This document outlines the structure and components of a presentation on a central issue. It provides guidance on including an essential question, conducting research through historical documents, landmark cases, and current news, and presenting different positions while also stating your own position and including proper citations. The document serves as a template to help effectively research and present on a topic.

1. This is where you
get to the central
part of the issue.
Essential Question
This is the beginning of your
presentation

2. Research
• Historical Documents- Constitutional
Principles
• Landmark Cases This is where the research
shows different positions
• News/current events and historical evidence.
Gather Details.
• Positions
http://www.streetlaw.org/en/home

3. Research -Constitutional Principles
• What Constitutional Principles apply to your
issue?
• Primary Source Historical Document
– This is where you include text from the
constitution to support your essential question.
1st Amendment, Bill of Rights
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights.html

4. Research – Landmark Case
• Landmark Case
– What court cases or government policies have dealt with your
issue?
– Include information from a Landmark Case and at least one other
related court case. This may take more than one slide. Even if you
include copied images or text from the case, also make sure you
summarize your findings in your own words. See the next slide for
examples.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-obamacare-lawsuit/

5. Landmark Case article from:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/personality/landmark_minersville.html
Newspaper summary created at Newspaper Clipping
Image Generator
http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp

6. Research –In the News
• News/Current Events
– Find a news story or current event that supports
your issue (you might try the News search feature on Google or search a news agency
like NPR—National Public Radio)
– You may add video/text/audio/images from the
actual report, but you must also summarize in
your own words.
– http://www.npr.org/2012/03/21/148606249/confronting-the-vp-may-be-impolite-is-it-a-crime
– Listen to the story on NPR: “Confronting the VP may be impolite. Is it a crime?”
– Summary: This story, heard on the NPR radio show, Morning Edition, tells the story of a man who saw then
vice president, Dick Cheney at a shopping mall in his town. He told the vice president that he thought the
“Bush Administration’s policies in Iraq were disgusting.” He then left the mall without incident. Later, when
the man returned to the same area looking for his son, the Secret Service arrested him for felony assault of
the vice president. The man was taken to jail and then later released on bail. No charges were filed. The man
decided to sue the Secret Service agents claiming he was not allowed to practice his first amendment right of
freedom of speech.

7. Research –Positions
Discuss the different sides and opinions of the issue. Present
information from different views.
• Using resources like the ones listed • What positions are there on your issue?
below can help you examine different
opinions: • Weigh the positions, sharing evidence
• Opposing Viewpoints from multiple perspectives.
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/?userGroupName=ever2577
• Pro Con http://www.procon.org/ • How are these positions justified?
• Public Agenda http://www.publicagenda.org/

8. Examples of Positions
• Click link to play • Click link to play Viewpoint
Viewpoint http://blabberize.com/view/id/735105
Photo from
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5707784&height=267&width=200
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fishstikks/2502148383/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Created at http://www.voki.com/#
Created at http://blabberize.com/

9. Your Position
• Explain your position on the issue
– Provide reasons for your position that
include:
• An explanation of how a constitutional principal
logically supports your position on the issue
• An explanation of how one additional piece of
credible information logically supports your position
on the issue.

10. Citations
• Place media/picture citations under
image when possible.
• Include sources in a bibliography on
the last slide.