C-SPAN
14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause
Two Supreme Court cases, Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education take center stage in a lesson about the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Class members research both cases to compare and contrast the rulings.
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Rosa Parks: A Quest for Equal Protection Under the Law
Teach young historians about the historical legacy of Rosa Parks with a multi-faceted lesson plan. Pupils follow stations and use journals to explore prominent events, analyze primary resource documents, and engage in interesting...
Curated OER
The Adarand Case: Affirmative Action and Equal Protection
Eleventh graders examine the Adarand case. For this American Government lesson, 11th graders create a list of reasons for each affirmative action program. Students develop a defense on certain issues and present it to the class.
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson - A Journey Back to Separate but Equal Conditions
Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a series...
Curated OER
Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Does it Violate 'Due Process' and 'Equal Protection'?
Students examine due process and equal protection. In this current events instructional activity, students read the provided article, "Due Process and Equal Protection for Gays and Lesbians." Students respond to the provided discussion...
Curated OER
Individual Rights - The Right To Equal Protection
Students examine the concepts of equal protection, discrimination, affirmative action, and racial profiling. They analyze the Equal Protection Clause, participate in a mock trial, and discuss the different parts of the trial.
Curated OER
Equal Protection for Women, Reed v. Reed
Students study the Reed v. Reed case of 1971 that afforded women equal protection under law.
Curated OER
Equal Protection of the Law: Fact or Fiction
High schoolers focus on the 14th Amendment of the Bill of Rights to decide whether or not racism denies citizens of their rights under the amendment. They watch a movie, Every Two Seconds and complete a worksheet (included in the plan)...
National Woman's History Museum
The Equal Rights Amendment
The debate over the Equal Rights Amendment continues. To better understand the controversy, class members research the history of attempts to get the amendment ratified. In addition, pairs engage in a structured academic conversation...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Achieving Diversity: The Question of Affirmative Action in College Admissions
How can a college board of trustees both increase cultural and racial diversity and offer all incoming students equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment? Class members debate the question using readings about how colleges use...
Curated OER
Plessy V. Ferguson: "Separate but Equal," Equal Protection
Students explore the details and impact of the Plessy vs. Ferguson U.S. Supreme Court case. In this U.S. History instructional activity, students participate in several group discussions and group activities that examine both sides of...
Curated OER
Regents of the U. of California v. Blake
Students examine affirmative action and equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from Regents of the U. of California v. Blake and discuss the implications of the decision.
Curated OER
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Students examine equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from Korematsu v. United States and discuss the implications of the decision with regards to Japanese internment.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Arizona Department of Education
American History Impact of the Women’s Movement
Take a look at important images that depict the women's suffrage movement, the support for the Equal Rights Amendment, and wage equity for women over the last two centuries. As class members work through a lesson on primary source...
Curated OER
The Ongoing Debate: Crime Control v. Due Process Protection
Students investigate the Exclusionary Rule and other ways of to enforce the protections found in the Bill of Rights. They study how effective criminal control and public safety is carried out while citizens Constitutional rights are...
State Bar of Texas
Baker v. Carr
Can the federal government override the state government to protect the citizens of the United States? The 1962 Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr outlines the issue of equal protection under the law. Scholars investigate with a short...
State Bar of Texas
Grutter v. Bollinger
A university decides not to allow a qualified scholar to enter its institution based on skin and gender—but this case is about a white female? The 2003 Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger lays the foundation for open discussion and...
EngageNY
Determining Central Ideas: The 14th Amendment
What is the central idea of the Fourteenth Amendment? Scholars attempt to answer the question as they read and discuss the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the...
Teaching Tolerance
Changing Demographics: What Can We Do to Promote Respect?
America has always been seen as a melting pot to the world. Scholars research the concept of blending cultures in the United States and how it is changing over time. The final lesson of a four-part series analyzes the changing...
Curated OER
Should Homosexuals Have the Right to Laws Protecting Them From Discrimination?
Students explore discrimination issues in America. In this homosexual rights lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on antidiscrimination laws and gay rights. Students respond to questions about the Romer v. Evans case.
Curated OER
Brown v. Board of Education
Students examine school segregation and equal protection laws. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from Brown v. Board of Education and discuss the implications of the decision.
Curated OER
Separate But Equal Video
Eighth graders watch the video "Separate But Equal." They choose an incident or event from the video that is interesting or meaningful to them and write an objective news article and an editorial.
Curated OER
Segregation: From Jim Crow to Linda Brown
Students examine the African American social, economic, and political conditions between 1896 and 1953. In this segregation activity, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the plight of African Americans'...