The 2020-2023 Judicial Council of Georgia Strategic Plan includes a community engagement component for the judicial branch. We will be working this year to create and collect resources for community engagement and civic resources to assist judges with their community outreach.
Read-Aloud Books
Reading books aloud stimulates the mind of children and helps develop language and listening skills. Below we have list of books that can be read aloud to students in various grades.
Civics Reading List by Grade and Topic
To sort by grade level, input number of the grade into the search field (e.g., ‘k’ for kindergarten or ‘2’ for 2nd grade)
| Grade Level(s) | Topic | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Good Citizenship | Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind | Jessica Hische |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Good Citizenship | Tomorrow I’ll be Brave | Jessica Hische |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Good Citizenship | You’re Here for a Reason | Nancy Tillman |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Good Citizenship | What Can a Citizen Do? | Dave Eggers |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Constitution Day | We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States | David Catrow |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Women’s Suffrage | I Could Do That!: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote | Linda Arms White |
| K, 1, 2, 3 | Women’s Suffrage | Around America to Win the Vote | Maria Rockliff |
| 1, 2, 3, 4 | Women’s Suffrage | Bold & Brave | Kirsten Gillibrand |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Women’s Suffrage | Elizabeth Leads the Way | Tanya Lee Stone |
| 3, 4, 5 | Bill of Rights Day | A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights | Kathleen Krull |
| 4, 5 | Constitution Day | We the People: The Story of Our Constitution | Lynne Cheney |
| 4, 5 | Constitution Day | A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution | Betsy Maestro |
| 4, 5 | Bill of Rights Day | The Bill of Rights: Protecting Our Freedom Then and Now | Syl Sobel |
| 4, 5, 6 | Women’s Suffrage | The Ballot Box Battle | Emily Arnold McCully |
Visit our “Be Proud to Read Aloud” page. We celebrated the 2020 Law Day theme of women’s suffrage in the United States by recording judges read a number of books on the subject and distributing the videos to teachers for use.
Lesson Plans/Resources
We are adding new materials as we find them. Check back every time you have a speaking engagement.
Lesson Plans and Resources by Grade Level
To sort by grade level, input number of the grade into the search field (e.g., ‘k’ for kindergarten or ‘2’ for 2nd grade)
| Grade Levels | Published by | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | iCivics | Judicial Branch Bingo | |
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | iCivics | Judicial Branch in a Flash - Overview, Quiz, Crossword | |
| K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | GPB Education | The Judicial Branch Explained - video, some dated info should be addressed with students | YouTube Video |
| 3, 4, 5 | Texas Courts | Goldie Locks versus Three Bears: A Civil Mock Trial Script | |
| K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | ABA | Mock Trial: A Script and How-to Guide - Goldilocks | |
| 8 | GaDOE | GA 8th Grade Social Studies Standards | |
iCivics
Founded in 2009 by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics provides free, high-quality, non-partisan resources to help ensure that students have the civics knowledge they need to participate meaningfully in our democracy. Create an iCivics account to access a treasure trove of online or printable materials such as Judicial Branch Bingo or the Judicial Branch in a Flash Crossword Puzzle. These are fun ways to interact with a class while sharing important civics lessons.
Events
Law Day Art Contest
Law Day is held annually on May 1. It is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share. Each year we invite students from across Georgia to submit artwork about the Law Day theme Past winners and their artwork can be found at https://georgiacourtsjournal.org/2022/04/29/2022-law-day-art-contest-winners/ and at https://georgiacourtsjournal.org/2023/04/25/2023-law-day-art-contest-winners/.
We look forward to what 2024 brings! Information about this year’s contest can be found at https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/judicial-council-of-georgia-2024-law-day-art-contest/.
A Celebration of the Bill of Rights
Your Constitution in Action
In celebration of Constitution Day 2023, the Judicial Council of Georgia created 5 animated videos that demonstrate how Georgia’s judges come face to face with principles in the constitution.
Constitution Day Twitter Town Hall
For several years, @GACourts has celebrated Constitution Day (September 17) by hosting a Twitter Town Hall, where Georgia Judges answer various questions from students about the Constitution. For a summary of the answers, click the image below. Also, in honor of the 2021 event, Chief Justice David E. Nahmias penned an Op-Ed for the AJC with the title “More Perfect Union Needs Civics Education,” which is a must-read for anyone considering contributing to the cause of civics education.
An #AskGAJudges Twitter Town Hall was held on September 17, 2021. Check out our Wakelet Summary for all of the Questions and Answers.
Other Previously Held Events
| Title | Date Held | Subject | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law Day Discussion 2021 | 2021-5-7 | Bill of Rights | Youtube recording |
| 2020 Bill of Rights Day Judicial Panel | 2020-12-15 | Bill of Rights | Youtube recording |
| 2020 Twitter Town Hall | 2020-09-17 | US Constitution | Wakelet Summary |
| Law Day 2020 | 2020-05-01 | 19 Amendment/Women's Suffrage | Youtube video |
Speakers Bureau
A Table of ‘Who’s Doing What’ of Judicial Speakers
| Speaker | Topic | Date | Event | Link if available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller, Judge M. Yvette | Black Women in the Judiciary | 2020-03-18 | All Rise: The Evolution of Black Women in America | Appeals Court Twitter |
| Williams, Judge Shermela J. | Black Women in the Judiciary | 2020-03-18 | All Rise: The Evolution of Black Women in America | Appeals Court Twitter |
| Adams, Judge Kimberly Esmond | Black Women in the Judiciary | 2020-03-18 | All Rise: The Evolution of Black Women in America | Appeals Court Twitter |
| Warren, Justice Sarah H. | Women in the Legal Profession | 2020-02-01 | A Fireside Chat with Supreme Court Justices McMillian and Warren | UGA Twitter |
| McMillian, Justice Carla W. | Women in the Legal Profession | 2020-02-01 | A Fireside Chat with Supreme Court Justices McMillian and Warren | UGA Twitter |
| Dillard, Judge Stephen L. A. | Social Media | 2020-12-17 | Professionalism & Technology CLE | Georgia Court of Appeals Twitter |
| McClelland, Chief Judge T. Russell | Before the Trial Panel | 2020-12-17 | Professionalism and Technology CLE | Agenda |
| Wong, Judge Alvin T. | Before the Trial Panel | 2020-12-17 | Professionalism and Technology CLE | Agenda |
| Morris, Judge Shondeana Crews | Wellness | 2020-12-17 | Professionalism and Technology CLE | Agenda |
| Booth, Judge Joseph | Judges in State Government | 2021-12-08 | Bill of Rights Day Discussion with Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy | |
| Mingledorff, Judge Curry | Judges in State Government | 2021-12-09 | Bill of Rights Day Discussion with Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy | |
| Ragsdale, Judge Nancy | Judges in State Government | 2021-12-08 | Bill of Rights Day Discussion with Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy |
Handouts
Georgia’s Court System Posters
The Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts provides to judges free of charge posters designed for school-age children. The printed poster is 18 x 24 unfolded. Email bruce.shaw@georgiacourts.gov to order or for more information. For a PDF version click here.
Your Guide to Georgia’s Courts Brochures
The Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts provides to judges free of charge brochures designed for the general public that describe Georgia’s court system. The printed brochures are trifold folding out to 11 x 17. . Email bruce.shaw@georgiacourts.gov to order or for more information. For a PDF version click here.
