reasoning and
evidence and critique the
examples that are
presented to them as well
as the ones they come up
with and share with each

Students will practice

argument refutation

Students will learn how

to present theses
arguments in a debate
as well as refute other
arguments.

Students will learn how

Supreme Court verdicts
are made

Students will learn the

Supreme Court
proceedings for ruling
on Supreme Court Cases

In the Supreme Court

simulation students will
empathize with opposite
perspectives they are
arguing for as they
listen to and critique
opposing arguments

other. Students will

provide peer suggestions
on strengths and
weaknesses or arguments
formed by using the ARE
framework
Students will practice the
basic tenets of argument
refutation by playing the
I Disagree game and
providing peer feed back
on their performance that
references the argument
refutation guidelines

After learning about

their roles as judges for
this simulation and how
judges arrive at
verdicts, students will
be given hypothetical
court cases in which
they will together
decide how they wish to
rule on the verdict.
Since all of them must
rule together, students
will be required to give
each other feedback in
regards to the
impartiality of their
decision making as well
as how each of them
adhere to the decision
making guidelines for
Supreme Court Judges.
Students will reflect on
As a follow up activity
their learning experience after the debate,
throughout this unit
students will critique the
arguments of the other
side and point out
aspects of their
argument that made
them empathize with,
and or buy into their
stance on the Hyde

Amendment