Authentic Intellectual Work: Using the Internet to Learn about the Supreme Court

As more social studies classrooms gain access to the Internet each year, teachers are frequently exploring ways to maximize the use of this technology in their respective learning environments. This paper discusses the need to generate – and the subsequent benefits of facilitating – discussion when using the Internet in social studies settings, especially as it relates to learning about the Supreme Court. The author provides examples of how the Supreme Court webpage can be used in the high school Civics classroom; using the authentic intellectual work framework to provide the necessary structure for the lesson and background information on specific Supreme Court cases to help teachers implement the lesson with their students.