A Supreme Court Constitutional Activity
Classroom/Courtroom Activity
Adapted and Modified from Several Sources

Overview

In this activity, students do a simulation of a Supreme Court deliberation that introduces them to the difficult role of the courts in balancing individual rights and public safety, particularly when national security is threatened. Using a hypothetical situation, students are asked to assume the role of Supreme Court justices and weigh the risks when democracy hangs in the balance.

Objectives

1. Practice critical-thinking skills.
2. Develop consensus-building skills.
3. Understand how rights are interrelated.
4. Understand how the Supreme Court protects individual rights.

In Advance of the Activity

In class before the activity, all students work in Supreme Court groups of nine to find a magazine picture representing each of the first Ten Amendments to the Constitution. Groups may select more than one picture per Amendment.

1. The teacher assigns all students to a Supreme Court group even if the groups are larger than nine. After the preparatory exercise, but before the court visit, "extra" students beyond the nine on each court are designated by the teacher to be the group spokesperson(s). They are journalists and will report the decision of their Supreme Court to the rest of the class on the day of the court visit.
   
2. Each Supreme Court selects its Chief Justice. He/she is "a first among equals" and facilitates the process.
   
3. Each picture is mounted on construction paper so that all groups may exhibit their representation of each Amendment as part of the court exercise.
   
4. At the end of the court exercise, all the rights that survive will be displayed together and all the rights that are discarded will be grouped together.

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