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 groups consisting of attorneys for the appellants, attorneys for the respondents, and Supreme Court Justices role play a trial in which they refer to a list of Constitutional questions to argue for or against applying the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to school-age children of illegal immigrants.

Concepts

united states foreign policy, immigration, united states immigration, illegal immigration, mexico

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the essential question in the resource title to guide a unit, shorter lesson, persuasive writing assignment, or formal debate
• Conduct the mock trial in front of another social studies class, and discuss reactions afterward

Classroom Considerations

• Use the attached resource to establish a protocol for discussing controversial topics
• Consider providing additional articles or prompting groups to find outside information to challenge or corroborate their arguments

Pros

• Provides revised Supreme Court procedure rules to facilitate instruction
• Questions lend well to both discussion and writing prompts
• Provides a resource to guide respectful discussion of controversial topics in the classroom

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.11-12.1 SL.9-10.1.a SL.11-12.1.a