namerhiannonlockwood.docVIP

NAME: Rhiannon Lockwood LESSON: MODEL LESSON PLAN: SUPREME COURT JUSTICES—Confirmation Process SOURCE: Original TIME: 90 Minutes ________________________________________________________________ GOALS: Studying the current makeup of the Supreme Court and the confirmation process will help students understand: The basic steps in the confirmation process. How ideology plays into the selection of judicial candidates and the confirmation process. Students will learn the names of the current justices of the Supreme Court. OBJECTIVES: Students will consider and reflect upon their personal views about what personal qualities, values experiences should belong to a Supreme Court justice. Students will be able to apply their views in critically analyzing hypothetical nominees. Greater understanding of the judicial and political processes should empower students to become more active citizens. CLASSROOM METHODS Introduce topic: Supreme Court justices and the confirmation process. (5 mins.) Inform students that they should be taking notes, as there will be a quiz on this material during the next class. Inform students that this is a timely issue—Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Jr. and Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. underwent their confirmation hearings and were sworn in very recently (Jan. 2006 and Sept. 2005, respectively). Discussion Lecture (20 mins.) Ask students if they can name any Supreme Court justices. Write correct names given on the board. Pass out handout with the names of the Supreme Court justices. (Handout at end of lesson plan.) Point out that 8 of the justices are listed on the handout as “associate” justices and one is the “chief” justice. Ask if students know the difference. Explain: All justices, including the chief, get one vote when deciding a case. The chief justice usually is more influential when deciding which cases the court will hear each term. If the chief justice is in the majority on a case, he or she may write the o