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Law Day 2022

Law Day 2022 logo

Law Day is May 1. The 2022 Law Day theme — Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change — reminds all of us that the Constitution is a dynamic document, as it not only outlines a blueprint for government, but also delegates power, articulates rights, and offers mechanisms for change.

The three cases in this series highlight key democratic principles that are necessary to be full participants in our government: access to free public education, the right to an impartial jury as well as the right to serve as a juror, and the right to vote.

These educational materials were created by the New York Newspapers Foundation's News Media Literacy/Newspaper In Education program with support from The New York Bar Foundation. The resources include a 5-part series of features (English and Spanish), teaching guide with graphic organizers, and audio podcasts in English for middle/high school level students. Three pages of graphic organizers in the teaching guide were created to introduce the larger concepts of this content, especially the rule of law, to elementary students.

Additionally, there are four videos in English and Spanish to supplement this content. Links to these videos are posted below.

This project was created by the New York Newspapers Foundation's News Media Literacy/Newspaper In Education program and the series of videos was generously funded by the New York Bar Foundation.

NIE_NYBarFoundationLogos

This content is free for NYNPA member publications to reproduce and distribute with full attribution and recognition of the sponsoring organizations. This content is also available free to all educators. All others please inquire about copyright fees at mmiller@nynpa.com.

Each feature is available as a PDF file and audio podcast in an MP3 format.

To download the complete series - all 5 features and the teaching guide/graphic organizers including a list of additional internet resources on these topics, use the links below:

All eight videos associated with this project (four in English, four in Spanish) can be accessed and viewed on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdNjub2jodTMGZWnB44Nnw/videos

Special thanks to:

The New York Bar Foundation for their financial support for the video series.

David Scott, Esq. (Project PATCH, Northport - East Northport UFSD) and Barbara Lombardo (former editor of The Saratogian) for review and editing of the series.

Evelyn Ledezma (Bethlehem CSD) for her Spanish translation of the 5 features.

Isabel Ledezma for her Spanish translation and voiceover recordings of Spanish Videos

 

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Law Day 2020 - Advancing the Rule of Law NOW

This content highlights case law and news events to help illustrate and explain the key principles of the rule of law. As you think about the following ideals, remember to reflect on the importance each of us has in ensuring we uphold the law and the continued challenges we face in safeguarding that:

  • No one is above the law,
  • Everyone is treated equally under the law,
  • Everyone is held accountable to the same laws,
  • There are clear and fair processes for enforcing laws,
  • There is an independent judiciary, and
  • Human rights are guaranteed for all.

This content is free for NYNPA member publications to reproduce and distribute with full attribution and recognition of the sponsoring organizations. This content is also available free to all educators. All others please inquire about copyright fees at mmiller@nynpa.com.

Each feature is available as a PDF file and audio podcast in an MP3 format.

To download the complete series - all 8 features and the teaching guide/graphic organizers including a list of additional internet resources on these topics, use the links below:

All six Rule of Law videos can be accessed and viewed on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdNjub2jodTMGZWnB44Nnw/videos

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Law Day 2020 - Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: The 19th Amendment at 100

The 19th Amendment was a transformative constitutional amendment that guaranteed the right of citizens to vote would not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex. American women fought for, and won, the vote through their voice and action..

This content is free to reproduce and distribute with full attribution and recognition of the sponsoring organizations.

Each feature is available as a PDF file and audio podcast in an MP3 format. Each feature after the introduction includes a quote from a famous individual, a brief summary of the time period in which he or she lived and a news activity to make this historic reference relevant to us today.

To download the complete series - all 15 features and the teaching guide/graphic organizers including a list of additional internet resources on these topics, use the links below:

 
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Law Day 2019 - Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society

In the United States and around the world, freedom of speech and the press are among the most important foundations for a free society. This multi-part series and supplemental resources examine highlights in our long history of freedom of expression and of a free press, and how “We the People” continually work together to ensure that the key principles of the First Amendment are realized for all members of our society.

This content is free to NYNPA member publications to reproduce and distribute, all others should contact the NYNPA for copyright permissions or licensing. All teachers are welcome to download and use the PDF files or Audio Podcasts in MP3 format via the links below.

To download the complete series - all six features and the teaching guide/graphic organizers including a list of additional internet resources on these topics, use the links below:

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Law Day 2018 - Framework for Freedom

The U.S. Constitution establishes a system of government with distinct and independent branches—congress, the presidency, and the Supreme Court. Our Constitution also defines the powers for the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of our government and outlines how they interact. These three separate branches share power, and each branch serves as a check on the power of the others. The series explores the ideas of separation of powers and checks and balances and how they set up a framework for freedom and the role a free press and citizens have with it.

You may download each feature individually here or as a complete 6-page PDF file below.

To download the complete series - all six features and the teaching guide with graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2017- The Fourteenth Amendment: Transforming American Democracy.

The Fourteenth Amendment has reshaped American law and society. By defining U.S. citizenship and through its due process and equal protection clauses, this transformative amendment advanced the rights of all Americans. It also played a pivotal role in limiting the states from abridging freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Ratified during Reconstruction a century and a half ago, the Fourteenth Amendment serves as the cornerstone of landmark civil rights legislation, the foundation for numerous federal court decisions protecting fundamental rights, and a source of inspiration for all those who advocate for equal justice under law.Complete with an 20 page teaching guide with graphic organizers, this series includes engaging lessons easily adaptable for differentiated instruction.   The guide also has a listing of weblinks to many other free, related, educational resources.

You may download each feature individually here or as a complete 7-page PDF file below.

