Does a Christmas display on government property violate the Constitution? Learners study the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Lynch v. Donnelly through watching a documentary and hosting a mock community meeting on the issue.

Concepts

supreme court cases, the separation of church and state, the first amendment, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the bill of rights

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Additional Tags

the establishment clause, the first amendment, social studies

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Classroom Considerations

• While originally designed for North Carolina schools, the lesson can easily be adapted for any state

Pros

• Excellent variety of activities and resources, including an online quiz on the separation of church and state, image analysis, and viewing guide for the video clip 
• Clear and detailed instructional guidelines throughout lesson
• All activity handouts included

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.11-12.1.a SL.11-12.4 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.4