Teacher Resources
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Supreme Court Debate Project
Everything you need to run the project in your classroom
About This Project
Why I Built This
This project is designed to be a fun, engaging version of the OSPI Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) for middle school civics — specifically the "Constitutional Issues" CBA. It meets the presentation requirement through the structured debate format, where students take on the role of constitutional lawyers arguing real Supreme Court cases.
The website provides scaffolded support at every step — from learning vocabulary to sorting arguments to writing opening statements — so students can focus on thinking deeply about constitutional questions rather than getting lost in the format. Interactive activities help students organize their thinking before they start writing.
My goal was to take what can feel like a dry assessment and turn it into something students actually look forward to. The debate format gives them a clear purpose for their research and a real audience for their arguments.
Website Features
Interactive tools to support student learning
Current Features
- Case Pages: Each case includes background information, constitutional questions, arguments for both sides, and an Evidence Vault with primary sources
- Argument Sorting: Students categorize arguments by side to understand both perspectives before choosing their position
- Evidence Sorting: Interactive activity where students match evidence to the side it supports
- Debate Prep Workspace: Guided writing environment with sentence starters, where students select their strongest arguments and prepare rebuttals
- Review Mode: Vocabulary flashcards and multiple choice practice to reinforce key concepts
- Case Journeys: Visual timelines showing the path each case took to the Supreme Court
- Progress Saving: Student work saves automatically (locally or with Google sign-in for cloud sync)
Roadmap & Future Ideas
Where this project is headed
Planned Improvements
- More Cases: Expand beyond the current 7 cases to include additional landmark decisions (Miranda v. Arizona, Gideon v. Wainwright, etc.)
- Challenge Level: An advanced tier with more detailed case information, additional primary sources, and deeper constitutional analysis for students ready for more rigor
- Enhanced Sourcing: Better citation support so students can properly attribute evidence in their arguments
- Fact-Checking Tools: Built-in verification to help students distinguish strong evidence from weaker claims
- Printable Handouts: PDF versions of the digital activities for classrooms with limited device access
- Teacher Dashboard: View student progress, assign specific cases, and track completion
Have an Idea?
This project grows through teacher feedback. If you have suggestions for new cases, features, or improvements, I'd love to hear them. What would make this more useful for your classroom?
Project Overview
A 4-week unit plan — adapt the pacing to fit your schedule
The Driving Question
When, if ever, should the government be allowed to limit a person's constitutional rights in order to protect the community?
This is one of the most important questions in American democracy. Students become constitutional lawyers, analyzing real Supreme Court cases and debating whether individual rights or community safety should come first.
Weekly Breakdown
Week 1 Building Your Foundation
- Launch: Play "Do I Have a Right?" to see how courts protect our freedoms
- Learn the Language: Master key legal vocabulary needed for debates
- Real Story: Discover how Wong Kim Ark fought for his rights all the way to the Supreme Court
- How It Works: Learn how cases actually reach the Supreme Court
Week 2 Choose Your Case & Get Creative
- Meet the Cases: Explore 7 landmark Supreme Court cases
- Rank Your Choices: Pick which case you want to argue
- Design Time: Create a movie-style poster introducing your case to the class
- Think Deep: Discuss real dilemmas about individual rights vs. community good
Week 3 Become a Lawyer
- Research: Read case materials and understand both sides
- Prepare: Organize arguments, plan questions, write opening statements
- Practice: Get ready to present your side convincingly
Week 4 Debate
- Debate: Present your case to the class (2 cases per day)
Student Role
Students are constitutional lawyers representing either the petitioner or respondent in a real Supreme Court case. Their job is to:
- Understand the facts of their case
- Know the constitutional issues at stake
- Build strong arguments using evidence
- Anticipate and respond to opposing arguments
- Convince others that their side protects what matters most
The 7 Cases
Student Rights & Free Speech
- Tinker v. Des Moines — Can students wear armbands to protest war?
- Mahanoy v. B.L. — Can schools punish students for social media posts made off campus?
Religion & Schools
- Kennedy v. Bremerton — Can a coach pray on the field after games?
Privacy & Search
- New Jersey v. T.L.O. — Can schools search students without a warrant?
- Payton v. New York — Can police enter your home without a warrant to arrest you?
Immigration & Federalism
- Arizona v. United States — Can states enforce their own immigration laws?
Civil Rights
- Brown v. Board of Education — Can states force students to attend separate schools based on race?
Project Files & Handouts
Click any card to open or download the file
Cases Overview
Slides summarizing all 7 cases with key facts and constitutional questions
Click to copy to your Drive →Case Overview Notes
Student notetaker for recording case details during research
Click to copy to your Drive →Case Selection Google Form
Students rank their top case choices
Click to copy to your Drive →Case Readings — Two Levels
Two reading levels of text for each case (standard and simplified)
Click to preview →Case Prep Files
Background research notes, argument prep organizer, and opening/closing statement templates — all in one doc
Click to copy to your Drive →Each "/copy" link creates a fresh copy in your Google Drive. The case readings link opens a preview.
Contact
Shie Benaderet he/him/his
Share Your Feedback
Found a bug? Have a case suggestion? Want to share how you're using this in your classroom? This project improves through teacher input — your feedback directly shapes what gets built next.
Send Feedback