The Ideal Judge

After learning about the Enlightenment philosophers, your young historians will take part in a fantastic project where they will determine and develop their idea of an ideal government through a written portfolio. The project asks...

Learners define qualities that should be considered when selecting judge, evaluate costs and benefits of two methods of selecting and retaining judges, decide whether methods provide for judicial independence and judicial accountability,...

A review of the rule of law in American society would be incomplete without an exploration of the types of consequences that exist for breaking the law. Learners discover the various punishments for convicted persons in the United...

Nearly every president has had the opportunity to name a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. But what makes someone an ideal candidate to become a Supreme Court justice? High schoolers test their prior knowledge about the Supreme...

How does the Bill of Rights, created over 200 years ago, still apply to the lives of American citizens to this day? Here is a fantastic resource that includes several resources on approaching the Bill of Rights with your class. After...

Class members work to translate the Declaration of Independence into their own words, as well as design a Facebook page within the context of 1776 to raise public awareness about the document and its meaning for citizens.

What is the difference between a civil and criminal judicial proceeding? Learners follow the history of law back to the Code of Hammurabi, and differentiate between various types of laws in American society.

Does a Christmas display on government property violate the Constitution? Learners study the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Lynch v. Donnelly through watching a documentary and...

Young scholars investigate how different branches of government affect or aid the appointment of a Supreme Court justice nominee and the responsibilities of a judge. They, in groups, focus their research on a branch of government and...

The United States of America was founded on firm ideals of both the pursuit of happiness and a spirit of reverence. Through a close reading of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The May-Pole of Merry Mount," you can examine what some consider was a...