8 LAW WISE | SEPTEMBER 2021
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure Lesson Plan From the American Constitution Society Grades 9-12 Overview: The purpose of this exercise is for students to come away better informed about the Bill of Rights and, more generally, about the American legal and justice systems. Lesson Duration: Two class sessions Learning Objectives: • Understand the of the importance of the Bill of Rights, specifically the Fourth Amendment • Identify the protections provided by the Fourth Amendment • Compare and contrast the competing interests of the State and the individual citizen • Understand the role of the courts in protecting these Fourth Amendment freedoms • Consider challenges to the application of the Fourth Amendment with newer technology like cell phones and social media Additional Resources: • Handouts/Texts: Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution • The Supreme Court and Case Law Lesson Activities Class Session 1: • Allow students time to read the text of the Fourth Amendment • Divide students into groups and have each group explore one of the following questions: -Who is and who is not a “state actor?” -What types of searches are prohibited? -What is an “unreasonable seizure?” -What is “probable cause?” -What is the “exclusionary rule?” -What is a “reasonable expectation of privacy?” Class Session 2: • Bring your students together and review the below cases and statements • Give the background of the process which lead to the court challenge • Review the rulings of the various courts • Discuss the incident and decision with your class -New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) -Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton (1995) -Safford v. Redding (2009) -Robbins v. Lower Merion School District (2010) Culminating Activity: • Have students write a short (1-2 page) reflection on the Fourth Amendment protections and student privacy
www.ksbar.org/lawwise
