Teacher Resources for Instructional Planning


Grade 7, Civics Std 4.2: Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts within the judicial system of the United States at the local, state, and national levels

Lesson Plans: The Supreme Court: The Judicial Power of the United States After completing this lesson students will be able to explain the importance of an independent judiciary and how the Constitution provides for this independence; and point out differences between a trial conducted in a district court and an appellate court hearing. Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan: Constitutional Issues: Separation of Powers Students evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues regarding the purposes, organization, and functions of the Supreme Court. (This lesson can be modified for 7th grade.) How does the Supreme Court Affects the Lives of Teens? The Supreme Court, the highest court in the U.S., examines federal and state statutes and executive actions to determine whether they conform to the US Constitution. In this lesson, students explore the impact of historic and recent Supreme Court decisions and issues on their lives. Crime Time: Exploring the Fundamentals of American Criminal Justice In this lesson, students examine the fundamentals of American criminal justice by analyzing and describing each step of the criminal process. They then follow the process of a well-known or publicized criminal case in a major newspaper, and keep a journal of its newspaper coverage. Burning Hatred: Discussing the Constitutional Conflict Over Cross Burning In this lesson, students examine the constitutionality of various forms of expression; they then take part in a mock trial on the issue of cross burning.

Resources: Shaping the Constitution Presented by the The Bill of Rights Institute partners with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Supreme Court Cases This site was developed to provide teachers with a full range of resources and activities to support the teaching of landmark Supreme Court cases, helping students explore the key issues of each case. The Federal Judiciary Homepage This site contains everything you want to know about the court system with links!
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