Offers a midterm report on United States Supreme Court Cases. The cases dealt with voting rights, affirmative action, jury bias, the handicapped status of AIDS victims, religious holidays for teachers, and political spending of nonprofit corporations. (JDH)

Notes that politics has always been involved in the appointment of United States Supreme Court judges. Offers an annotated bibliography of ERIC documents and journal articles which will help teachers develop background and provide instruction on this recurrent process. (JDH)

This special issue is intended to help teachers educate students about today's important U.S. Supreme Court and other judicial decisions, the legal issues they involve, and their impact on students' lives. The issue focuses upon the 1995 term of the Supreme Court and the tendency for the justices to vote unanimously. An overview of the cases and…

Outlines an upper elementary lesson in which students examine the judicial branch and the power of judicial review. Uses an actual case, "Torcaso v. Watkins," to demonstrate how the U.S. Supreme Court used its power of judicial review to strike down an unconstitutional state law. Provides discussion questions and optional activities. (LS)

Gives background information on 12 famous litigators who each influenced the future of the judicial system and transformed the United States into what it is today; included, among others, are John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Thurgood Marshall, Daniel Webster, and Clara Shortridge Foltz. (CMK)

Presents an activity in which secondary students consider what characteristics make a good U.S. Supreme Court justice. Requires students to distinguish between formal and informal qualifications for office. Utilizes student research skills to gain information about Supreme Court justices. Includes two handouts. (LS)

Presents three differing perspectives from American Bar Association members on whether television cameras should be allowed in the courtroom. Contends that cameras should be allowed with differing degrees of certainty: cameras truly open the courts to the public; cameras must be strategically placed; and cameras should be used only with the…

The author points out the wealth of material available to Social Studies teachers this year in particular, due to the information generated by the 1980 census. (KC)

Asks questions related to the issue of freedom of speech, and uses that as a teaching strategy to examine the issues of citizenship rights and responsibilities. Provides 12 federal court cases as precedents and allows the students to be the judge by exploring the facts, the legal issues, and the constitutional principles. (NL)

Using a simulation of the constitutional procedures on appointment of U.S. Supreme Court justices, illustrates how the separation of powers established by the Constitution affects all three branches of government. Provides an outline of the simulation procedure, a lesson plan, and a brief bibliography. (LS)

Delineates the federal judiciary system's creation and evolution. Describes original judicial legislation, illustrating the judicial pyramid: district courts at the base, followed by federal circuit courts, with the Supreme Court at the apex. Identifies first Supreme Court justices. Observes that John Marshall's 34 years as Chief Justice firmly…

The goal of this mock trial is to dramatize the Federalists' struggle to strengthen their control over the judicial branch of the U.S. government after losing the Presidency and Congress in the 1800 election. This mock trial reveals the personalities of key historical figures, such as Jefferson, Madison, and Marshall and distinguishes how they…

One of the most important ways that individual citizens become involved in the federal judicial process is by serving on a jury. Jury service is one of the few legal responsibilities citizens in the United States have to their government. Though some people complain about the imposition of serving on a jury, many find that their service gives them…

Uses recent freedom of expression cases to explore the effect of public opinion and pressure on U.S. Supreme Court rulings, through a simulation for secondary students. Students are assigned a pressure group to represent, discuss the facts in small groups, and formulate their decisions and arguments for class discussion. (LS)

Every year the Supreme Court hears dozens of cases related to key constitutional issues. These cases can be used to teach enduring concepts in government and law. With this lesson plan, students learn about important concepts in Fourth Amendment law and stage a mock Supreme Court oral argument in small groups on a case decided in the 1999-2000…