Courtship Card Game
A judging and deductive reasoning game that explores the concept of analyzing a case and reapplying it elsewhere.
Guiding Question:
- How does the structure of the federal court system, particularly the role of the Supreme Court, influence legal precedent?
Objectives:
- Demonstrate an understanding of legal precedent and explain how Supreme Court rulings establish and influence future cases.
- Analyze the function of the U.S. Supreme Court in interpreting the Constitution and shaping national legal standards.
- Identify the components of deductive reasoning, including premises, conclusions, and the logical structure of an argument.
- Analyze recurring patterns or themes in texts, data, or events.
- Apply different judicial philosophies and use them to predict how a judge or the Supreme Court might rule on a given case.
Download the Print-and-Play version.
Game Time: 15-45 minutes
Number of Players: 9-24 players
Game Facilitation Presentation:
About the Game:
- A judging and deductive reasoning game that explores the concept of analyzing a case and reapplying it elsewhere. The courts often rely on legal precedent to make decisions. Scholars work to understand trials and decisions to predict future cases or rulings, but they don’t always have the full picture. By studying what’s happened around them, groups present conclusions to a higher court in an attempt to score points and affect the authoritative precedent.
Post-play Discussion and Reflection
The core intent of this game is to juxtapose different regimes and how they affect those associated with them. Lean into players seeking to gain advantage wherever they can; navigating a constantly shifting governance structure is a disorienting balance of ambition and risk.
- Self and Social Awareness
- What moments stood out to you during the game?
- Were you ever in power during a round? Did you enjoy it? How did you choose to wield it?
- What’s a strength you demonstrated during this activity, and what’s one area you’d like to develop?
- What did you notice about another player’s leadership approach or style and how it affected you?
- Human Connection and Relationships
- How did you build trust or alliances with other players to achieve your goals? How was it different between regimes?
- When did conflicts arise, and how were they resolved?
- When did you feel best represented? Why?
- What strategies helped you influence others during the game?
- How did power affect player relationships and communication?
- Problem Solving and Decision Making
- What challenges did you face when adapting to a new regime?
- How did you balance short-term benefits with long-term strategies?
- How did players address injustice throughout the game?
- When did collaboration lead to better outcomes? What about competition?
- How did the governing rules impact decision-making processes?
- Wider and Future Application
- Why might democracy be valued even when its processes feel imperfect?
- How does this game mirror the strengths and weaknesses of democracy?
- How can lessons from this activity apply to real-world scenarios involving leadership and power?
