Supreme Court Returns to Session the First Monday in October

 

Teachers, you may find this of interest to introduce students to the Supreme Court, the highest court in our country.Click here for a free resource on the newest Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Supreme-Court-Justice-Ketanji-Brown-Jackson-FREEBIE-7957540

Oyez, Oyez...The Supreme Court begins its new session the first Monday of October. Used by the Supreme Court Marshall to call the Supreme Court to order, the word OYEZ means “Hear Ye”. The word originates from the Latin word which means “to hear”. The Supreme Court hears a number of cases each year in which questions to the Constitution are raised. 

What are three characteristic you think a Supreme Court nominee should have? Did you know that you don’t have to be a lawyer or have even gone to law school?

Did You Know?

1. Only one president did not get the opportunity to name a Supreme Court Justice. That was Jimmy Carter.

2. There is an indoor basketball court at the Supreme Court Building. It is called the “Highest Court in the Land” and is located on the fifth floor.

3. Since 1969, there have been 9 justices on the Supreme Court. However, Congress can change this number to be more or less justices.

4. Justice Clarence Thomas has a record for being the only Supreme Court Justice to remain totally silence, not asking any questions or making any statement, on the

bench, for seven years. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1991, Thomas spoke, from the bench, for the first time in 2013.

5. Is a pickle a vegetable or a fruit? This was one of the decisions the Supreme Court determined in Nix v. Hedden. The court determined it is the seeds that classify the pickle as a “fruit of the vine”.

6. Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. WHY do you think this is the case?____________________

7. You DON'T have to be a lawyer to be named to the Supreme Court.

8. Should a president be IMPEACHED(a trial to determine whether a President has committed actions which could remove the President from office), the Supreme Court Chief Justice presides over the trial.

9. President Taft is the only President to go on to become a Supreme Court Justice.

10. SCOTUS is an acronym for Supreme Court of The United States. What is an acronym? Think of three other acronyms that are common in our daily lives.

This web quest will introduce students to the Supreme Court. There are 12 web questions, a Did You Know? section and comprehension questions. Additionally, there are several extension activities and additional links as well as the key.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Supreme-Court-A-Webquest-913089

Check out this Reader's Theater Script on Justice Sonia Sotomayor: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sonia-Sotomayor-Supreme-Court-Justice-A-Readers-Theater-Script-6044779

Learn about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic American and only the 3rd woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Students will also learn information about the Supreme Court.

A great resource for Women's History Month, a study of the Supreme Court, for Hispanic Heritage Month, a Friday activity or as a substitute lesson. Extension activities included. There are 9 Audience Questioners in this Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of Reader's Theater Scripts.

 

Wpclipart and Pixabay

Check out this Reader's Theater Script on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg-A-Supreme-Court-Justice-Readers-Theater-Script-6045122

September 21st is International Peace Day

 

                                      International Day of Peace:

Click here for free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/International-Peace-Day-September-21st-3379110

The International Day of Peace is held every year on  September 21st. Also called Peace Day, the first celebration was adopted by the United Nations in 1982. It would be in 2001, that nations of the world established September 21st as International Day of Peace. In 2018, the theme for the  International Day of Peace is “The Right to Peace”.  At the United Nations, in New York City, the Japanese Peace Bell is rung to start the day. Made from coins collected by children from sixty countries,  the Peace Bell has the following words engraved on the bell, “Long live absolute world peace”.  There is a minute of silence at noon(at all time zones around the world).

Possible Activities for the International Day of Peace:

1. The dove is the international symbol of peace. Draw/ color a picture of a dove. Write a statement about the International Day of Peace.

2. Write an acrostic poem using the words PEACE.

3. Have students list some of the places in the world where there is conflict. Locate these places on a world map. Ask the students if they have any prior knowledge about the areas .

4. Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Peace Prize.https://www.squizkids.com.au/squiz-kids-shortcuts/the-nobel-prizes/

Learn about some of the people that have been award recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. The youngest was teenager, Malala Yousafzai. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lists/all-nobel-peace-prizes/

5. Make a Peace Pole(“May Peace Prevail on Earth) and place in the lobby of your school.

6. Read Sadako Sasaki and her One Thousand Paper Cranes. Free online book: http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/15882492/sadako-and-the-thousand-paper-cranes#   Make an origami paper crane.  http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-crane.html

7. Make a pinwheel for peace: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/dailylp/dailylp/dailylp006.shtml

8.Share with kids how to say "PEACE" in many different languages: Write Peace In Different Languages

9. Check out my Purple Turtle story, Purple Meets Dovey, the Dove: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Purple-Turtle-Stories-Purple-Meets-Dovey-849071

10. Illustrate one of these quotes: Write a short paragraph explaining what they think the quote means.

A. “ Peace begins with a smile. “ Mother Teresa

B. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.“ Indira Gandhi

C.  "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”  Nelson Mandela

D.  "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”  Mahatma Gandhi

E.  “It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." Eleanor Roosevelt

F.  "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.”  Francis of Assisi

G.  “If you want peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”  Archbishop Tutu

Gail Hennessey

Note: Illustration from wpclipart.com

Hispanic Heritage Month is Coming(Begins September 15th)

 

 National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15-October 15th. It was originally established, in 1969, as Hispanic Heritage Week, by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, it became a month long celebration. Some people say we don't really need an Hispanic Heritage Month, A Black History Month, A Women’s History Month, A Native American Heritage Month and other such months to recognize the achievements of groups which have helped to make this nation great.  I believe we do since history books just can’t address all the different accomplishments of all the people that have contributed to making our country what it is today. Here are some interesting facts to share with your students during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Did You Know?

• Before colonists settled Plymouth Colony, there were people living in St. Augustine, Florida, and Sante Fe, New Mexico.
• Chinese(Mandarin) is spoken by the most people in the world. The second most spoken language is Spanish. A close third is... English.
• The majority of Hispanic people in the United States came from the country of Mexico.
• Pedro Flores was the first to mass-produce the yo yo in the United States.
• in 1989, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen became the first Cuban American to become a member of Congress.
• Learn some Spanish: gracias(Thank you), por favor) (Please)and adios(goodbye)
• Cinco de Mayo(May 5th) is a festive holiday. It celebrates the victory over the French in the Battle of Pueblo(1862). The Mexicans were outnumbered 3-1, yet they won the battle. 
• Have you ever played with a pinata at a birthday party? This is another activity that has its origins in Mexico.  

Check out my webquest, Histanic Heritage Month. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hispanic-Heritage-Month-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-2095906

Back to School Activity-We All See the World in Our Own Unique way!

 We all See the World in our own Unique Way!

This is an activity I used in the beginning of the school year. Give students a shape and have students make something out of it. I have used a straight line with a triangle at the end .You can use any shape. It is amazing the different creations students create from the same shape! Some of my students turned the shape into a stop sign with a car, others created a face, a pyramid scene, mountain view, etc.

Have student color their creation and share the results with the rest of the class. 

You can also use this as a creative writing giving students another student’s drawing and write a paragraph about the drawing.

You could also use this activity to discuss individuality and tolerance.

1. Why do we have different viewpoints on a similar topic?
2. How should you react to someone viewpoint if is isn’t the same as your?
3. Do you have something that you feel makes you unique?

4. Have you ever experienced someone making fun of you? How did you react?

You can expand this as an introduction to cultures to discuss a culture’s uniqueness.

For example, in the United States, we shake hands. How do people greet one another in another culture? Discuss the ways of a group of people are called customs.

Have students share examples of customs of different people of the world. 

Here are some examples of different cultures’ customs:

• Chinese and Japanese people bow to greet one another. Chinese and Japanese people also use chopsticks. Shoes are removed before entering a building in Japan.                                                               •In Indonesian, you point with your thumb.                                     

• In Greece, it is good luck to thrown a child’s tooth onto the roof.            

  • In Morocco, after shaking hands, people in Morocco often place their  right hand on their heart - a sign of friendship.                              

  • In Netherlands, family and friends usually kiss the cheek three times. 

  • In Vietnam, white is the color of death.                                       

• Some people hiss to get someone’s attention in India.

• In Tibet, it is considered respectful to stick your tongue out at someone.

Hope you find this activity of interest. 

Gail 

                           Check out my website for activities for teachers/kids: gailhennessey.com and my TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/gail-hennessey (I would be appreciative if you would click to follow my store.)

Illustration from clipart-library.com