This lesson exposes students to the judicial branch and the power of judicial review. They read about an actual Supreme Court case, Torcaso v. Watkins, to see how the judicial branch used its power of judicial review to strike down an unconstitutional state law.
Civics Lessons
Grade Level: Grades 6-8
What is the Judicial Branch?
Voting in Congress
Students learn what factors members of Congress consider when deciding whether to vote for a bill. These include the powers given to Congress by the Constitution, members’ personal opinions, political party support, and what voters think. During the first day of the lesson, students find out about each of these factors. During the second day, students get to try their hand at weighing the factors by considering hypothetical bills.
Constitution Day Lesson-1st Amendment
The goal of this activity is to introduce 7th grade students to the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution.
The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do You Make a More Perfect Union?
These lessons help your students begin to understand why the Founders felt a need to establish a more perfect Union and how they proposed to accomplish such a weighty task.
Wanted: A Just Right Government
Students learn how the U.S. Constitution came to exist by looking at the tensions and differences of opinion that existed among early American states and citizens. Students learn about the Articles of Confederation, why the first “constitution” didn’t work, and how compromise led to the Constitution.