2017 Supreme Court Summer Institute Recap and Resources

In June, 56 teachers attended the 2017 Street Law Supreme Court Summer Institute in Washington, DC. Since it was launched in 1995, this program has reached more than 1,200 teachers, who have in turn impacted over 300,000 students!

The 2017 Institute included sessions led by Supreme Court experts, journalists, authors, and lawyers, who gave teachers an in-depth understanding of the Court’s inner workings, including how the Court chooses and decides cases and what it is like to argue before the Court. The Institute covered six recent cases, and teachers even simulated their own argument in an actual case from this term, Matal v. Tam, and participated in deliberations about voting restrictions. This exciting professional development opportunity culminated with a visit to the Court to hear decisions handed down and a reception at the Court.

The Institute prepared teachers to use innovative methods to teach about both current and historical cases. Beyond the content-rich sessions and activities, teachers were equipped with the skills and tools to train fellow teachers at home.

Below are links to the new SCOTUS case summaries used at the Institute:

• Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer (2017)
• Matal v. Tam (2017)
• Sessions v. Morales-Santana (2017)
• Moore v. Texas (2017)
• Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
• Deliberation: Stricter Voting Regulations

For additional case summaries and lessons plans, visit our Free Resource Library.

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The Supreme Court Summer Institute is funded by and delivered in partnership with the Supreme Court Historical Society.