Running Head: DESIGNING GROUPING PATTERNS 1

Assignment 4.1a

Designing Grouping Patterns

Michael Wigglesworth

National University

August 27, 2014

MAT 674 Differentiated Instruction

Instructor: Professor Brandy Prather-Payne

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Abstract

This paper examines how different patterns of differentiated grouping can be used to

maximize student engagement and ensure that all students have opportunities to develop

the understandings and skills required by the content standards. More specifically, this

paper outlines how whole group, small group, and student panels can be used for

teaching the social science content standard 12.5:

Students summarize landmark U.S. Supreme Court interpretations of the

Constitution and its amendments… Understand the changing interpretations of the
Bill of Rights over time, including interpretations of the basic freedoms (religion,
speech, press, petition, and assembly) articulated in the First Amendment and the
due process and equal-protection-of-the-law clauses of the Fourteenth
Amendment (California Department of Education, 2009).
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The following lesson plans are designed to take place midway through a unit on

the judicial branch of government. The students have already been taught the structure

and constitutional design of the federal judiciary. They have also explored and

understand the appeals process and how cases move through the federal court system.

The following lessons are designed to familiarize students with specific landmark court

cases and the constitutional legal arguments that were presented in the Supreme Court.

Whole Group

I would begin using a period of direct instruction designed to teach students about

the inner workings of the Supreme Court, how it functions, and how the Court goes about

evaluating Constitutional issues (This whole group instruction is also designed to prepare

students for a mock Supreme Court activity which will be presented later). First, I would

ask the students to construct a mental picture of a courtroom proceeding and then ask

them to explain what it looks like. Most students have seen court proceedings depicted on

T.V. or in the movies, so the question is likely to engage students and stimulate interest.

Typically, what students describe is a trial court (i.e. judge, jury, prosecution, defense,

criminal defendant, etc.). I would then go on to explain the Supreme Court is not a trial

court and does not look like the typical image of a court. I would show pictures and

explain how the Court functions during oral argument. The students would watch a video

clip from the movie “Gideon’s Trumpet” which dramatizes the landmark case, Gideon v.

Wainwright. The video serves to demonstrate court procedures and etiquette and prepare

the class for a discussion of how the Court functions as an umpire in our political system

and how it sets legal precedent.

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This period of whole group instruction enables me to provide students with

foundational knowledge and prepare them for successful practice and application

activities. Instruction is differentiated during the whole group phase through the use of a

multimedia presentation that takes into account the various learning modalities present in

the class. Furthermore, I engage in a discourse with the students that takes into account

the various readiness levels and interests of students. I can paraphrase the comments

made by students in order to ensure that all students can comprehend the discussion as it

progresses. I can expand on or contrast the ideas presented, thus maintaining focus on the

learning objectives.

Small Group Instruction

For the next assignment I would break students into mixed-ability groups (3

students per group) and task each group with researching a different landmark Supreme

Court case. Two groups will be assigned to each case, one to research the petitioner side

and one to research the respondent side. The students will be provided with a packet of

information outlining the case and providing additional online resources for their research

(ideally the activity will take place in a computer lab). The group leader will help

organize the group members into different roles. One member will research and

summarize the background of the case and the circumstances that caused the issue to

enter into the courts, another group member will outline how the case was appealed up

through the state and federal courts, and the third member will identify the constitutional

clauses that are relevant to the case. All group members will then work together to create

a graphic organizer (T-chart) that outlines the constitutional arguments and counter

arguments presented on both sides of the case.

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This grouping pattern enables students to explore the subject matter using a

variety of resources, e.g. written documents, online audio recordings from the Supreme

Court, interactive websites, and documentary video resources. This ensures that students’

remain engaged and that their various learning modalities are accommodated. The

collaborative aspect of the assignment will enable the students to engage and assist each

other as they collectively develop their understanding of the case. During this process I

will rotate from group to group and present questions and assess the students’ ability to

defend their side of the case. Once the students have developed a solid understanding of

the case and the legal issues they are ready to transition to the peer panel activity.

Peer Panel Instructional Design

For the culminating activity students will conduct several mock Supreme Court

simulations –one for each case assigned. The petitioner and respondent teams for a case

will be arranged at the front of the room and will be tasked with playing the role of the

legal team for their side of the case. The rest of the students will play the role of Supreme

Court justices (they are unfamiliar with the actual case). One student on the petitioner

side will start by debriefing the class on the background of the case and how it was

appealed to the Supreme Court. After that teams would present their legal arguments, one

at time. The rest of the class, playing the role of the Supreme Court justices will have the

ability to interject, ask questions, pose hypotheticals, etc. During this process I will

mediate the discussion, help paraphrase student remarks and keep the discussion focused

on the core constitutional issues. At the conclusion of the oral arguments the class will

vote and present the “opinion of the Court.” Lastly, a student on the respondent side of

the case will reveal the actual ruling of the case and summarize the majority opinion. A
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quick follow up class discussion can be used to gauge student reactions to the case and

summarize the precedent set and examine the ramifications for American society.

This activity helps the student understand the role of the Supreme Court and

exposes them to a range of landmark decisions. The activity taps into a variety of

intelligences as well. The Bodily-kinesthetic modality is covered through the use of role-

play, moving around the room, using the podium to speak, etc. The interpersonal

modality is thoroughly covered through the use of the debate / panel discussion format.

The linguistic and logical modality is addressed through the use of the systematic

application of constitutional arguments and citing of the constitution. Ultimately, the

activity enables students at all readiness levels to engage the topic and be challenged.

Lower level students can explore the fundamentals of the case while higher-level students

can dive into the more sophisticated legal, social, and political arguments. The activity

can really stimulate student interest / engagement if the cases selected resonate with the

students. Such cases might include the rights on minors, search and seizure, free speech,

or hot button social issues such as gay marriage, marijuana, religion, etc.

Conclusion

Using a variety of grouping patterns in the classroom provides a framework for

differentiating instruction and addressing the various needs of a diverse student

population. By employing this strategy in the classroom the teacher is given the

flexibility to target the needs of different groups of students and to individualize

instruction (Ventriglia, 2009).

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References

California Department of Education (2009). History-Social Science Content Standards

for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. Retrieved on

August 12, 2014 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp

Ventriglia, L. D., (2009). Best Practices: Differentiated Instruction – The Rule of

Foot. Mexico City: Younglight Educate

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