Can you bow your head and pray in school? Scholars investigate the issue of school prayer with the Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale. A short video clip along with paired group work helps viewers form opinions on the matter. They answer...

Is a Christian prayer before a Friday night football game a nice gesture or the imposition of religion on the rest of the community? A resource asks the question using a clip from the popular movie "Friday Night Lights" and readings...

1983 Supreme Court case Marsh v. Chambers, which centers on whether opening a legislative session with a prayer violates the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, is the focus of a series of discussions and...

"Is school-sponsored prayer in public schools unconstitutional?" That is the question teams debate as they consider the arguments presented to the Supreme Court in Engel v. Vitale. The attorneys study the provided talking points and...

Students discuss and research different Supreme Court cases and examine religious freedom and prayer in public schools.

Students review the 1st Amendment and the clauses which deal with prayer/religion in schools. They discuss, in groups, the Equal Access Act, which gives students the right to practice/express their religion at school and take a quiz on...

Ninth graders simulate a U.S. Supreme Court hearing concerning a First Amendment case about school prayer by participating in a hearing.

Should organized prayer be prohibited at high school sporting events? Students explore their own feelings about prayer in school-sponsored events, before discussing the recent Supreme Court decision banning public prayer at high school...

Young scholars explore how our political system addresses issues of diversity. After reading an included article, they discuss the constitutionality of student-led prayer in schools. Working in groups, they role play a Supreme Court case...

Learners explore the U.S. Constitution through music. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students discuss a hypothetical case regarding lyrics by Madonna and the historical Massachusetts Blue Laws. Learners use the Bill of Rights to support...

Learners consider the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. They do this by viewing a seven-slide PowerPoint presentation the First Ammendment and the Bill of Rights. Once you have shown the presentation, hold a class discussion...

Students describe the basic elements of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment as it relates to the separation of church and state and freedom of religion.

Learn about the 1962 Supreme court case Engel v. Vitale, which addresses the issue of religion in education.

At this site, you can read either the full opinion or just areas of the decision of the Supreme Court case of Engle v. Vitale which ruled on the constitutionality of school prayers.

Although the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, its interpretation is open to many opinions, causing great controversies. Students can read the Constitution as well as the many issues that surround the document. If that proves...

Article on the consitutionality of prayer, worship or reading the Bible at school. Students analyze Supreme Court cases, answer questions for discussion and debate the protective clause of first amendment rights.

Chief Justice Burger's majority opinion in the case of MARSH vs. CHAMBERS, 463 U.S. 783 (1983). The case dealt with whether an opening prayer in the Nebraska Legislature violated the First Amendment.

Read the background of the Supreme Court case, Engle v Vitale, in which school prayer was banned. Find Justice Hugo Black's opinion confirming that decision.

Check out this interactive timeline on the history of freedom of religion in the United States.

Read the majority and dissenting opinions in the Engle v. Vitale case of 1962 which held that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.