Kyle Deger

SPED 405 Carty

Accommodations Assignment For Curtis

Technology and the Law

Lesson Plan: Technology & The Law Names: Kyle Deger, Vanessa Matthews, and Brad Perkins Class/Subject: High School Social Studies (Political Science) Class

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes: 1. Students will be able to summarize a section of the reading and orally present what they read to the class. 2. Students will be able to critically think about the issues presented and formulate their own opinion(s). 3) Students will construct and lead a debate/discussion regarding the relationship between civil liberties and modern technology.

Content Standards: 1.B.5a Relate reading to prior knowledge and experience and make connections to related information. 1.C.5b Analyze and defend an interpretation of text. 18.A.4 Analyze the influence of cultural factors including customs, traditions, language, media, art and architecture in developing pluralistic societies. 18.C.4b Analyze major contemporary cultural exchanges as influenced by worldwide communications.

Materials/Resources/Technology: 1. Copies of Technology & The Law reading 2. Notebooks 3. Writing utensils 4. Multiple Dictionaries 5. Chalkboard/Whiteboard 6. Chalk/Dry-erase markers

Teacher s Goals: 1. For the students to have a better understanding of the impact that technology has in today s court systems. 2. For the students to effectively communicate with one another, in presenting their issue and voicing their opinion. 3. For the students be able to formulate an opinion on the issues and be able to critically think about what the result may be.

4. For students to be able to apply a primary source (Bill of Rights) to a contemporary issue.

Time: Before class: Teacher write out the first and fourth amendment on the board (Listed below under Introduction) (Modifications are in red) 2 min: Start of Class: Ask the students to close their eyes and raise their hand if the following sentences may be true to them. 1) 2) 3) 4) Raise your hand if you have social networking site (i.e. facebook, myspace, etc.) Raise your hand if you play video games that depict violence. Raise your hand if you have ever downloaded a movie or song illegally on the internet. Raise your hand if you have ever participated in cyberbullying or have been the victim of cyberbullying.

Ask the students to keep their hands up, and open their eyes. Teacher will then point out how prevalent technology is in our lives based on the number of hands raised. Along with these different scenarios, our rights granted by the Constitution come into question. 10 min: Introduction of Lesson: Using the results and situations presented earlier, talk to the students about the reading that they are going to read and how it incorporates the civil liberties we previously covered in our lesson on the Bill of Rights (1791). Teacher will briefly recap the First and Fourth Amendments because they will be discussed in the readings for today s lesson. Teacher will provide Curtis with a handout which has the First and Fourth Amendments already printed in a modified version. Have two different students read aloud the first and fourth amendment (on board): The modified versions of the amendments in red will be used so that students with deficits in reading will not get lost or frustrated with the language of the original amendment. First Amendment: 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. First Amendment: Gives citizens the freedom of religion, speech, press, and to peacefully assemble. (Citizens can speak for what they believe). Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Fourth Amendment: Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. (Somebody has to have a reason to search and seize stuff from your house).

