Judicial Branch Unit

Introduction to the Judicial Branch
Standards:
NCSS:
 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

 Theme 6: Power Authority and Governance
 Theme 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, C, D
 5.3.9.A
Objectives:
Students will be able to…
1. Explain the process for appointing judges

2. Define the role of the judiciary branch
3. Identify the role of the judicial branch
4. Read and comprehend information from their textbook
5. Assist fellow classmates who need help with material
Materials:
 Video
 Video Task Sheet
Subject Matter:
 Federal Judiciary, Supreme Court, Original Jurisdiction, Appellate Jurisdiction
Procedure:
A. Set:
I. Current Events: Students are encouraged to bring in currents events happening in both the
United States and around the world and share them at the beginning of class. Students who
take part in this can give up to 3 different current events for a bonus point each.
II. Essential Question: What makes up the Judicial Branch?
B. Video:
I. Students will watch a video explaining the judicial branch developed by the Constitution
Center.
II. The students will be given a task sheet to accompany the video with questions to answer?
III. The second part of the tasksheet is worth 2 current event points if you choose to do it.
C. Powerpoint:
I. Introduce the basics of the Judicial Branch, students will follow with guided notes.
D. Close:
I. Essential Question: What makes up the Judicial Branch?
Assignments:
 Video Tasksheet
Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess the student’s basic understanding of the Judicial branch of the US
Government through discussion.
 Teacher will formally assess students understanding of the video they watched by reviewing the
answers provided on their tasksheet.
Reflection:
Structure of United States Courts
NCSS:

 Theme 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
PA SAS:
 5.1.9.B, C, E
 5.2.9.C
 5.3.9.A
Objectives:
1. Describe the structure and jurisdiction of the state courts.

2. Evaluate the structure and jurisdiction of the state court of appeals.
3. Contrast the jurisdiction of special courts.
4. Explain how a citizen may sue the United States.
5. Examine the roles of the territorial courts and those of the District of Columbia.
Materials:

Subject Matter:
 District Courts, Appellate Courts, Special Courts
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: What is the purpose behind having you create your own amendment?
B. PowerPoint with guided notes:

I. Break down the structure of the United States Court system and all the different courts.
C. Close:
I. Essential Question: After the vote have students discuss why I had them complete this
activity, what was the purpose. The purpose being that anyone can suggest an amendment
to the constitution and there are a lot of ideas out there of could be added.
Assignments:

Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess student learning through check for understanding questions
during the PowerPoint.
Reflection:
The Supreme Court
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.C, E
 5.2.9.C
 5.3.9.A
Objectives:
1. Define the concept of judicial review.

2. Outline the scope of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.
3. Identify how cases reach the Supreme Court.
4. Explain judicial review.
5. Analyze Marbury vs. Madison
6. Justify principles of separation of powers between the three branches of government.
Materials:
 PowerPoint
 Supreme Court Worksheet
Subject Matter:
 Judicial Review, Supreme Court, Judicial Restraint, Judicial Activism
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: What is the Supreme Court’s Jurisdiction, and how does the Court
operate?
B. PowerPoint:
I. Introduce the Supreme Court and describe the way it functions.
C. Supreme Court Worksheets:

I. Students will work in pairs or individually to complete some worksheets related to the
Supreme court.
II. After they have finished go over the worksheets as a class.
D. Close:
I. Essential Question: What is the Supreme Court’s Jurisdiction, and how does the Court
operate?
Assignments:
 Supreme Court Worksheet
Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess student’s knowledge on the Supreme Courts through the
worksheet and discussion on it.
Reflection:
Individual Rights and the Courts
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, B, C,
 5.2.9.A, B
 5.3.9.F, G
Objectives:
1. Recognize the five parts of the first amendment.

2. Explain the guarantees of free expression.
3. Summarize how the Supreme Court has limited seditious speech and obscenity.
4. Compare and contrast the freedom of assembly issues that arise on public versus private
property.
5. Apply constitutional law to a Supreme Court ruling.
Materials:
 PowerPoint
Subject Matter:
 Bill of Rights, citizen’s rights, Supreme Court, first amendment
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: How does the Court system protect the rights of individuals against
government?
B. PowerPoint:
I. Describe how the court system effects people’s individual freedoms and rights.
C. Video:
I. Show a video that describes how the court plays a role in people’s individual freedoms.
D. Close:
I. Essential Question: How does the Court system protect the rights of individuals against
government?
Assignments:

Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess students by asking them questions in relation to the video that
they viewed.
Reflection:
How Court Trials Work
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.B, C
 5.2.9.A, B
Objectives:
1. Define basic judicial terminology.

2. Determine what constitutes a fair trial by jury.
3. Identify how individuals are punished in court.
4. Analyze the different parts of a criminal trial.
Materials:
 Powerpoint
Subject Matter:
 Defendant, plaintiff, prosecution, precedent, bail, trial
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: How are you punished for crimes in a court of law?
B. PowerPoint:
I.
C. Close:
I. Essential Question: How are you punished for crimes in a court of law?
Assignments:

Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess students understanding of trials through open discussion and
direct question and answer.
Reflection:
The Supreme Court’s Role in History
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, B, C
 5.2.9.B, C
 5.3.9.
Objectives:
1. Interpret the important decisions the Supreme Court has made throughout history.
2. Analyze the most important Supreme Court cases and their role in history.
3.
Materials:
 Important Supreme Court Cases Activity
Subject Matter:
 Supreme Court
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: What has been some of the impact of the Supreme Court’s decisions on
our country?
B. PowerPoint:
I. Go through the top ten most influential Supreme Court Cases in history.
C. Important Supreme Court Cases Activity:

