Civic Literacy + AP U.S. Government / Supreme Court Simulator
The Ninth Chair
Your opinion needs more than a verdict. Explore chambers, question counsel, distinguish precedents, and write four opinions with a serious response to the other side.
4 sessions · 4 case files · Included with educator membership · Students use a teacher assignment link.
The Ninth Chair
A fictional Supreme Court term · after 1969
Select a character above to walk over, or explore with the keyboard.
Learning goals, level structure & teacher guide
Learning goal: Connect constitutional principles and historical precedents to new facts, distinguish cases, and defend a reasoned opinion. Supports AP case comparison; not full exam coverage.
Course connections: CL.C&G.2 · AP: required-case comparison and argumentation. These are supporting practice connections, not a claim of full standards coverage or mastery. The ancient settlement is a conceptual introduction; use specific historical cases to make the comparison explicit.
| Level | Practical missions | Written checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Consult the clerk and both counsel; read the appeal; select and distinguish a relevant historical precedent. | Proposed holding, constitutional evidence, counterargument, and limiting rule. |
| 2 | Consult the clerk and both counsel; read the appeal; select and distinguish a relevant historical precedent. | Proposed holding, constitutional evidence, counterargument, and limiting rule. |
| 3 | Consult the clerk and both counsel; read the appeal; select and distinguish a relevant historical precedent. | Proposed holding, constitutional evidence, counterargument, and limiting rule. |
| 4 | Consult the clerk and both counsel; read the appeal; select and distinguish a relevant historical precedent. | Proposed holding, constitutional evidence, counterargument, and limiting rule. |
Allow roughly 35–50 minutes per level including discussion and writing. Timing is a design estimate and needs classroom testing. A student can complete the mechanical actions faster; depth comes from evidence, comparison, and revision.
Review each checkpoint for factual accuracy, relevant evidence, explanation, and acknowledgment of limits. Word counts only prevent blank submissions. Neither completion nor a resource total is a grade. Have students download their portfolio for Google Classroom; this version does not submit or grade work automatically.
Progress saves in this browser when storage is available. Students can export and restore a campaign file on another device. On shared computers, export and then clear the local campaign. No names are requested. Characters use authored dialogue, not live AI. Movement uses W A S D, arrow keys, click-to-walk, or the location buttons.