Ask students these questions: What kinds of actions would infringe upon your rights, according to these amendments? What are some concrete examples of the freedoms given to the citizens in the First Amendment? Curtis will have the freedoms linked with visual aids on his handout. Keep in mind these amendments while you are reading. There will be five issues that have to do with technology and the law, and they will be discussing all five as a group. 40 min: Lesson Instruction: 1) Pass out the reading. 2) Have students read the introduction (the first four paragraphs). Instead, teacher will use read-aloud technique in which the teacher reads the first four paragraphs as the students follow along in the text. 3) Explain that they will be split up into five groups and each group will take an issue (Free Speech, Cyberbullying, Violent Video Games, Downloading, Online Privacy) and be prepared to summarize the issue and the background. After they have presented their issue, each student will take a stance on the issue (agree/disagree). The facilitators of that issue will then lead a short debate/discussion and then the class will vote (Encourage the creation of a few questions). Afterwards the group must summarize what the court has said regarding that issue and what to watch for in regards to that issue. Groups will be told ahead of time that they will evaluate each other s participation within the group. Group roles will be assigned. There will be a leader who basically keeps everyone on task, a recorder who writes down highlights of the group discussion, and a presenter who will basically read aloud the group notes/findings to the class. Curtis will be asked to assume the role of presenter because it plays on his strengths as an active participant in most class discussions. He will also be aided by both the recorder and leader in his group who will be picked ahead of time. I chose to pair him with brighter students who are stronger readers in order to assure that the paired/shared reading (next section) will be beneficial to Curtis, and also these students will help Curtis stay on task. 4) Break the class up into five groups. Give them approximately fifteen minutes to read and prepare as a group. Make sure that the students are taking notes of their own issue and the other issues once presentations begin. As the students are reading the article, they should look up any words they do not know in the dictionary and write the definition down. Instead, allow for ample time (20-25minutes) to ensure all students have the necessary time to fully grasp the reading. Paired/shared reading will be used within the group because it will help Curtis to practice his basic reading skills and at the same time hear the information read by his classmates which plays to his strength as an oral learner. Curtis will be provided a worksheet for his group s section on cyberbullying. It will include unfamiliar terms already defined, an accommodated form of the reading which highlights the main ideas, and a section for Curtis to jot down feedback from his group s discussion. 5) Bring the focus of the class back and have the groups present. Make sure they follow the pattern of: Curtis will be provided group notes from the recorder in addition to his reading guide which will assist him in his presentation of the group s discussion.

-Summarize the issue and the background. This includes defining to the class the unfamiliar terms they wrote down while reading the article. Curtis can simply read from his guide when presenting. -Have the classmates take a stance on the issue and support it. (For example, those in support move to the right of the room, those in opposition move to the left). -Facilitate debate/discussion. Teacher will briefly open the floor to any final student comments. Limit this discussion if time becomes a factor. -Take a vote. Students will be asked to take a final position. The class will then reach a decision. -Teacher will summarize what the courts have said and what to watch for. Teacher will reiterate which specific aspects of each case make it a decision of constitutionality to the students. Curtis will be provided with some brief notes by the teacher on each of the cases on his handout.

5 min: Assessments/Checks for Understanding: Peer evaluation will be passed out and teacher will have students rate the effectiveness of each member s participation. Each student will be evaluated on the notes they have taken (by teacher) and a peer evaluation as well. Curtis will be evaluated by the completion of his reading guide and by his group evaluation form. Peer Evaluation: Name of Evaluator ________________________________ Rate peers on a scale of 1 to 3. (1 being poor, 3 being great) Peer 1 Summarizing Participation: Discussion/Debate Leader: Presentation Skill: Total: /9 /3

/3 /3

Peer 2 Summarizing Participation: Discussion/Debate Leader: Presentation Skill: Total: /9 /3

/3 /3

Peer 3 Summarizing Participation: Discussion/Debate Leader: Presentation Skill: Total: /9 /3

/3 /3

The following peer evaluation is much clearer and easier to assess each member of the group. Abstract rankings like numbers are not used. Specific criteria for each role are the basis for which the group members will score each other. In fact, I find this assessment will be helpful for all students in the class, not just Curtis specifically.

Peer/Self Evaluation
Name of Evaluator and Role ________________________________ (Circle the most accurate description of each peer s involvement in the group discussion) Peer 1 (Leader) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Kept all group members on task: Never Never Sometimes Sometimes Always Sometimes Always Always

Provided support throughout paired reading exercise: Never Peer 2 (Recorder) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Took Detailed Notes: Never Never Sometimes

Sometimes Always Sometimes

Always

Organized notes for group presentation to class: Never Peer 3 (Presenter) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Accurately presented group findings to class: Clearly stated group s stance on the issue: Never Never Never

Always

Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes

Always Always Always

5 min: Closure/Wrap-Up/Review: Briefly go over results of the voting, and discuss the reading as a whole. Ask if the students have any comments/questions/concerns.