I. Students will analyze one of the top ten Supreme Court Cases.
D. Close:
I. Essential Question: What has been some of the impact of the Supreme Court’s decisions on
our country?
Assignments:
 Important Supreme Court Cases
Assessment:
 Teacher will formally assess students through the completion of the important Supreme Court
cases activity.
Reflection:
The Federal Attorney’s Job
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, B
 5.2.9.B, C
Objectives:
1. Identify who federal attorneys are and their place in the Justice system.
2. Examine the job of Federal Attorneys.
3. Compare federal attorneys to private ones.
4. Describe what is required to become a Federal Attorney.
Materials:
 Attorney Worksheet
Subject Matter:
 Attorneys, Courts, defendants, prosecutors
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: Why is the job of the Federal Attorney an extremely important one?
B. PowerPoint:
I. Lay out who and what Federal Attorneys are required to do.
C. Close:
I. Essential Question: Why is the job of the Federal Attorney an extremely important one?
Assignments:
 Attorney Worksheet
Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess students understanding of federal attorneys through questions
based off information from the PowerPoint.
Reflection:
12 Angry Men
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, B
 5.2.9.B, C
Objectives:
1. Analyze clips from a movie to gain a greater understanding of how juries deliberate.
2. Answer question accompanying the video.
3. Discover how difficult it can be for a jury to come to a consensus.
4. Examine the way in which juries go over evidence.
5. Understand the importance of jury trials as concept in our democratic country.
Materials:
 12 angry men clips
Subject Matter:
 Jury Trials, juries, criminal trials
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: What is the importance of being able to have a trial by a jury of your
peers?
B. 12 Angry Men Clips:

I. Students will view several clips from this famous movie.
II. They will fill out a tasksheet as they watch these clips.
III. The teacher should also ask some questions between each clip.
C. Close:
I. Essential Question: What is the importance of being able to have a trial by a jury of your
peers?
Assignments:
 Video Tasksheet
Assessment:
 Teacher will formally assess students understanding of juries through video tasksheet.
 Teacher will informally assess students understanding with several discussion questions
between video clips.
Reflection:
Judicial Branch Supreme Court Debate
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.A, B, C, D, E
 5.2.9.C
 5.3.9.A
Objectives:
1. Use the computer and internet to research Supreme Court cases.

2. Assist fellow group members in finding the correct material.
3. Identify the different sides of the court cases.
4. Analyze the role of the Supreme Court in the Judicial Branch.
5. Collaboratively working in small groups to accomplish a task.
Materials:
 Laptops
 Internet
 Directions Sheet
 3x5 Cards
Subject Matter:
 Judicial Branch, Court System, Supreme Court,
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: Why is it important to analyze both sides of each of these cases and the
reason presented by both sides as well as the subsequent outcome?
B. Introduce Debate:
I. Students will be handed out the debate directions.
II. Read over the directions and makes sure they know what they will be doing.
III. Teacher will assign groups and subgroups randomly.
IV. Teacher will then assign each group a Supreme Court case adjusting for any student’s
personal beliefs or discomfort doing certain cases.
C. Research Debate:
I. Students will have 2 days in class to work with their groups and the partners within that
group to research the points that their assigned side of the case used to argue their case.
II. Students should be reminded that it is not about their feelings or opinions on the case but
the facts and reasons that each side historically used to argue each side of their case.
D. Debate:
I. Students will debate against each other based on what they researched about their side of
each case. Should only take 5-7 minutes each.
II. It is not about which side won we just want to analyze both sides of each of the important
Supreme court cases
E. Close:
I. Essential Question: Why is it important to analyze both sides of each of these cases and the
reason presented by both sides as well as the subsequent outcome?
Assignments:
 Webquest
Assessment:
 Teacher formally assess student’s ability to find the correct information on the internet to
complete their Webquest.
Reflection:
Review/Test
Standards:
NCSS:

PA SAS:
 5.1.9.C
 5.3.9.B
Objectives:
1. Work together in small groups to help better communication skills.

2. Orally communicate with both fellow classmates and teacher questions or answers to questions
in a respectful manner
3. Appreciate what many of our fellow Americans had to go through to both get and keep the
rights we have today.
4. Assist fellow classmates who need help with the material.
5. Take a comprehensive exam on the material learned about the Judicial Branch
Materials:
 Test
 Review Game
 Review Materials
Subject Matter:
 Judicial Branch, Federal Courts, court circuit, Supreme Court, Original Jurisdiction, Judicial
Review
Procedure:
A. Set:
II. Essential Question: What is the role of the Judicial Branch in our government?
B. Kahoot Review Game:

I. Student use their computers to answers questions that are displayed on the Promethean
board and allows everyone to see how many got it right or wrong.
C. Test:
I. Students will be given a test with matching, multiple choice, and fill in the blank to assess
what they have learned and retained about the Legislative Branch.
D. Close:
I. Essential Question: What is the role of the Judicial Branch in our government?
Assignments:
 Test
Assessment:
 Teacher will informally assess student’s knowledge of the content through the Kahoot review
game.
 Teacher will formally assess student’s understanding of content through testing.
Reflection:

Judicial Branch Unit

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Introduction to the Judicial Branch

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Explain the process for appointing judges

II. Essential Question: What makes up the Judicial Branch?

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Describe the structure and jurisdiction of the state courts.

B. PowerPoint with guided notes:

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Define the concept of judicial review.

C. Supreme Court Worksheets:

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Recognize the five parts of the first amendment.

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Define basic judicial terminology.

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

C. Important Supreme Court Cases Activity:

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

B. 12 Angry Men Clips:

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Use the computer and internet to research Supreme Court cases.

 Theme 2: Time, Continuity and Change

1. Work together in small groups to help better communication skills.

B. Kahoot Review Game:

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