Decisions that Changed History

English Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Course Description:  The class will study the U.S. legal concepts of justice through analyzing four court decisions that have changed the U.S. history: State v. John Scopes, Dred Scott v. Sanford, and Brown v. Board of Education, United States v. Nixon.

Course Objectives:  Students will gain an understanding of the basic U.S. legal concepts.  They will learn how to analyze and evaluate arguments.  Students will also learn how to gather information online through webquests.  Students will gain confidence working in small groups, developing logical arguments, and presenting in front of peers.

Resources: Students will use online source materials to access biographies of key figures, the controversies behind the trials, and read court transcripts.

Instructor:  Leigh-Ellen Kichline Wang has a BA in History and minor in Social Sciences from Southern Illinois University.  She has been teaching high school Social Sciences at HSEFZ on the international and local side for three years.