Unit Plan Cover Page

Unit Title: Judicial Branch

Time Frame: 2 weeks

Course: American Government

Grade Level: 12
CURRICULUM/STANDARDS
List all appropriate national, state or district curriculum or standards that align to this unit. You dont need to
write out the entire standard, but give me the title of the standards document you are using and the relevant
standard/PO numbers.

S3C2PO2d;S3C2PO7ac

KEY THEMES/QUESTIONS
List the key themes/questions that are guiding this unit:

Questions:
What determines which court a case goes to?
Do we really have the freedom to say whatever we want?
How does freedom of speech apply to social media?
What rights as students do you have on campus?

Themes:
Structure of the Judicial Branch
Rights on campus vs rights outside campus

ASSESSMENT
List the assessments that will be used to gauge student learning. This may include traditional quizzes or
exams, as well as major learning activities such as simulations, labs, etc.

Assessments: Bill of Rights handbook, document based questions, Unit Exam, review notes
 RESOURCES/MATERIALS
List all resources (copyrighted or otherwise) that you will need to teach this unit. This should be a
comprehensive list of all resources you will need to create or borrow (including textbook chapters, additional
readings, videos, power points and teaching notes, handouts, assessments, etc.)

Textbook: MaGruders American Government (Chapters: 18, 19, 20)

Readings and Handouts: Judicial Branch in a Flash reading and handout, Sources of Law Table, Worksheet #2:
Law, Appellate Court Handout and worksheet, Worksheet #1: Jurisdiction, Precedent and Stare Decisions group
activity, Bill of rights Pamphlet worksheet, Bill of rights Worksheet, copy of Bill of Rights, Bill of Rights handbook
instructions, freedom of speech activity handout, 4th amendment worksheet, rights of the accused worksheets 1 &
2, unit study guide handout

Assessments:
Unit Test printout

Other Materials:
Projector, PowerPoint (Trial and Appellate Court, The Supreme Court, Bill of Rights), computer, notes on judicial
system and bill of rights

Videos:
Crash Course video (YouTube)

Unit Calendar
(For each class period, list the topic of the day, as well as main learning activities. You may list standards if you
choose.)
(Insert or delete days of the week as appropriate for your school district calendar. Add or delete weeks depending
on the length of your unit.)

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

November 15 November 16 November 17th November 18th

Introduction to U.S. Sources of Law Inferior Courts The Supreme

Court System Court
 Activities: Presentation:
Video: -Sources of Law Table -Inferior Courts PP Presentation:
-Legal Basics System and Reading (Covers: -The Supreme Court
Crash Course Constitution, status Activity: PP
code, code of -Appellate Court
Activities: regulations, Civil vs Handout Activity:
-Judicial Branch in a Criminal, and special -Appellate Court -Worksheet #1:
Flash reading courts) worksheet Jurisdiction (Use
-Judicial Branch in a -Worksheet #2: Law -Use Textbook if Chapter 18 in
Flash worksheet needed: 468-470 textbook with
worksheet)
Homework: (Due -Precedent and
Monday, November Suggested Suggested Stare Decisions
21st) Read pages in homework reading homework reading group activity
textbook: to help for to help for
*461-466, tomorrow: 468-479 tomorrow: 471-476
(suggested for
tomorrow)(Answer 1,
3, & 4)
*468-470 (Answer 2,
3, 4)
*471-476 (Answer 3,
4, & 5)

November 21st November 22nd November 23rd No school No school

Know Your Rights! Know Your Rights! Know Your Rights! Thanksgiving Break Thanksgiving Break

Presentation: Activity: Activity:

-Bill of Rights PP - Create your own Bill -Finish up your Bill of
of Rights handbook Rights handbook
Activity:
-Bill of Rights
Pamphlet activity
-Bill of Rights
Worksheet

Handouts for
Reference:
-Copy of the Bill of
Rights

Homework in
textbook (Due
Monday
November 28th):
485-489 (Answer
#1)
490-497 (Answer
#1)
499-505 (Answer 1,
2, 4 & 5)
506-508 (Answer 1&
3)
508-511(Answer 1&
2)

November 28th November 29th November 30th December 1st December 2nd
Rights of the
th
Freedom of Freedom of 4 amendment accused Review and Notes
Speech! Speech!
Activity: Activity: Activity:
Activity: Activity: -Guest Speaker -Rights of the Accused -There will be a
-Freedom of Speech -Finish up Freedom of (school officer) reading (textbook review of
Court Cases Speech Court Cases -4th Amendment Chapter 5 528-536) everything students
 worksheet -Rights of the Accused learned during this
worksheet 1 & 2 unit
Suggested -Students will be
Homework in Suggested Homework reading given a study guide
Textbook (Due Homework reading to help for and they will have
Monday to help for tomorrow: the chance to work
December 5th) tomorrow: 528-539 on their unit test
517-520 (Answer 1, 517-520 cheat sheet, they
3) will then turn them
521-526 (Answer 1, in after they take
6) the test for a grade
528-535 (Answer 1, (if not finished in
2) class they will take
536-539 (Answer 2, their notes home to
3) finish it over the
weekend)
December 5th

Test Day

Activity:
-Unit Test
-Students will also
have to turn in their
notes