How the Supreme Court Affects the Lives of Teens

Overview

The Supreme Court, the highest court in the U.S., examines federal and state statutes and executive actions to determine whether they conform to the U.S. Constitution. Since its beginnings, the Supreme Court has ruled on cases that support, and sometimes challenge or broadly interpret, parts of the Constitution. In this lesson, students explore the impact of historic and recent Supreme Court decisions and issues on their lives.

Objectives

Students will:

  • Describe the structure and function of the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Analyze milestone Supreme Court decisions.
  • Debate and make determinations about recent Supreme Court rulings or docket issues.

Materials

  • Internet access
  • Internet and print resources on U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Constitution (preferably booklets or pamphlets)
  • Historic Supreme Court decisions
  • Recent Supreme Court decisions or issues

Estimated class time: 3-4 classroom periods

Background

Before beginning the lesson, students should have background (provided by the teacher or through student research) on the structure and function of the Supreme Court and the federal court system, and the U.S. Constitution.
Refer to the Web resources listed below for this information.

Procedures

1) Invite students to discuss the significance of the Supreme Court. Ask: What role does the Supreme Court hold for citizens? Why is the Supreme Court necessary? Explain and discuss. How does the Supreme Court influence your lives as adolescents?

2) Instruct students to read the following printout that introduces students to the goals of the Supreme Court.

3) Invite students to discuss their understanding of the relationship between the Supreme Court and the Constitution. Have students consider the challenges this interconnectedness might present, given the Constitution's interpretive nature and individuals' perception of rights and freedom. Students can use the Core Democratic Values printout to consider factors, other than constitutional tenets, that could influence the Supreme Court's decisions (also consider the values and beliefs of a time period, moral issues and attitudes, etc.).

4) Have students brainstorm Supreme Court decisions that significantly challenged, supported, or altered constitutional tenets. Distribute Important Cases in Supreme Court handout or have students locate historic cases from the extensive list on the Supreme Court Collection Web site.

Instruct the students to review several of the cases and discuss the balance of the Constitution and individual rights in each one. Ask: Which of these cases retains relevance in present times? How would a different ruling have had an impact on your life?

5) Ask students to read NewsHour Extra story, The Big Nine, about the upcoming Supreme Court docket.

6) Divide students into teams of three and have each team select an issue. Tell students they can suggest their own topic or choose between the following:

  • Does executing mentally retarded murderers amount to cruel and unusual punishment? (Current session)
  • Whether tax dollars can be spent to educate children at church-run schools. (Current session)
  • Whether the FBI can use extraordinary measures to track suspected terrorists.(Current session)
  • Whether Boy Scout troops can exclude gay troop leaders. (Last year)
  • Whether public schools can allow prayer over the public address system. (Last year)

Assessment

Have students assume the roles of policy experts, legal advisors, constitutional scholars, judges, advocates, etc., representing their points of view on a show such as the NewsHour. Have one student play the anchor and interview the two other students representing each side of the issue. Remind students that the core of their arguments should center on how the issue and resultant Supreme Court ruling would affect adolescents. Or, have one student write the arguments for one side, one write the argument for the other side, and one student write a decision reviewing the issues and laying out the reasons for choosing one argument.

After the debate, allow students time to debrief and discuss issues Supreme Court justices must consider when ruling on a case, factors that play a role in the decision, and whether it is possible for all individuals' rights and freedoms to be addressed in a specific ruling.

Related Web sites:

Online Newshour Extra: The Big Nine
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec01/supreme_court.html

Online Newshour Extra: School and Religion
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/prayerdecision.html

Online Newshour: Supreme Court Preview
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/july-dec01/scotus_10-01.html

Supreme Court of the United States
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

The United States Federal Courts (visual of the court system)
http://www.uscourts.gov/outreach/structure.jpg

The Federal Judiciary
http://www.uscourts.gov/
(Click on About the U.S. Courts; download "Understanding the Federal
Courts" in pdf format)

Supreme Court Collection
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/cases/topic.htm

Historic Court Decisions
http://www.lectlaw.com/tcas.htm

U.S. Constitution
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/constitution.html

Related standards:

Grades 9-12

National Standards for Civics and Government
.
I B. What are the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited government?
2. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on the importance of the rule of law and on the sources, purposes, and functions of law.

II A. What is the American idea of constitutional government?
1. Students should be able to explain the central ideas of American constitutional government and their history.

II D. What values and principles are basic to American constitutional democracy?
3. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional democracy.

III D. What is the place of law in the American constitutional system?
1. Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on the role and importance of law in the American political system.

Author Michele Israel has been an educator for over 20 years. Working for
traditional and nontraditional organizations, she has developed and managed
innovative educational initiatives, created curricula and educational
materials, and designed professional development offerings. Currently, she
is an independent educational consultant/writer for Educational Consulting
Group, with a client base that has included Newsweek, CNN/Turner Learning,
Nickelodeon, The Princeton Review, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Helicon
Publishers.

To find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman at lclapman@newshour.org