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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine state rights and the commerce clause. In this Supreme Court instructional activity, students examine primary documents from Gibbons v. Ogden and discuss the implications of the decision.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is a Court?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students examine and discuss the judicial branch of the U.S. government. They define what a court is, list three characteristics of a trial court and an appellate court, and analyze various trial and appeal situations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine warrantless searches and due process. In this Supreme Court lesson plan, students examine primary documents from Mapp v. Ohio and discuss the implications of the decision.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moot Court Preparation

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Court System Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are assign a particular Federal or State Court. They are asked to make a poster of the court they have been assigned. Students are told that the poster should include a list of the types of cases that particular court hears. ...
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Activity
News Literacy Project

News Goggles: Covering a Newsworthy Trial

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
The trial of Derek Chauvin, former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, is the focus of a lesson that asks pupils to compare how local, nationial, and international news organizations reported the testimony of...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Ralph, a Man of Color v. Coleman Duncan

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this supreme court case worksheet, students use a bank of 15 words, associated with the court case Ralph, a Man of Color v. Coleman Duncan, to fill in 15 blanks in 9 sentences.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Case Studies in Journalistic Ethics No. 2

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Learners use texts on media ethics and various Web sites  to explore real world examples of media law issues. For this media ethics lesson, young scholars examine the Food Lion case using a transcript from the court of appeals session...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Judicial Branch

For Students 8th - 12th
In this checks and balances in U.S. government worksheet, students read a 4-paragraph selection regarding the Supreme Court and then respond to 5 fill in the blank questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kirit C. Shah, M.D. v. Stan Harris and Nancy Harris Lesson 1: One Case, Two Sides

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine how lawyers prepare their arguments. They realize that both sides of a legal case may use the same cases as precedents in their positions. They find decisions of the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Court of Appeals...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Difference Between Procedural and Substantive Due Process?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the difference between substantive and procedural due process. They research the uses of due process on the internet and books. They also discuss cases involving students and due process.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution and The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Studnets explore the events and issues surrounding the Constitutional Convenetion and the Bill of Rights through web-sites interacting with such topics as the framers, court cases, games and more.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Courts: Interpreting The Law On Safe Employment

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students make arguments regarding the interpretation of the law and present an appeals case. They also name four characteristics of an appeal.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oral Arguments Online

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers conduct a mock oral argument based on the briefs provided and further research as assigned by the instructor. They write an opinion for the case outlining why one legal argument prevailed over the other based on their own...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Courts: Interpreting The Law On Safe Employment

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners explore safe employment laws and present an appeals case.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Claim Your Jurisdiction Game

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students participate in a game in which they have to decide whether it is state or federal jurisdiction.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students  examine primary documents from Korematsu v. United States and discuss the implications of the decision with regards to Japanese internment.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Judicial Branch

For Students 5th - 6th
In this social studies worksheet, students investigate the job of Sandra Day O'Connor in the judicial branch of the U.S. government. Students answer 25 questions, completing sentences with words from the word bank. This page is mainly...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rights of the Accused: To Be Confronted with the Witnesses Against Him

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students take on the role of Supreme Court Justices, after reading summary of a case and the arguments for and against a defendant's appeal. They make a decision, write majority and minority opinions, and report their decision.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should Homosexuals Have the Right to Laws Protecting Them From Discrimination?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore discrimination issues in America. In this homosexual rights lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on antidiscrimination laws and gay rights. Students respond to questions about the Romer v. Evans case.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reporter Rights vs. Legal Access...

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore cases that have occurred in the past in which reporters refuse to reveal their confidential conversations with government sources and investigate the status of the current bills in Congress. Students use this information...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reporter rights vs. legal access...

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students write an article to inform readers about confidentiality with reporters, attempting to find local lawyers and journalists to explain the issues as they relate to them. Students research past cases and the status of the current...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting the Law on Safe Employment

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students watch a video and examine the United States government and the process of appeals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting The Law Regarding Safe Employment

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students watch a video that presents the case of Kevin Gardner vs. Loomis Armored, Inc. Students discuss the case and prepare arguments for and against the appeal. Students compare their opinions to the actual outcome of the case.