Agenda Mon 10/12

►RAP #20: Grow your blog

►Review System Diagrams

►Race to the bench!

►Landmark Cases

►HW: Study landmark cases worksheet

EC #2 DUE: Tues 10/27 & Wed 10/28

RAP #20: Grow your blog ►Read blog comments posted online.

►Respond to one of the posts on your RAP.

►Repeat three more times (total of 4 responses).

►Conclude your RAP w/ your “final thoughts.”

Race to the bench

►Analyze the court materials and determine which court the documents represent.

►Include evidence

►For each document (round) your team can earn bonus points based on the instructions on the worksheet

►Get into teams of 3…choose wisely!

4

Step 1 Carefully examine the information for each court. Identify as many clues as you can that might tell you which court in the judicial system is represented.

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

Before you begin examining information about the courts, note these steps on Student Handout 15B:

Use the matrix on your handout.

You may need to use the back for additional evidence you find.

Step 2 Use your Reading Packet and your book to determine which court is represented by the information shown.

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Scoring:

For each court you identify correctly, your group will receive 2 points.

For each piece of correct evidence you list, you will receive 1 point.

If you list a correct piece of evidence that no other team has found, you will receive 2 points.

6

Response Group

7

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

Begin by examining the information for Court 1 on Student Handout 15C.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials.

With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 1. 8

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

9

Response Group

10

Examine the information for Court 2 on Student Handout 15D.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials. With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 2.

11

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

12

Response Group

13

Examine the information for Court 3 on Student Handout 15E.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

14

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials. With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 3.

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

15

Response Group

16

Examine the information for Court 4 on Student Handout 15F.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

17

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials.

With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 4.

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

18

Response Group

19

Examine the information for Court 5 on Student Handout 15G.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

20

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials. With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 5.

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

21

Response Group

22

Examine the information for Court 6 on Student Handout 15H.

What clues might help you determine which court is represented?

Look for clues like these:

• the number of judges or justices

• the topic of the case or cases

• the plaintiff and the defendant in the case

• the specific manner in which the case is argued

• unique features of the court

• references to geographic or other jurisdiction

23

Now, using the Reading Packet & your handouts of the court systems from last class to determine which court is represented by this set of materials. With your group, record your answers, by completing the row for Court 6.

Compute your group score for this round by assigning:

• 2 points for a correctly identified court.

• 1 point for each piece of correct evidence you found that other groups also identified.

• 2 points for any correct evidence you found that no other groups identified.

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Response Group

Response Group

With your group, compute your overall scores for the activity.

As a class, discuss the following questions:

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• Why do different courts play different roles in the judicial branch?

• What safeguards are built into the organization of the U.S. court system to ensure justice?

• Are those safeguards working to ensure justice? How do you know?

• How effective do you think the U.S. court system is in ensuring justice?

Power, Politics, and You

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Read the “Power, Politics, and You” section of the chapter. Then, be prepared to respond to the following questions:

• What problem is being discussed in this article? What are some efforts being made to address that problem?

• How could the high percentage of jury duty no-shows affect the judicial system’s attempts to ensure justice?

• What might be a solution to this problem?