Judicial Branch Lesson Plans
January 5- January 21, 2015
Objectives: The student will be able to
 Explain the difference between criminal and civil cases
 Identify five areas of federal court jurisdiction
 Describe the responsibilities of judges in district courts
 Explain the functions of the US Court of Appeals
 Identify and describe the functions of three special federal courts
 Explain how the case of Marbury vs Madison affected the power of the
Supreme Court
 Explain how a President may try to influence the Court through the
appointment of Supreme Court Justices
 Explain how the Supreme Court decides which cases to hear
 Explain how cases reach the Supreme Court from lower courts
 Describe how the Supreme Court Justices arrive at court decisions and
opinions
Benchmarks:
C.2.2
C.2.3
C.2.4
C.2.6
January 5
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Define Chapter 8 vocabulary and complete vocabulary sentences (19 words)
January 6
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Judicial Branch Packet
January 7
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Youtube video on Article III of the US Constitution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG0ZaAVF_i4
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Judicial Branch Crossword Puzzle (must find 25 clues)
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Justices, Senators, and Representatives (Homework)
January 8
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Youtube video on the structure and functions of the Federal Court System.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_mbk0YhLa0
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8.1 and 8.2 Powerpoint Notes
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Word Scramble (Homework)
January 9
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Vocabulary Quiz
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8.1 Review Questions
1. Why does the Constitution provide for a national court system?
2. Why was the power to establish lower courts given to Congress?
3. What are the three levels of the federal court system?
4. What is the difference between a criminal case and a civil case?
5. How does a person between a criminal case and a civil case?
6. Which courts hear cases about the violation of constitutional rights?
7. What are cases involving admiralty and maritime law about?
8. When is a controversy between citizens of different states not heard in
federal court?
9. Where are cases involving disputes between the United States and
foreign governments heard?
10. Which courts hear cases over which state and federal courts have
concurrent jurisdiction?
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Locating the United States Court of Appeals worksheet
January 12-14
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8.2 Review Questions
1. How many district courts are there in the US?
2. What is the purpose of the federal district courts?
3. What is the job of the appeals courts?
4. Which courts hears cases involving patent law or international trade?
5. What does it mean if a judge remands a case?
6. Why is writing an opinion an important part of a court’s decision?
7. How long may federal judges hold their positions?
8. Explain the three rulings that are possible in a US Court of Appeals case?
Case Assignments Group Activity
Marbury vs Madison
Roe vs Wade
Tinker vs Des Moines
Miranda vs Arizona
Gideon vs Wainwright
MuCulloch vs Maryland
Ex parte Endo
Each group will create a handout for their case. The handout should be
similar to the ones that I give you in class, a web design, or chart to fill in.
The handout must be on a single page and the students you teach must be
able to complete the handout as you teach your case to them. It can be
hand or computer created. Be creative. The handout is due tomorrow and
you will teach your case the following day. You will have 5 minutes to teach
your case. Of course, everything you teach about your case will not be on
your handout, just as with the notes and lecture we do together in class.
Each person in the group must have a teaching moment.
Your teaching must include the following about your case:
 History behind the case
 What did the case challenge
 The final outcome
 Implications of the outcome on the Judicial System
Example: Plessy vs Ferguson
History: Homer Plessy was 7/8 Caucasian and 1/8 African American, looked
white in appearance, but according to LA law was considered black. He, along
with the forerunner group to the NAACP, decided to challenge the LA Rail
Car law on the basis that it violated his 14th Amendment Constitutional
rights. The rail cars in Louisiana were segregated by race. He boarded a
train in New Orleans bound for Covington, sat in the whites only car, and
was arrested in 1893.
Challenged: the Jim Crow laws that had created segregation mainly in
Southern states after the Civil War
Outcome: The case reached the US Supreme Court in 1896 and the
Supreme Court ruled that Plessy’s 14th Amendment right had not been
violated. One Justice dissented on the case.
Implications: The “Separate But Equal” clause became the basis of further
segregation in the US, especially in the South. Jim Crow laws flourished
until 1954, when segregation was again challenged in the Brown vs Board
case. The basis of the Brown case was the dissenting opinion of one Justice
from the Plessy case.
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Presentations of projects
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Judicial Branch Reading and Study Guide Review Questions
January 15-16
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Supreme Court Cases Song: Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFsxdhoH9Zo&feature=player_detailpage
Landmark Cases Worksheet
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NBC 2:00 Supreme Court to Hear Case on Violent Video Games
Supreme Court (8.3-8.4) Notes
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8.3 Review Questions
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1. How are Supreme Court Justices selected?
2. Who makes up the Supreme Court?
3. Who was the first African-American to sit on the Supreme Court?
4. What happens if a law is found unconstitutional?
5. How can Congress get around a Supreme Court ruling?
6. How can the president check the power of the Supreme Court?
7. The Supreme Court refuses to hear many more cases than it accepts.
What
happens in a case when the Supreme Court refuses to hear it?
8. Do you think that the Supreme Court should have a police force with the
power to enforce its decisions? Explain your opinion.
January 20
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Section 3 Review Worksheet
NBC 1:35 The Roe v. Wade Decision
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NBC 3:16 Supreme Court Rules on Overturning Roe v. Wade
NBC 2:09 Reinstatement of Abortion Law Closes Some Texas Clinics
Reinstatement of Abortion Law in LA: The state of Louisiana, in the
Legislative session that just ended, also passed this same bill. The bill was
signed into law by Governor Jindal.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/louisiana_abortion_restric
tion.html
1. How many clinics will this law affect in LA?
2. What does the law call for?
3. Who was the author of the bill and what party does the author
represent?
4. What was the final vote on the bill?
5. Why is it unlikely that the clinics would be able to comply with the new
law and be forced to close their doors?
6. After learning of the case Roe vs Wade, do you think that this is a direct
violation of the case? Explain your thoughts.
7. Do you think that this is a case that will be brought before the Supreme
Court? Explain your thoughts.
Section 4 Review
1.
When is the Supreme Court in session?
2. How many justices have to agree before the court will accept a case?
3. What is a court docket?
4. Why do lawyers prepare briefs for the court?
5. What is the difference between a majority opinion, dissenting
opinion, and a concurring opinion?
6. Why must the Supreme Court print its opinions?
7. What are 4 reasons behind Supreme Court decisions?
8. Why are precedents important in Supreme Court decision making?
9. Most of the cases that reach the Supreme Court are what kinds of
cases?
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EAGLE Questions
January 21
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Test
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Define Chapter 12 Vocabulary and Sentences (15 words)