SUPREME COURT CASES

Group Project

Objective: The student will be able to use primary sources to evaluate the results of
landmark Supreme Court cases.

Assignment: Each group will be assigned a Supreme Court case as follows:

Group 1 – Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Group 2 – Mapp v. Ohio (1962)
Group 3 – Gregg v. Georgia (1976)
Group 4 – Engel v. Vitale (1962)
Group 5 – Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Group 6 – Roe v. Wade (1973)
Group 7 – Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Using at least one primary source (the Supreme Court decision itself) and any other
relevant sources, each student will answer the following questions in writing (1-2 pages):
1) What are the facts of this case – who are the litigants, what is the situation, and
what state or federal laws are involved?
2) What are the Constitutional issues or principles involved?
3) What was the majority opinion of the Court? Summarize the reasons for this
decision, including any concurring opinions.
4) Was there any dissenting opinion? If so, summarize the arguments of the dissent.
5) Were there any prior or subsequent cases involving this same issue? Summarize
them briefly.
6) A brief evaluation of the legal and social consequences of this decision.
When writing your summaries of Supreme Court opinions, be sure to note which Justice
wrote the opinion.

Each group will then deliver their findings to the class as an oral presentation of 10-15
minutes, with questions to follow. Each group member must speak for part of the oral
presentation, and each group member must answer at least one question. So make sure to
research your case thoroughly, and be especially aware of subsequent decisions that may
have modified or clarified the original ruling!

Assessment: Each student will be assessed individually based on their written

assignment and on their portion of the oral presentation.