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Educational Resources that Meet Social Studies Standards and Best Practices

The federal Judiciary’s programs and resources provide teachers and students with interactive content that address the following, widely accepted academic standards.

National Standards for Civics and Government

Content standards are organized around five significant questions:

  1. What are civic life, politics, and government?
  2. What are the foundations of the American political system?
  3. How does the government established by the Constitution embody the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy?
  4. What is the relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs?
  5. What are the roles of the citizen in American democracy?

Learn more about these standards.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards

Guidance for enhancing the rigor of K-12 civics, economics, geography, and history. Learn more about this framework and standards.

Civic and Political Institutions by the End of Grade 12

Explain how the U.S. Constitution establishes a system of government that has powers, responsibilities, and limits that have changed over time and that are still contested. 

The interactive materials on this site follow C3 guidance recommending that content centers on “the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, and deepen investigations, enabling students to acquire rigorous content, and to develop their knowledge and ideas in real-world settings in order to become active and engaged citizens in the twenty-first century.”

Separation of Powers

Rule of Law

Impartial Judiciary

Participation and Deliberation

Applying the civic virtues and democratic principles by the end of Grade 12. Use appropriate deliberative processes in multiple settings.

Jury Service

Right to Counsel

Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions: Legal Skills as Life Skills

Candid Conversations with Judges

Best Practices: Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic Learning

Practice #6: Simulations of Democratic Processes. Most civics courses were designed around textbook heavy curriculums where students only read about civics. Simulations of democratic processes and policymaking teach students 21st century skills such as public speaking, teamwork, close reading, analytical thinking, and the ability to argue both sides of a topic.

Learn more about these best practices.

Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government & Politics

Although the federal Judiciary’s courtroom simulations, programs, and resources are geared to mainstream students, they also meet the criteria for Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics.

Find six of the required Supreme Court cases that are in the AP courses and on the exam. See page 35 of the guidebook.

View information about other Supreme Court landmark cases.

National Council for the Social Studies Standards for the Preparation of Social Studies Teachers

Standard 1 is Content Knowledge. “Candidates demonstrate knowledge of social studies disciplines. Candidates are knowledgeable of disciplinary concepts, facts, and tools; structures of inquiry; and forms of representation.” Learn more about these standards.

Educational Resources Overview for Teachers

  • Federal Courts’ Unique Niche in Civics Education
  • Programs Accessible at Local Federal Courthouses
  • Real-Life Simulations and Enrichment Activities

Teachers Summer Institutes Offered by Federal Courts

DISCLAIMER: These resources are created by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for educational purposes only. They may not reflect the current state of the law, and are not intended to provide legal advice, guidance on litigation, or commentary on any pending case or legislation.