One of the first public signs of equal protection under the law came with the Brown v. Board of Education court case in 1954. Learners use a short video clip to analyze the role equal rights play in the US court system. They research court cases and landmark decisions that highlight where the law provides equal protection for everyone in the United States. The video is the 29th lesson in a 50-part series on the US government and politics. 

Concepts

the united states government, american politics, equal rights

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Assign group research on individual equal rights cases from the history of the United States 
• Extend the lesson with research on the Fourteenth Amendment and the rights protected within the Constitution 

Classroom Considerations

• Ensure students have computer and Internet access if assigning the video clip as homework

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Includes the Thought Bubble, which uses animation and humor to describe the key concept 
• Cites several primary source Supreme Court cases for further development 
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3