Supreme Court

Students read one high school senior’s perspective on what teenagers are learning from the Kavanaugh hearings, and share their own perspectives.

Young people are listening to the controversy over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and they are talking about it. How can educators safely and productively bring these conversations into their school and classrooms? 

Is labor on the ropes? In this lesson students learn about and discuss how unions reduce inequality, labor’s losses in recent decades, and the current signs of a resurgence. 

This lesson introduces students to the controversy over Justice Kennedy’s retirement and Trump’s role in reshaping the Supreme Court. The first reading reviews Kennedy’s career and highlights the significance of his role as a swing vote on the court. The second reading examines possible consequences...

In this brief Teachable Instant lesson, students learn about and discuss Justice Scalia's stances and the controversy over replacing him on the high court.  

Now is a teachable moment for study and discussion of the First Amendment and the religiously tinged politics of our time. Here, a quiz, a short history of the First Amendment, four case studies and suggested classroom activities.

A student quiz, reading and discussion explore the court's role in interpreting the Constitution and its recent decision to lift limits on corporate & union election ad spending.

The court's recent ruling on the right of schools to conduct drug searches leaves some questions unanswered. Two readings, discussion questions and suggestions for inquiry help students consider the issue.

Student readings explore the debate over Sotomayor, her background, and controversial cases. Discussion questions, a case study and writing assignments follow.

The Supreme Court decision granting habeas corpus rights to Guantanamo prisoners is an opportunity to help students understand the importance of those rights and why granting them to non-citizens is controversial.