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Current Category: Current Events and the Constitution
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Subject/Title05.17.10 - Supreme Court Nomination of Elena Kagan
Synopsis/Intro text

This Current Events and the Constitution eLesson focuses on President Obama’s nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

Current Events and the Constitution Briefing Sheet for May 17, 2010

Have your students complete the following activity sheet: The Supreme Court Nomination of Elena Kagan

*The Briefing Sheet is a PDF that can be printed and distributed in your classroom. Each Briefing Sheet includes the following:

  • Constitutional principle(s)/question(s)
  • Resources for further study
  • Questions to consider
  • A "What Do You Think?" section that encourages students to respond to the issue(s)
Last Edited on5/17/2010 12:10:00 PM
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Subject/Title3.16.10 - The US Census and Personal Liberty
Synopsis/Intro textThis month’s Current Events and the Constitution focuses on the US Census. With the 2010 census now underway, some have concerns that the questions are too personal or that the federal government should not have access to this information. Do the questions on the 2010 census form exceed Congress’s constitutional mandate to count population every ten years “in such a manner as they shall by law direct”?

Current Events and the Constitution Briefing Sheet for March 16 , 2009

Have your students complete the following activity sheet: The US Census and Personal Liberty

*The Briefing Sheet is a form-fillable PDF that can be filled out Online, or printed and distributed in your classroom. Each Briefing Sheet includes the following:

  • Constitutional principle(s)/question(s)
  • Resources for further study
  • Questions to consider
  • A "What Do You Think?" section that encourages students to respond to the issue(s)
Last Edited on3/15/2010 4:49:00 PM
 Details

Subject/Title2.16.10 - Made in Utah: Firearms and Federalism
Synopsis/Intro text The Utah legislature recently passed a bill which would exempt firearms made and kept within Utah from federal regulation. The bill is now headed to the Governor, who has expressed concerns about its constitutionality. This current Events and the Constitution eLesson focuses on the Utah bill, the Commerce Clause, and federalism.

Activities:
The Current Events and the Constitution eLesson is distributed monthly with a new Current Events Briefing Sheet each month. The Briefing Sheet is a form-fillable PDF that can be filled out Online, or printed and distributed in your classroom. Each Briefing Sheet includes the following:

  • Constitutional principle(s)/question(s)
  • Resources for further study
  • Questions to consider
  • A "What Do You Think?" section that encourages students to respond to the issue(s)

If you would like to see a sample of a Current Events Briefing Sheet, please click here.

Last Edited on2/12/2010 1:54:00 PM
 Details

Subject/Title1.19.10 - Health Care and Separation of Powers
Synopsis/Intro text Synopsis: This Current Events and the Constitution focuses on the federal health care reform bill, and meetings being held by the President with members of the Senate and House on the pending legislation. It focuses on what the law-making roles of the President and Congress are, and if White House meetings between the President and lawmakers on pending legislation violate the Constitution’s separation of powers. Constitutional principles covered are the powers of the President, how a Bill becomes a Law, and separation of powers.

 

Last Edited on1/19/2010 12:38:00 PM
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Subject/Title11.19.09 - ACORN and Bills of Attainder
Synopsis/Intro textThis Current Events and the Constitution focuses on the September, 2009 Congressional vote to cut off funding for the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN). No one from ACORN has been tried and found guilty and ACORN filed suit against Congress. ACORN argues that cutting off its federal housing, transportation and education funds was unconstitutional because it was a bill of attainder (a piece of legislation targeting one person or group for punishment without a trial). This eLesson looks at Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution, posing the question as to whether the defunding of ACORN was in fact an unconstitutional bill of attainder.
Last Edited on11/19/2009 5:32:00 PM
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Subject/Title10.13.09 - Czars and the Constitution
Synopsis/Intro textThis Current Events and the Constitution focuses on the appointment of so-called "czars" by Presidents including Barack Obama. Can the President appoint individuals to serve as "czars" in his administration without the advice of consent of the Senate? This eLesson looks at this and other constitutional questions surrounding this issue.
Last Edited on10/9/2009 11:39:00 AM
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Subject/Title9.14.09 - The Healthcare Reform Debate
Synopsis/Intro text

Our first Current Events and the Constitution eLesson for the school year focuses on the many constitutional issues surrounding proposals to reform the healthcare system in the United States. For more information about any of the constitutional principles, follow the links in the resources section of each activity to the Bill of Rights Institute’s Study Guide on the Constitution.

Last Edited on9/16/2009 8:29:00 AM
 Details