A high-energy, inquiry-based civics lesson where high school students explore their campus using smartphone cameras to uncover concrete evidence of local, state, and federal governance, analyzing how constitutional principles operate in everyday public school life.
1. Federalism in Action: Based on your photos, which level of government (local, state, or federal) has the most frequent physical presence in school? Defend your claim using two specific photo artifacts.
2. The Social Contract: How does our high school balance individual constitutional protections (like speech or privacy) with the government's obligation to maintain a safe, orderly learning environment?
Hallway Civics Investigation • High School Civics & Government Page 2 of 2
Turn page for Exemplar Clue Key & Assessment Rubric Page 1 of 2
Teacher Reference
Exemplar Evidence Key & Evaluation Rubric
Answer Guide
Target Clue Master Key & Expected Analysis
Target 01: School Board Policy Local
Building plaque, superintendent welcome letter, district mission statement. Authority derived from local school board governance & municipal levy funding.
Target 02: Public Health / SRO Local
Cafeteria county health grade or SRO office signage. Reflects local municipal police and county public health sanitary jurisdiction.
Target 03: State Flag & Seal State
State flag positioned beneath the U.S. flag (illustrates Federal Supremacy, Article VI) while embodying state sovereignty over education (10th Amendment).
Target 04: State Fire Marshal Tag State
Inspection tag on fire extinguisher or sprinkler valve. Demonstrates state "police power" to protect public health, safety, and general welfare.
Target 05: ADA Accessibility Federal
Braille room numbers, wheelchair door push button, ramp slope. Grounded in the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause & federal ADA civil rights legislation.
Target 06: Title IX Notice Federal
Official non-discrimination coordinator notice. Enforced via federal spending power (Title IX attached to all federal education funding recipients).
Target 07: Wildcard Rights Constitutional
Student club flyers (1st Amend. speech/assembly) or security cameras (4th Amend. privacy). Explains balancing individual liberty with campus safety.
High School Civics Assessment Rubric (20 Points Total)
Criteria
Advanced (5 pts)
Proficient (4 pts)
Developing (3 pts)
Photo Proof
All 7 targets photographed clearly with squad selfie verification.
5–6 targets photographed with verifiable squad selfie evidence.
Under 5 targets or missing squad selfie verification.
Level Accuracy
100% accurate classification of local, state, and federal levels.
1 minor misclassification with valid reasoning.
Multiple levels confused (e.g., mistaking fire tag for federal).
Constitutional Link
Deep analysis citing specific amendments (1st, 4th, 10th, 14th) & principles.
Accurate links made but explanations lack depth or specific phrasing.