Brief Description of the lesson (or attach lesson outline): The lesson I wish to modify is one which I created for a co-taught lesson last spring for a high school Government course. It focuses on Technology & the Law. It aims to get students to think about the Bill of Rights/Constitution and apply these rights to contemporary court cases. Students will go through the process of determining whether or not certain actions and then the actual court decisions are constitutional.

Table One: Input Consider the following for what is being taught (What YOU are doing / presenting / facilitating) Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated or accommodated
Teacher having students learn the amendments by reading them verbatim off of the board.

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Deficits in reading decoding/comprehension

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

Modified text of the amendments in lower reading level (provided by teacher at beginning of instruction).

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
The modified text will help Curtis see what he is hearing. Curtiss weakness is in reading, so perhaps a modified form of the text in the amendments will help him comprehend them better. Curtis has difficulty in reading independently but excels when text is read to him. This may be helpful in having him read along as he listens to the words. This will help Curtis understand the reading better because it will allow

Reading the first four paragraphs of the article to themselves before they split up into groups.

Deficits in reading comprehension/decoding.

Perhaps a Read-Aloud in which the teacher reads the first four paragraphs as the students follow along in the text.

Break up the class into groups and have them read the article and then discuss if the

Reading comprehension/decoding

Paired or Shared Reading in which the students alternate reading the article.

situation is constitutional or not.

Curtis will be paired with a group of stronger readers to help assist. Then the group will have different roles (leader, recorder, presenter, etc.) in which each student will perform a specific role. Curtis will be prompted to assume the role of presenter because it will play on his strengths as an active participant in class discussions.

him to practice his reading and at the same time hear the text from his classmates. The different roles within the group will help Curtis focus and hopefully keep him on task.

Table Two: Output Consider the following for what the STUDENT is being asked to do during the lesson Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Asking students to listen to another student read aloud the amendments, and then ask follow-up, comprehension questions. Asking students to provide concrete examples of freedoms given to citizens in the 1st Amendment orally.

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the output of the lesson:
Deficits in reading decoding and comprehension

Suggested Explanation of how the Differentiation / previous suggestion will Universal Design / benefit the chosen student Assistive Technology / Accommodation
Supplying student with handout of amendments which are modified in a lower reading level and contain visuals to further stimulate Curtiss learning. Provide Curtis with an outline which will have the four freedoms specifically listed with an image linked to Curtis struggles with reading comprehension/decoding. Perhaps the reinforcement of the words with images on paper, and the students reading them aloud will reinforce the content. Curtis is more of a visual/oral learner. Perhaps playing to his strengths, he may be able to absorb the information better if there is

Curtiss resistance to take notes which in turn makes studying difficult.

them.

Making sure students take notes on their issue and the other issues as they are being presented to the class Having the student write down any words which they do not know and having them look the words up in a dictionary.

Curtiss ADHD and difficulty with notetaking

Curtiss difficulty with reading (three and a half years below grade level)

Providing Curtis with a worksheet to fill in as he listens to the other groups present. Also, providing oral and visual cues for Curtis to note what is important. Provide Curtis with a list of vocabulary ahead of time. Also maybe highlighting important sections of the text which will help him to focus his reading.

a visual to link it to. Any examples presented by students orally will only strengthen Curtiss understanding because his memory works best when information is presented orally. Curtis has issues with organization and notetaking. Perhaps this will help Curtis with both of these struggles.

Curtis will not be able to pick out which words are difficult if he already has a difficult time reading in general. Providing him with a list of vocabulary ahead of time may help. Also gearing him to look at specific sections of the text which contain the main ideas may help him focus his reading.

Table Three: Behavioral Support Consider aspects of the lesson that may affect student behavior (grouping / scheduling / timing / expectations / materials, etc) Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Allowing students fifteen minutes for reading the section of

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Deficits in reading comprehension/decoding.

