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Activity

Cruel and Unusual Punishment Handout

A graphic organizer to help student organize material on Supreme Court cases focusing on the Eighth Amendment.

Grade: 9–12
Topic: Eighth Amendment
Format: PDF
Published: Apr 28, 2025

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Directions

Read each scenario. Decide if the punishment should be considered “cruel and unusual.” Explain your reasoning.

Guiding Question

How has the Supreme Court ruled on questions around “cruel and unusual punishment”?

Objectives

I can explain what principles guide our understanding of cruel and unusual punishment and how the Court has defined cruel and unusual punishment.

Handout

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Standards

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