Teaching the Judicial Branch

While the United States runs smoothly now, this has not always happened. It took trials and tribulations to form different departments, appoint leaders, and establish law. Thankfully, the branches of government all have essential yet distinct roles. This allows them to focus on specific aspects to strengthen and successfully run the United States without conflict. When teaching the Judicial Branch, the perfect resources are ready! Students will learn about Nominating Judges and the Supreme Court Case Project as they dive into the Judicial Branch Unit! This unit will ensure students understand the complexities behind the court system in the United States! 

Nominating Judges Lesson 

Many times, students are eager to learn the nominating process of a local judge. So, they are fascinated to know there is a whole nomination process for federal judges! Since this is an intense role, the right individuals must receive the positions. Luckily, this lesson has everything needed to help students critically analyze the nomination process. 

Specifically, the lesson fits perfectly within a 55-minute lesson plan. However, the documents are editable to fit the needs and time of every classroom. During this time, students will walk through Google Slides on nominating federal judges. There are handouts, note sheets, and graphic organizers to ensure students understand the complex process. Additionally, video links help students see and hear the process. 

Since teachers are busy, there are answer keys and lesson plans to make preparation a breeze. 

Supreme Court Case Project 

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S., so it has the final interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Ultimately, this means the court deals with intricate cases. Due to this, students are often fascinated to learn about these cases and understand how they ended up at this level. 

When teaching the Judicial Branch, this project will engage students as they critically analyze major Supreme Court cases. Students will understand the complexities of the cases by studying one in depth. They will examine the background to see the events leading to the Supreme Court hearing the case. Additionally, they will analyze the points of law and understand how the decision reflects the U.S. Constitution. This will require them to explain the decision and rationale the Justices provided. Students will even analyze how the case impacts the U.S., future law, and related cases.

While working on this project, students will learn about ALL of the required cases for the AP US Government exam! Teachers can also edit documents to ensure the specifications meet their classroom needs. 

Since students are analyzing so many cases, there are answer keys. 

Judicial Branch Unit 

When teaching the judicial branch, there is a lot to focus on! Thankfully, this unit has everything you need to help students understand and think critically about it. 

Specifically, there are 7 complete lesson plans and over 100 resources. This includes student activities and all materials to implement the lessons. Additionally, there are cooperative group activities, resources for centers, reading passages, games, and projects. There are even rubrics to make grading easy. 

Since data is essential in any classroom, there are tests and assessments. 

On top of this, there is incredible organization in all files for ease of access. They even progress in number order based on the suggested plan to teach the lessons. Since teaching strategies constantly change, there are FREE updates and email support directly from me. 

Teaching the Judicial Branch does not have to be stressful! With the Nominating Judges Lesson and the Supreme Court Case Project, students gain a deep understanding of the court system. Best of all, the Judicial Branch Unit ensures students have everything they need to learn about the Judicial Branch’s challenging work. 

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