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

Extended time to read the section of the article. Also, paired-readingin

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
The suggestion will not only give Curtis more time to read

the article to which their group is assigned.

which students switch off reading aloud within their groups. Curtis will be placed in a group of strong readers who can easily assist him as he reads the article.

Breaking students into small groups to discuss their court case.

Curtiss ADHD and struggle with reading/focusing.

Assigning specific roles/responsibilities within the group to help Curtis focus on his role. Also, having Curtis work with a trained classmate could help him stay on task and help him read/understand the article.

and process the information, but also the paired reading will help play on his strengths by having him listen to strong readers as he takes in the information. These stronger readers will also be helpful aides for Curtis in his reading of the article The assignment of group roles and specifically placing Curtis with a trained classmate will help both his difficulties in reading comprehension and will help him to remain on task in a small group setting which can get out of control without designated roles.

Table Four: Tests / Assessment / Evaluation Consider the following for the evaluation aspect(s) of the lesson Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Students will be evaluated by the notes they have taken

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Curtiss struggles with note-taking.

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

Provide a reading guide for Curtis to fill in for his section but then an

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
Curtis has a difficult time taking notes. Perhaps a provided

throughout the period

outline in which he can follow along as the rest of the class presents.

Students will be evaluated by peer evaluations within their small discussion groups.

Deficits in reading decoding

A more descriptive rubric in which Curtis can see the criteria for choosing the different scores for his peers.

Students will decide whether situation/case is constitutional by a class vote.

Curtiss difficulty in decoding information

Having students provide an explanation for their choice. Then the instructor will help explain which specific aspects are Constitutional.

outline will help him with this process. It will be better than having him start with a blank piece of paper. He will also be able to absorb the information better since much is lost when he struggles to take notes. Now he will be able to listen to his classmates and follow along with the outline provided. I think a rubric with numbers and vague descriptions like the ones on my rubric may be too abstract for a learner like Curtis. Curtis may need some cues or explanation as to how he chooses each score. Curtis may not understand reasons why students are voting whether a decision/situation is constitutional or not. It may need some extra clarification and constant repetition for the information to sit with Curtis.

(Original Text) Technology & the Law How does the Constitution written 200 years before Facebook and texting apply to the digital world? By Stefanie Olsen

When the Founding Fathers sat down to write the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, they could never have imagined anything like cyberspace. Now that technology has become such an integral part of everyday life with teens often leading the way the courts are struggling with how to translate constitutional principles and protections for the digital world. Among the issues the courts are grappling with are how the First Amendment right to free speech, the Fourth Amendment's protection against "unreasonable search and seizures," and laws against harassment apply online. Here's a look at five areas in which the courts are trying to answer these types of questions. Free Speech The Issue: Do you have the right to express yourself online without fear of legal action? The Background: The courts have said First Amendment rights do apply online. But those free-speech rights are subject to the same limits as in person and in print: You can't defame, libel, or slander another person.* What makes online speech trickier is the instant access to an enormous audience that the Web provides. Casual comments that were once made to friends in person or on the phone are now permanently "published" on websites and social networks, making them easier targets for legal action. What the Courts Have Said: After Justin Kurtz, a 21-year-old college student in Kalamazoo, Michigan, had his car towed earlier this year; he turned to Facebook to vent about his experience. But the Facebook group he created, "Kalamazoo Residents against T&J Towing," prompted a defamation lawsuit by the towing company, which is seeking $750,000 in damages. Kurtz says he did nothing but tell the truth of his experience. The legal battle is ongoing. Courts are also grappling with how much control schools can exert over their students' online speech. In 2006, Pennsylvania high school senior Justin Layshock was suspended for creating an online parody of his principal, writing on a fake MySpace profile that the principal was "too drunk to remember" his birthday. The resulting lawsuit against the school, Layshock v. Hermitage School District, argued that the school, in punishing Layshock, had violated his right to freely express himself online. A judge sided with Layshock, but the school has appealed. In other similar cases, including a separate case in Pennsylvania, the courts have ruled that the schools were justified in punishing students for things they'd written online. "Schools argue that the Internet changes everything, because it's available everywhere and they should be able to punish [students] as if they were in school," says Vik Malchak, legal director of the A.C.L.U. in Pennsylvania. "But that would make principals censors of the Web."

