Lesson #4: The Judicial Branch

Activity 4.2: Court Quest^[1]

^[2]

In Court Quest, people from around the country need your help to navigate our court system. Listen carefully to each case, so you can guide them to the right place!

This 15-30 minute online video game will help you further understand the federal and state court systems and the appeals process. You will encounter citizens around the country that need assistance figuring out which court their case should go to, and you will read their cases and analyze the details to help them get to them right place.

Social Studies Benchmark:

9.1.4.6.4: Explain the purposes, organization, functions and processes of the judicial branch as enumerated in Article III of the United States Constitution.

Reading Benchmarks:

9.12.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, geographic, historical, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

Learning Target:

I can explain the structure of the U.S. Court system, including the Supreme Court.

• I understand why we have two systems of courts in the United States, and I can give examples of each system’s areas of jurisdiction.
• I can explain the structure of the state court system.
• I can explain the structure of the federal court system.
• I understand the importance of having a system of appeals.

Essential Question:

How does our nation’s court system work?

• Why do we have two systems of courts in the United States? What are each system’s areas of jurisdiction?
• What is the structure of the state court system?
• What is the structure of the federal court system?
• Why is it important to have a system of appeals?

To complete Activity 4.2 please follow the steps below:

Complete the tasks listed below and submit your work by uploading a file to the “Add Submission” box located at the bottom of this moodle page. Paste a screenshot of your pre-game notesheet and finisher certificate into the document with your debriefing questions. Please answer with proper response construction and make sure to include your name properly on the assignment. Name, Course, Grade, Date.

STEP 1: A Quick Review

View this presentation^[3] for a quick review of differences in jurisdiction between the federal and state court systems, as well as the system of appeals. (A video version with voice is available here.) Fill in the blanks on this note sheet3, which will aid you while playing the game.

STEP 2: Play the Game!

Follow this link to get to the Court Quest game. Step-by-step instructions are included below, but on the very first screen, you can also click on “Instructions” to get detailed directions. You may pause the game at any time by clicking on the “Pause” button in the top right corner. When you do so, a legend will appear which defines the different courts that you may encounter throughout the game.

1. Select the “Casual Mode” of play. In “Casual Mode” your goal is to assist 20 citizens in reaching final verdicts for each case. Casual mode is the recommended option for beginners and allows you to play the game at your own pace.

2. Now you will see a map of the United States. Citizens that need your help will begin to appear on the map. Click on a citizen to activate his or her story.

3. Read the story and determine whether the citizen has a state or federal issue by clicking “State” or “Federal.” Hold your curser over the buttons for an explanation of each court system.

4. The citizen’s story will slide off-screen, but if you should want to revisit it at any time click the thought bubble above their head. To view a description of each court, simply click on the icon. Don’t forget that the U.S. Supreme Court is always an option, too!

5. After reading the description of the court select either “Go to this Court” or “Wrong Court.” Once the citizen has gone to court, click on the character to find out whether he or she won the case.

6. If you have selected incorrectly, a bubble will appear letting you know that you have chosen incorrectly, and telling you to try again! If you have selected correctly, the bubble will let you know that you have selected correctly and will give you the court’s verdict.

7. If the citizen won the case, you are done helping him or her. If the citizen lost the case and needs to appeal, you are responsible for directing him or her to the next court in the appeals process repeating steps 3 and 4.

8. Once the citizen has received a final verdict, he or she will disappear, and you must click “Back to US Map” in the bottom right. Once back at the map of the United States, select another citizen to help.

9. When you have completed helping all citizens’ appeals processes you have finished the game! Capture and save a screenshot of the finisher certificate, which will be submitted to your teacher.

STEP 3: Debriefing

As you think about the game you just played, record answers to the following debriefing questions.

1. How did you know whether to send the citizen to a state or federal court?
2. How did you know whether to send the citizen to a trial or appeals court?
3. When did you send citizens to the United States Supreme Court?
4. List one court you encountered during the game that you were previously unfamiliar with.
5. Why did different states have different court systems?

Upload your responses to the “Add Submission” box!

1. Open document to your computer
2. Complete the Activity
3. Click "Save As" and save it onto a special place on your computer
4. Click "Upload a File"
5. Upload the file to this Moodle page
6. Click Save