To download the complete series - all seven features and the teaching guide with graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2016 - "Miranda: More Than Words"

2016 marked the 50th anniversary of perhaps the nation’s best-known U.S. Supreme Court case, Miranda v. Arizona. The Miranda Warning has become ingrained in law enforcement and has permeated popular consciousness through countless recitations in films and television shows. Yes, we’ve all heard Miranda but how much do we really understand?  Complete with an 18 page teaching guide with graphic organizers, this series includes engaging lessons that dig deeper into the words of a typical Miranda warning.  The guide also has a listing of weblinks to many other free, related, educational resources.

You may download each features individually here or as a complete 6-page PDF file below.

To download the complete series - all six features and the teaching guide with graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2015 - "Magna Carta 800: Symbol of Freedom Under Law"
Perhaps more than any other document in history, Magna Carta has come to embody a simple but enduring truth: No one, no matter how powerful, is above the law.In the eight centuries that have elapsed since Magna Carta was sealed in 1215, it has taken root as an international symbol of the rule of law and as an inspiration for many basic rights Americans hold dear including habeas corpus and due process. In keeping with this year's theme, the NYNPA NIE program in partnership with the Law, Youth and Citizenship program of the NYS Bar Association has developed an eight part educational series to prompt discussion about these principles. Complete with an 18 page teaching guide with graphic organizers this series includes lessons easily adaptable for differentiated instruction.
You may download each features individually here or as a complete 8-page PDF file below.

To download the complete series - all eight features and the teaching guide with graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2014 - "American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters"

One of our most cherished national ideals, expressed eloquently by Abraham Lincoln, is “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” It is a principle enshrined in our Nation’s founding documents, from the Declaration of Independence’s assurance that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed, to the opening three words of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, “We the People.”The right to vote is the very foundation of government by the people. For this reason, striving to establish and protect every citizen’s right to vote has been a central theme of American legal and civic history. Much of the struggle on voting rights began decades ago, but the work is far from complete, and a citizen’s right to cast a ballot remains at risk today. In keeping with this year's theme, the NYNPA NIE program in partnership with the Law, Youth and Citizenship program of the NYS Bar Association has developed a seven part educational series to prompt discussion about the importance of voting and the ongoing struggle to ensure voting rights for all citizens of the United States. Complete with a 15 page teaching guide with graphic organizers this series is aligned to the Common Core State Standards and includes lessons easily adaptable for differentiated instruction.The features highlight seven diverse public figures from the 1800s through today and their quotes about the importance of voting.

The features highlight seven diverse public figures from the 1800s through today and their quotes about the importance of voting.

To download the complete series - all 7 features and the teaching guide with graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2013 - "Realizing the Dream: Equality for All"

The promise of equality under the law is what has made America a beacon to other nations. It is a pledge clearly set forth in the Declaration of Independence and in the opening words of the Preamble of the Constitution, “We the People.” It is in the words of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. And it was restated 150 years later in the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech which challenged us to live up to our national ideal of equality under the law. There have been times throughout New York State’s history, when our struggles for equality lead those of the nation. This educational series was created to give students and readers an opportunity to explore the movement for civil and human rights in America and to promote discussion of the continued fight against injustice and discrimination.

The materials highlight 5 specific topics related to the ideal of equality for all. The links to the right bring up downloadable PDF files or Audio Podcasts in MP3 format.

To download the complete series - a promotional ad, all 5 features, a teachers' guide/graphic organizer packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:
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Law Day 2012 - "No Courts, No Justice, No Freedom"

Open and accessible courts are the cornerstone of a free society. The framers of our Constitution recognized the importance of the courts when they made the judiciary one of the three coequal branches of our government. The courts are where we go to have our rights protected, our injuries redressed and our disputes resolved. Whether you are a consumer or a corporation, a victim or an accused, a lender or a debtor, a parent or a child, the work of the courts affects your everyday life.This educational series was created to give students and readers a general understanding of the process of the courts and the role the justice system has in our lives.

The materials highlight 5 specific topics related to the courts and our justice system. The links to the right bring up downloadable PDF files or Audio Podcasts in MP3 format.

To download the complete series, a promotional ad, all 5 features, a teachers' guide and worksheet packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:

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Law Day 2011 - The Legacy of John Adams: From Boston to Guantanamo

This project was funded by the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program at the New York State Bar Association with additional support by Albany Law School

The materials highlight 5 specific cases, 4 of them originating in New York. The links to the right bring up PDF files with the newspaper features and corresponding student worksheet(s) for the case listed.

To download the complete series, all 5 features and worksheet packet including a list of additional internet resources, use the links below:
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Law Day 2010 - Law in the 21st Century: Emerging Challenges and Enduring Traditions

This project was funded by the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program at the New York State Bar Association with additional support by Albany Law School

The materials highlight 7 specific themes. The links to the right will bring you to PDF files with the newspaper features and corresponding student worksheet(s) for the theme listed.

To download the complete series, all 7 themes and worksheet packet use the links below:

Law Day 2008 - The Rule of Law

The PDF file contains an introductory promotion piece and five features highlighting landmark court cases that originated in New York State.  Each feature gives some background, a brief description of the issues and the court verdict in each case.  Each also has a newspaper tie-in activity.

The five cases are:
King v. John Peter Zenger - 1730,
Gibbons v. Ogden - 1824,
Lochner v. New York - 1905,
Engel v. Vitale - 1961 and
New York Times v. US - 1973

Student worksheets are also available to download here. This project was funded by the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program at the New York State Bar Association.

 

For more on Newspapers in Education please contact Mary Miller at: mmiller@nynpa.com or call (518) 449-1667.

 

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