What to Watch For: Free-speech lawyers say that the Layshock case could be among the first online free-speech cases to reach the Supreme Court. "The question is," says Malchak, "to what extent can school officials punish students for what they say off campus, especially what they say on the Internet, typically from their home computers." Cyberbullying The Issue: Can you go to jail for harassing someone via text message or on a social networking site? The Background: Bullying is as old as the schoolyard. But the Internet, social networks, and text messaging have brought vast new opportunities for abuse. (See Voices) Online bullying can be particularly harsh because the taunts can go viral, spreading quickly and broadly. "No place is safe, because technology can reach you anywhere, 24/7," says Parry Aftab, an Internet lawyer and executive director of stopcyberbullying.org. In January, Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old high school student who had recently moved from Ireland to South Hadley, Massachusetts, took her own life after three months of in-person harassment and bullying through text messages and Facebook. What the Courts Have Said: In March, six high school students were charged with criminal harassment and other offenses in connection with Prince's death. They have all pleaded not guilty. The Prince case is one of the first in which criminal charges involving cyberbullying have been brought against students. The courts are struggling to interpret how harassment laws apply online. It's only in recent years that states have started to address the issue legislatively by adding cyberbullying to existing laws. What to Watch For: Prince's suicide has already prompted new laws. In the last year, several states including New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where Prince was bullied have specifically made cyberbullying a crime. Congress is also considering the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, named after a 13-year-old California girl who committed suicide in 2006 after extensive bullying online. The proposed federal law would impose criminal penalties for sending electronic communication "intended to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress." "It's so easy to use any digital technology to harass someone," Aftab says. "We're going to see many more [legal] cases because everyone's sick of it." Violent Video Games The Issue: Do video-game makers have the right to sell violent video games to minors? The Background: In the best-selling video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the player runs around with gangs, stealing cars and murdering people. Many parents and lawmakers fear that this kind of video-game violence can cause psychological harm to young people or incite aggressive behavior. As a result, several states, including California, have passed laws restricting the sale of violent video games to minors. Free-speech advocates and the Entertain-ment Merchants Association, a trade group for the videogame industry, argue that the First Amendment protects all forms of artistic expression, even if it includes violence.

What the Courts Have Said: So far, the courts have blocked the implementation of the California law, which was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and similar laws in other states on the grounds that there is no evidence that violence in video games harms young people and that expressions of violence are protected under the First Amendment. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider this topic for the first time by reviewing the California law. The case, Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association, will be heard during the upcoming Supreme Court term. What to Watch For: Several legal experts say they expect the Supreme Court to agree with the lower courts and strike down the California law. But if the Court decides that the law is constitutional, we can expect to see many new laws along these lines. "It potentially opens up a major Pandora's box of free-speech problems by classifying depictions of violence as forbidden speech," says Adam Thierer of the Progress and Freedom Foundation, a technology think tank. "That would be a sea change, constitutionally speaking, in American First Amendment law." Downloading The Issue: Do you have the right to download a song or movie online from free file-sharing sites? The Background: The entertainment industry has been trying to take down Web services that let people swap music and movies for free ever since the creation of Napster in 1999. In 2003, major film and music studios started suing individuals, including many teens, in an effort to deter the practice. To the industry, free downloading is no different from stealing a CD or sneaking into a movie theater without a ticket. They say it violates federal copyright law, which prohibits the copying and redistribution of artistic works without permission. What the Courts Have Said: In 2007, the first file-sharing lawsuit to go before a jury pitted all of the major record labels against Jammie Thomas, a 30-year-old Minnesota woman accused of downloading 24 songs on the file-sharing service Kazaa. (The music industry had filed copyright-infringement lawsuits against 30,000 people; Thomas was the first to go to trial instead of settling out of court.) In Capitol v. Thomas (named after the lead plaintiff, Capitol Records), the jury found Thomas guilty of willful copyright infringement. Thomas was initially ordered to pay $1.9 million in damages, later reduced on appeal to $54,000, or $2,250 per song. But the case is scheduled to go back to court yet again this fall to revisit the damages award. What to Watch For: Legal experts don't expect a downloading case to reach the Supreme Court anytime soon, largely because most major film and music studios have dropped individual lawsuits after a rash of bad publicity. While sites like Apple's iTunes have convinced many people to pay for their downloads, some experts say the copyright laws should be revised to make distinctions between professional pirates who can make millions selling stolen digital files and those downloading for their own use. "The law needs to recognize the difference between commercial pirates and a high school student in her basement with a single movie," says Jason Schultz, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Online Privacy

