Judicial System
Standards
Materials
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/resources/landmark_studentcases.htm
(handouts/ articles/ access to computers - for student research)
A blackboard/ overhead/ smart board in order to model the process of looking at a case
Objectives
Students will
- Recall the jobs of the United States Supreme Court, courts system
- research a court case that affects students their age
- present a final group project to the class, covering a Supreme Court case
- recognize that national politics, government affect them and the rights that they hold
Lesson Context
Students will have previously learned about the different parts of the United States governmental system, including the basics on the legislative body, executive office, and the judicial system. Students should then understand that the judicial system is used to interpret the Constitution and thus, in many cases, interprets whether rights are being abused or not. In this lesson, students will be looking at several landmark cases that still effect them as students in today' society.
Lesson Body
Students will start by reviewing the judicial system within the United States government, especially the job of the Supreme Court. The job of this court is in part, to determine if the rights of individuals or groups are being infringed upon. As a class we will then look at one case from the website
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/resources/landmark_studentcases.htm
We will then look at what right was the center piece of the this case, who was in the case, a more basic background of the case, when and where it occurred, how it affects the current students, and whether as a class the students felt that the court made the right decision. (This is also a way to model the process, filling in the anwsers as we go through it)
In small groups, (4-5 students per) students will be given a different court case and asked to find this same information. Students can be allowed to do their own research on these cases, can be given websites to check on these cases, or given handouts that go more in depth with the case. (Here are three websites that would work for students)
-Wikipedia.com
-uscourts.gov
-google.com (type in court case as a search)
Once students have this information they will be asked to present the case to the class, giving all of the information required, what their decision would have been, and why the court cases is important for the individuals in the class. Then as a class we will discuss what they believe the final decision should have been and why. (Students should be given a few days to do research and two days should be set aside for the students to do their presentation)
Special Considerations
(Based on the class and the needs of individual students)
Assessment
Informal: progress in research, involvement in group project
Formal: final group project and its presentation,
Materials
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/resources/landmark_studentcases.htm
(handouts/ articles/ access to computers - for student research)
A blackboard/ overhead/ smart board in order to model the process of looking at a case
Objectives
Students will
- Recall the jobs of the United States Supreme Court, courts system
- research a court case that affects students their age
- present a final group project to the class, covering a Supreme Court case
- recognize that national politics, government affect them and the rights that they hold
Lesson Context
Students will have previously learned about the different parts of the United States governmental system, including the basics on the legislative body, executive office, and the judicial system. Students should then understand that the judicial system is used to interpret the Constitution and thus, in many cases, interprets whether rights are being abused or not. In this lesson, students will be looking at several landmark cases that still effect them as students in today' society.
Lesson Body
Students will start by reviewing the judicial system within the United States government, especially the job of the Supreme Court. The job of this court is in part, to determine if the rights of individuals or groups are being infringed upon. As a class we will then look at one case from the website
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/resources/landmark_studentcases.htm
We will then look at what right was the center piece of the this case, who was in the case, a more basic background of the case, when and where it occurred, how it affects the current students, and whether as a class the students felt that the court made the right decision. (This is also a way to model the process, filling in the anwsers as we go through it)
In small groups, (4-5 students per) students will be given a different court case and asked to find this same information. Students can be allowed to do their own research on these cases, can be given websites to check on these cases, or given handouts that go more in depth with the case. (Here are three websites that would work for students)
-Wikipedia.com
-uscourts.gov
-google.com (type in court case as a search)
Once students have this information they will be asked to present the case to the class, giving all of the information required, what their decision would have been, and why the court cases is important for the individuals in the class. Then as a class we will discuss what they believe the final decision should have been and why. (Students should be given a few days to do research and two days should be set aside for the students to do their presentation)
Special Considerations
(Based on the class and the needs of individual students)
Assessment
Informal: progress in research, involvement in group project
Formal: final group project and its presentation,