Curated OER
Introduction to the History of the Michigan Supreme Court
Students identify the players, events and changes in the history of the Supreme Court of Michigan. They explain the purpose of the Court in state government. They summarize the role and purpose of the Court.
Curated OER
History of Supreme Court
Students study the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. history. They explore current events about the U.S. Constitution and discuss the Marbury v. Madison case from 1803. They identify the term "judicial review" and judicial...
Curated OER
The "Big Four" of the Michigan Supreme Court
High schoolers identify the justices on the Michigan Supreme Court known as the "Big Four". They relate to them by researching their lives. They participate in an activity in which they practice their investigation and presentation skills.
Project Tahoe
Individual Rights vs. The Greater Good Within the Scope of War
When, if ever, is the government justified in restricting individual rights? When, if ever, should the "greater good" trump individual rights? To prepare to discuss this hot-button topic, class members examine primary source documents,...
Curated OER
Down for the Count?
The New York Times article “Supreme Court, Split 5-4, Halts Florida Count in Blow to Gore” provides the opening to an assessment of the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of the 2000 presidential election. Assuming the...
Judicial Learning Center
Article III and the Courts
What's the best way to make sense of the Constitution? A helpful lesson contains both the text of Article III and annotation of each of its sections, breaking it down into easy-to-understand parts. It also includes links to a...
Curated OER
Minorities in Mainstream American Society
So many people fought for Civil Rights in the United States. Read about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and discuss what the act guarantees. Then pass out a slew of magazines and encourage them to observe how often minorities appear in...
Curated OER
A Question of Faith?
Should organized prayer be prohibited at high school sporting events? Students explore their own feelings about prayer in school-sponsored events, before discussing the recent Supreme Court decision banning public prayer at high school...
Newseum
You Can't Say That in School? The Case of Lee v. Weisman
The Supreme Court case Lee v. Weisman is the focus of a activity that examines religion in public schools. After reading a summary of the case and before reading the verdict, pupils use their knowledge of the First Amendment to discuss...
EngageNY
Studying Conflicting Interpretations: Perspectives on Plessy v. Ferguson: Part 3
Scholars closely read Justice John Marshall Harlan's dissenting opinion in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, seeking to understand why he disagreed with the court's decision that racial segregation laws for public spaces were constitutional....
Curated OER
Branches of Government Worksheet 2
Looking for a quick assessment to give to your class about the branches of government in the United States? This is a multiple choice activity that could be used as a quiz. There are 9 questions, some of which are a bit dated and should...
Curated OER
Branches of Government Worksheet
This is a basic multiple choice activity. Learners answer a set of 9 multiple choice questions about early colonists and branches of government. You might use this as a check for understanding or a quick quiz. The first 2 questions are...
Curated OER
The Judicial Branch
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.
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights
Ninth graders examine various Supreme Court Cases. In this American Government lesson, 9th graders research a specific Supreme Court Case. Students create a multiple choice assignment based on their assigned case.
Curated OER
Constitution
Ninth graders simulate a U.S. Supreme Court hearing concerning a First Amendment case about school prayer by participating in a hearing.
Curated OER
Equal Protection Questions
In this Supreme Court activity, students respond to 14 short answer questions regarding equal protection and gay marriage issues in the United States.
Curated OER
Boundary Crossing
Seventh graders explore the issues that arose as a result of boundary crossing. In this US History instructional activity, 7th graders research supreme court cases in regards to crossing boundaries. Students present their...
Curated OER
New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)
Students examine student search and seizure. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from New Jersey v. T.L.O. and discuss the implications of the decision.
Curated OER
Full Court Press
Pupils investigate the Supreme Court's role and function in the federal government and examine how Chief Justice Rehnquist's illness might affect the future of the Court. They write letters to President Bush on the Supreme Court justice...
Curated OER
Ethnicity, Gender and the Courts
Eleventh graders explore their own beliefs about the qualities that make someone qualified to sit on the Supreme Court. In this American Government lesson, 11th graders write about and debate the ethnic, religious, and gender...
Curated OER
Due Process - Search and Seizure
Help your 11th and 12th graders gain a deeper understanding of Supreme Court decisions and law. The activities include role-play, research, and script writing that all focus on search and seizure laws pertaining to one particular case...
EngageNY
Studying Conflicting Interpretations: Perspectives on Plessy v. Ferguson: Part 1
Scholars begin building background knowledge about Plessy v. Ferguson by watching a video about the landmark Supreme Court decision. They engage in discussions to analyze the case's importance and deepen their understanding of issues...
PBS
The Meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment was extremely important to civil rights and is a crucial one to remember. The resource teaches about the Supreme Court decisions related to the amendment through writing exercises, reading, and working in small...
Anti-Defamation League
60 Years Later: The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education
Although the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education declared segregated schools unconstitutional, huge inequalities still exist in U.S. public schools. Learners analyze and discuss data presented in two...