The Issue: What level of privacy can you expect on a cellphone, computer, or social network? The Background: Years ago, when people wanted to keep personal information private, they'd put it in a locked desk drawer or a safety deposit box. Now, people keep untold amounts of private information online everything from credit card and Social Security numbers to medical records and e-mail. Courts have already begun allowing police to obtain warrants to search computer and cellphone records when they're investigating crimes. But what about businesses that have access to your personal information? Are there limits to how they can use that information? Last spring, there was an uproar when Facebook changed its privacy settings in a way that forced people, at least temporarily, to make more of their personal information public. With nearly 500 million users worldwide, Facebook has become a force in defining new standards for privacy in the Internet age. What the Courts Have Said: In June, David Gould of South Lake Tahoe, California, filed a class-action lawsuit, Gould v. Facebook, seeking $5 million in damages. He claims that Facebook shared his personal information with advertisers without his consent, in violation of its privacy policy. As is the case with free-speech issues, the courts are grappling with how the law applies when schools are involved. The Supreme Court has already established that schools can search a student's locker if they have reason to suspect illegal activity. Now, some schools are using that same logic to say they have the right to search electronic devices brought to school. A 2006 case in Pennsylvania, Klump v. Nazareth Area School District, involved a teacher who had confiscated a student's cellphone because it was visible in class, in violation of school policy. An administrator searched through the student's stored text messages, voicemail, and contact list to find out if other students were also violating the school's cellphone policy. The court ruled that the confiscation of the cellphone was justified, but the search of the phone records violated the student's Fourth Amendment rights. What to Watch For: In May, Congress began considering a new Internet privacy law that would beef up online privacy protections. Meanwhile, the Digital Due Process Initiative a group of Internet companies, academics, and civil liberties groups is working on updating the 1986 Electronic Communications and Privacy Act (ECPA). One goal is to protect the privacy of search records and files held in the "cloud" on servers operated by Google and Facebook. "ECPA is based on assumptions that are very dated, such as if you leave your opened e-mail on a thirdparty server (like Gmail) you have 'abandoned' it, and so the government can get it without a warrant," says Cindy Cohn of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "In these days of cloud computing, such assumptions are ridiculous, but the law hasn't kept up."

* To defame someone is to make a statement, often false, that damages their reputation; libel is the written form of defamation and slander is the spoken form. (The New York Times Upfront, Vol. 143, September 6, 2010)

(Sample of Curtis s Amendment Handout)

FIRST AND FOURTH AMENDMENTS

First Amendment: Gives citizens the freedom of religion, speech, press, and to peacefully assemble. (Citizens can speak for what they believe).

Religion

Speech

Press

Assembly

Fourth Amendment: Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. (Somebody has to have a reason to search and seize stuff from your house without court permission).

(Sample of Curtis s Reading used in Read-Aloud is the same as rest of the class for the most part)

Technology & The Law

How does the Constitution written 200 years before Facebook and texting apply to the digital world?

