ALEX | Alabama Learning Exchange

Court Quest

Classroom Resource Information

Title:

Court Quest

URL:

https://www.icivics.org/node/853/resource?referer=curriculum/play/all&page_title=Curriculum%20All%20Games

Content Source:

Other
iCivics

Type:

Interactive/Game

Overview:

In this interactive game from iCivics, students will help people from around the country to navigate the U.S. court system. Students will distinguish between the federal and state court systems, identify the types and levels of courts within each system, and evaluate case scenarios to send citizens to the correct court. This game can be played during a lesson on court systems for reinforcement or after as an assessment.

You will need to create a free account in order to access some of the content on this site.

Content Standard(s):

Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 7
Civics

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

• Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

• Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

• Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

Unpacked Content

Strand: Geography, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: Civics

Evidence Of Student Attainment:

Students:

Relate the organization, duties and functions of state and local government examining how they compare and contrast to the organization, duties and functions of the federal government.

Teacher Vocabulary:

branches: executive, legislative, judicial
duties
functions
organization
jurisdiction
federal
districts
separation of powers
checks and balances

Knowledge:

Students know:

The functions of each of the three branches of the Federal Government and the three branches of Alabama's government.
The functions of the local government.
The organizational structure of local, state and Federal Courts.

Skills:

Students are able to:

Locate state and federal political districts and geographic districts in Alabama on a map.
Cite evidence in primary source documents to support important concepts of American Government.

Understanding:

Students understand that:

The structure of government at the federal and state level and the unique duties and functions of each are set forth by the U.S. and Alabama Constitutions.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards

AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.7.5- Define the three branches of government; recognize the function of each branch of government as making laws, enforcing laws, or reviewing laws; identifying concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances.

Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 12
United States Government

13 ) Evaluate constitutional provisions of the judicial branch of government of the United States, including checks by the judicial branch on other branches of government, limits on judicial power, and the process by which cases are argued before the United States Supreme Court.

• Explaining the structure and jurisdiction of court systems of the United States, including lower courts and appellate courts

• Identifying the impact of landmark United States Supreme Court cases on constitutional interpretation

Examples: Marbury versus Madison, Miranda versus Arizona, Tinker versus Des Moines, Gideon versus Wainwright, Reno versus American Civil Liberties Union, United States versus Nixon, McCulloch versus Maryland, Wallace versus Jaffree, Wyatt versus Stickney, Powell versus Alabama (Alabama)

• Describing the shifting political balance of the court system, including the appointment process, the ideology of justices, influences on court decisions regarding executive and legislative opinion, public opinion, and the desire for impartiality

• Contrasting strict and loose constructionist views of the Constitution of the United States

Unpacked Content

Strand: Economics, History, Civics and Government

Course Title: United States Government

Evidence Of Student Attainment:

Students:

Describe the process by which a court case is decided, including the its path through the appeals process as well as the considerations given in deciding a final decision.
Identify how Supreme Court decisions can create large changes in constitutional interpretation through landmark cases.
Evaluate how political ideology influences how justices are appointed as well as the method by which they interpret the Constitution.

Teacher Vocabulary:

strict/loose construction
impartiality
lower court
ideology
appellate court
landmark case
jurisdiction
judicial review
appointment
Supreme Court
opinion/decision
district court

Knowledge:

Students know:

How key landmark Supreme Court cases influenced the interpretation of constitutional rights of citizens and powers/limitations of American government.
The means by which judges interpret the meaning of the Constitution, including strict and loose construction.
The organization of the American court system, including the powers and limitations of each level and type of court.
The process by which Supreme Court justices are appointed, including the consideration of ideology and how such may impact future decisions.

Skills:

Students are able to:

Identify the effect by which landmark decisions change the interpretation of constitutional provisions and rights.
Illustrate the process by which a court case is initiated in a lower level court and can then later be decided by the US Supreme Court.
Critique the process by which political ideology becomes a factor in both the appointment process of judges as well as the decision-making process in deciding cases.
Analyze an excerpt of a Supreme Court decision to ascertain the constitutional interpretation evident as well as the impact it may have on a constitutional right or provision.

Understanding:

Students understand that:

The powers, limitations, and organization of the judicial branch of American government, including how these determine the means by which a case arrives to, is argued before, and is decided upon by the Supreme Court, helps shape the law in the U.S.

Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards

AAS Standard:
SS.USG.AAS.12.13- Define judicial branch of government; identify the major roles and responsibilities of the judicial branch of government; recognize that the judicial branch is a court system with the Supreme Court serving as the highest court in the land.
SS.USG.AAS.12.13a- Identify the effect by which landmark decisions change the interpretation of constitutional provisions and rights.

Tags:

court system, government, judicial branch

License Type:

Custom Permission Type
See Terms: https://www.icivics.org/terms-use
For full descriptions of license types and a guide to usage, visit :
https://creativecommons.org/licenses

Accessibility

Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles
Graphics: includes alt tags or long descriptions
Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles

Comments

iCivics is a free resource for teachers. Teachers can register for a free account to access additional resources. They can create a class to assign resources to students.

This resource provided by:

Author:

Ginger Boyd

ALEX Classroom Resource

Court Quest