Field Trips
Tours of the Learning Center help students better understand the role and responsibilities of the judicial branch of government. Tours, which are docent-led and grade-specific, discuss:
If you would like to include the Michigan Supreme Court courtroom in your visit, you must request this specifically when making a tour reservation. Additional time is required. Because of the Court’s schedule, courtroom visits cannot be guaranteed. Ask your scheduler for details.
Schedule a tour
Curriculum Connections
The Learning Center gallery and tours have been designed to help teachers fulfill numerous Grade Level Content Expectations and High School Social Studies Content Expectations.
Supervision for school groups
Teachers and chaperones are responsible for their students' behavior. At least one teacher must accompany each school group.
Grades 3–8: 1 adult for every 5 students
Grades 9–12: 1 adult for every 10 students
Pre- & Post-Visit Activities
Lesson plans and other activities are available through the
Curriculum Resources page. The Learning Center experience is most effective when students have a basic understanding state government and the court system.
What Else can we do nearby?
Materials in the Teacher-Led Activities series are cross-curricular lessons related to the area around the Hall of Justice. They are an excellent way to keep learning, even between venues.
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Michigan Vietnam Veterans Monument (pdf) offers ways for teachers to discuss the monument that honors state residents who served and died in the Vietnam War. It is located near the east entrance of the Hall of Justice. During pleasant weather, some groups use this location for a lunch break.
- Hall of Justice Neighborhood: Then and Now (pdf) shows change over time through a variety of primary sources (photos, maps, text) from the 1930s through the 2000s. Compare the mid-20th-century neighborhood of homes, small businesses, and a school to the current location of the headquarters of Michigan's judicial branch of government.
Tips for successful school tours
See the teacher-made
tip sheet (pdf), which includes a field trip contract for students.