By Stefanie Olsen

When the Founding Fathers sat down to write the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, they could never have imagined anything like cyberspace. Now that technology has become such an integral part of everyday life with teens often leading the way the courts are struggling with how to translate constitutional principles and protections for the digital world. Among the issues the courts are grappling with are how the First Amendment right to free speech, the Fourth Amendment's protection against "unreasonable search and seizures," and laws against harassment apply online. Here's a look at five areas in which the courts are trying to answer these types of questions

(Sample of Curtis s modified reading guide with highlighting)

Vocabulary
Viral: becoming very popular by circulating quickly from person to person Harassment: the act of disturbing, pestering, or bothering repeatedly Coerce: to compel or dominate by force or authority Distress: great pain, anxiety, or sorrow

Cyberbullying
The Issue: Can you go to jail for harassing someone via text message or on a social networking site? The Background: Bullying is as old as the schoolyard. But the Internet, social networks, and text messaging have brought vast new opportunities for abuse. (See Voices) Online bullying can be particularly harsh because the taunts can go viral, spreading quickly and broadly. "No place is safe, because technology can reach you anywhere, 24/7," says Parry Aftab, an Internet lawyer and executive director of stopcyberbullying.org. In January, Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old high school student who had recently moved from Ireland to South Hadley, Massachusetts, took her own life after three months of in-person harassment and bullying through text messages and Facebook.

What the Courts Have Said: In March, six high school students were charged with criminal harassment and other offenses in connection with Prince's death. They have all pleaded not guilty. The Prince case is one of the first in which criminal charges involving cyberbullying have been brought against students. The courts are struggling to interpret how harassment laws apply online. It's only in recent years that states have started to address the issue legislatively by adding cyberbullying to existing laws. What to Watch For: Prince's suicide has already prompted new laws. In the last year, several states including New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where Prince was bullied have specifically made cyberbullying a crime. Congress is also considering the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, named after a 13year-old California girl who committed suicide in 2006 after extensive bullying online. The proposed federal law would impose criminal penalties for sending electronic communication "intended to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress." "It's so easy to use any digital technology to harass someone," Aftab says. "We're going to see many more [legal] cases because everyone's sick of it."

(Curtis s guided reading questions and outline for class presentations)

Name:______________________________ Cyberbullying: 1. Is your group in support of unlimited use of technology? YES / NO

2. Two forms of social technology through which Phoebe Prince was harassed: ________________________ and ____________________________________

3. The six students in connection with the death of Phoebe Prince received criminal charges for cyberbullying: TRUE / FALSE

4. Does your group think cyberbullying should be made illegal? YES / NO

Other Group Presentations Free Speech Amendment in Question: 1st Amendment Do you have the right to express yourself freely online?

Violent Video Games Amendment in Question: 1st Amendment Freedom of Speech/Expression

Downloading Violates Federal Copyright Law

Online Privacy Amendment in Question: 4th Amendment

Peer/Self Evaluation Name of Evaluator and Role ________________________________ (Circle the most accurate description of each peer s contribution to their role within the group)

Peer 1 (Leader) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Kept all group members on task: Never Never Sometimes Sometimes Always Sometimes Always Always

Provided support throughout paired reading exercise: Never

Peer 2 (Recorder) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Took Detailed Notes: Never Never Sometimes Sometimes Always Sometimes Always Always

Organized notes for group presentation to class: Never

Peer 3 (Presenter) Actively Participated in Group Discussion: Accurately presented group findings to class: Clearly stated group s stance on the issue: Never Never Never Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes Always Always Always

