Procedures

• Set Up

  This lesson offers several options for you to use with your students whether you are teaching in class, using a hybrid model, or engaging through distance learning. It can be completed in steps as a class or students can move at their own pace and complete the activities independently.

  You can post links to the videos and articles in the lesson along with the related graphic organizer and engage in discussion to share responses on a discussion board or learning management system.

  You can also save and share the following Google resources for students to use with this lesson.

  Handout: Graphic Organizer (Google Doc).

  Handout: Vocabulary and Case Chart (Google Doc).

  Activity Resource: Video Clip Choice Activity (Google Slides).

  Activity Resource: Video Clip Choice T-Chart (Google Doc).

  OPTIONAL Handout: Additional Notetaking Tool & Extension Activity (Google Doc).

  OPTIONAL Resource: Presidential Brief Template (Google Doc).

  In Google, choose "File" then "Make a Copy" to get your own copy. You can make any needed adjustments in the instructions such as which activities students need to complete, when it is due, etc. and then make it available to them via Google.

  Additionally, you should prepare paper or cardstock in small (2" to 3" wide) hexagonal shapes for student use or have materials available for students to make the hexagons themselves. Alternatively, the activity using the paper hexagons can be completed on a virtual platform, such as JamBoard or Google Slides.

• Warm Up

  Have your students review this background article and record the most important 7 to 10 facts from the article in their graphic organizer.

  After reviewing the article, engage your students in a paired or small group setting hexagonal thinking, encouraging the students to connect the various elements of the abortion debate over time.

  As an extension, each group can merge their separate hexagonal maps to create one whole-class map. This hexagonal map can also extend throughout the lesson and can be supported with other resources at the teacher's discretion.

• Vocabulary

  This lesson comes with a list of potentially unfamiliar vocabulary terms and court cases heard or seen throughout the lesson. Have students define or describe each term or phrase in the vocabulary and case chart. Have students review the vocabulary terms and phrases before beginning the lesson and encourage students to reference the chart when they encounter an unfamiliar word in the video clips or articles. A potential extension to the use of the chart could be having your students define and present the terms in a Frayer's Model activity, where each student takes one-to-two words or cases. Students can then post their models around the room for reference throughout the lesson.

• Guided Exploration

  Direct students to watch each video independently or with a partner. Students should prepare responses to the questions on their graphic organizers.

  • Clip 1: Texas State of the State Address (1:30), Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) delivered the state of the state address, including these comments regarding abortion, in Lockhart.
  • Clip 2: Lawrence Hurley on Texas Abortion Law and Future of Roe v. Wade (4:13), Lawrence Hurley, U.S. Supreme Court Correspondent for Reuters, talked about the Texas abortion law and what it means for the future of Roe v. Wade.
  • Clip 3: Attorney General Garland News Conference (2:25), U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the Justice Department would file suit against the state of Texas over its law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
  • Clip 4: Planned Parenthood v. Casey (3:09), The program covered the reactions of people involved in the United States Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

• Application

  Note: This segment of the lesson is intended to introduce several topics of current debate regarding abortion. The teacher should utilize his or her discretion regarding any editing, addition, or removal of topics included in this section.

  STEP 1: Have your students choose a topic from the video clip choice activity to view (topics and clips are listed below) and have them watch the clip and record their notes and insights on the appropriate Google Slide.

  STEP 2: Then, have the students develop a T-chart comparing their topic with an abortion law or court case of their choice. Provide students studying an abortion law with a copy of the "New Laws Deepen State Differences Over Abortion" (PEW) article. Provide students studying a court case with access to this webpage from Oyez. Remind students to use the video clips and other resources for their T-charts.

  STEP 3: Direct your students to share their findings with a partner, a small group, or the whole class.

• Application Topics

  • Clip 5: CPAC Discussion on Abortion (3:09), Anti-abortion activists held a discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). This clip focuses on the "life of the mother" abortion argument.
  • Clip 6: Parental Notification for Minors (3:45), Susan Smith, the National Right to Life Legislative Director, responded to the Supreme Court decisions (Ohio v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health; Hodgson v. Minnesota) which were about whether teenagers need parental permission to obtain an abortion.
  • Clip 7: Catholicism and Abortion (2:51), Mary Jean Collins, Director of Catholics for a Free Choice, discusses the Webster v. Reproductive Health Service case and how abortion is viewed differently among members of the Catholic Church.
  • Clip 8: Strict Scrutiny to Undue Burden (3:45), Legal experts examined former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s opinions on abortion at a conference on his impact and legacy. This clip discusses both his and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's roles in changing the judicial formulation regarding abortion.
  • Clip 9: Different Forms of Abortion (5:24), Ann Furedi, of the British Pregnancy Advisory Centers, discusses varied alternatives to perform abortions and prevent pregnancy, including early medical methods, IUDs, and contraceptives.
  • Clip 10: Reflections on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (2:42), Thompson Reuters Supreme Court Correspondent Lawrence Hurley joined by phone to discuss the case, and how the case centers on restrictions regarding abortion providers and facilities.

• Closure

  After students have completed their application activities and shared their findings with the class, direct your students to respond to the following closure questions:

  • What disagreements are historically and currently central to the debate regarding abortion law and policy in the United States?
  • How might the ongoing debate regarding abortion continue in the future?

• OPTIONAL: Additional Tool & Extension

  Per teacher discretion, direct students to utilize the additional notetaking tool throughout the lesson. Then, have students choose one box of personal interest for independent study. Students should develop a presidential brief regarding their topic of choice.