Co-teaching the Lesson Plan: I think this lesson would most effectively be taught using two of the co-teaching models from our lecture on co-teaching. A combination of both station teaching and team teaching would probably be the best way to co-teach this particular lesson. Team teaching would be used in both the presentation of the article and amendments. I think it would be beneficial for the students to learn this information from a couple of different voices (including their classmates). Therefore, I think the teacher would be best equipped to discuss and explain the amendments while the special education teacher aids more in leading/prompting the discussion questions which follow. This really speaks to the model which the two teachers I interviewed supported. Both the teacher and the special education teacher will essentially play off of each other in a manner in which it appears no one teacher is the primary teacher. At the end of class, both teachers will take a part in facilitating the debates and voting which will follow each of the group presentations. Station teaching could be used in the portion of the lesson which asks the students to assemble into groups and read/discuss a section of the article. I suggested in my lesson accommodation that a struggling reader like Curtis could be paired with stronger readers in order to aid his comprehension of the article. However, if this lesson were co-taught, I think station teaching would be an effective strategy to use. Instead of relying on brighter students to assist struggling readers in this part of the lesson, the two teachers can be used or inserted into some of the groups. Perhaps Curtis is not the only struggling reader in this class. Maybe forming a group of the struggling readers with the special education teacher could be an option which will provide these students with the most help. This way, the text and assignment could be modified further to effectively reach these students. The other teacher would assume the same role as the special education teacher in this station teaching. He or she would simply insert him into a group or help guide the group in its discussion/debate of the article.

Reflection Overall, this lesson did not require drastic accommodations for a student like Curtis. When I went back to make accommodations, it mainly revolved around the literacy aspect of the lesson. Curtis will benefit from much of this lesson because he is an oral and visual learner. He learns best and participates often in class discussions. However, Curtis struggles with both reading and remaining organized/on task. Therefore, I had to make accommodations when either of these areas would hinder his ability to learn and retain the content presented in class. I crafted a lesson which predominantly played to Curtis s strengths. Curt is a social person, and he is both an oral and visual learner. He struggles with taking notes, so a traditional lecture format to one s instruction would not be the best option. That is why I chose a lesson which constantly differentiates its instruction. Where the lesson is text and reading heavy, I have accommodated those portions to play to Curtis s strengths. For example, the inclusion of visual aids in Curtis s version of the reading plays to his strength as a visual learner. The report for Curtis also said he retained vocabulary better when the words were defined for him beforehand. I completely mirrored this suggestion in the handout I provided him. I also provided a guided outline for both full class discussions which include the wording of the amendments and the class discussion on the cases because Curtis struggles with note-taking (I am assuming as a result of his ADHD). This little accommodation will benefit someone like Curtis who learns more from visual aids and discussion. It will eliminate the aspect of the lesson that would turn off a student like Curtis who would simply struggle. I already touched on this, but I specifically chose this lesson because it already caters to students with needs like Curtis. The lesson incorporates a number of methods of instruction: brief lecture, Q and A, small group work, and full class discussion. This structure will definitely help in educating a student with ADHD because the instructional delivery is constantly changing. It also asks the student to actively participate in the lesson when they are asked to perform different tasks within their group. The report

also notes that Curtis is a social student, so the use of interaction within small groups and then a full class discussion are both methods which will engage a student like Curtis. As I stated earlier, this lesson is designed to include and engage a number of different learners. In areas where a student may struggle, like literacy, he or she may excel in the portion of the lesson which is predominantly discussion oriented. Basically, the lesson tries to include all students in any way possible, and when it cannot, accommodations like those made specifically for Curtis will be made. I found this assignment to be beneficial (although it was a lot of work). One of my goals at the beginning of this year from my daily points sheet was to create a lesson plan which was all-inclusive and excludes no one. I took one more step in this direction with the completion of this assignment. It was really beneficial to read through a report like that Curtis and then make tweaks to a lesson in order to ensure that all students will have the chance to learn. Although it did seem like a lot of work, it was a helpful exercise, especially as I begin student-teaching in the spring. I may have a student like Curtis in my class. At least I have now had some sort of practice in reading through a student report and some exposure to the number of accommodations which I can make to engage a struggling student. The final area which was beneficial was the co-teaching portion of the assignment. I am completely on board with co-teaching after I have seen its benefits both in my interview and in the class presentation from the math teachers. This was the first time I was asked to structure a co-teaching lesson in my young career. In the past, we did not really focus on or capitalize the different methods in which co-teaching can take place. Co-teaching lessons will really be helpful in a classroom which has several struggling students, and it was advantageous to have the practice of forming one in this assignment.