The Road to Peace introduces learners to the concept of transitional justice, a process where nations examine the causes of conflict, identify abuses, and use this information to develop a plan to transition to a society that upholds...

What do Antigone and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have in common? Apply the concept of civil disobedience to a class reading of Antigone with a lesson on the famous Greek tragedy and its headstrong, justice-minded protagonist.

Justice isn't always blind. A resource uses reading, case studies, discussion questions, and jigsaw-style analysis to prompt learners to consider the consequences of a flawed justice system.

While righting historical wrongs may be difficult, the United States and other countries have tried to reconcile themselves with the past. A resource asks scholars to examine the United States' efforts to come to terms with issues such...

Castle laws, the decriminalization of drugs, and light sentences for celebrity defendants have likely piqued learners' interest. Examine the ethics behind the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the civil rights issues with racial profiling, and...

When a person goes on trial for a crime, what options does a court have to render justice? Who are the key players in the legal system? Interested legal scholars answer the inquiries and more using an Internet-based activity, chart, and...

Though there could be no true justice for the horrors of the Holocaust, many of those responsible for crimes against humanity were found guilty in the eyes of the law. Using primary and secondary sources in the 16th installment of a...

Justitia, the Roman symbol of justice, is traditionally pictured as blindfolded, holding a sword in one hand and a balance scale in the other to represent that idea that justice should be independent of wealth, power, or status. But how...

What makes a good citizen? This is the driving question of a lesson designed to address the importance of having an active presence and positive effect on the community. With the help of three learning strategies, scholars listen and...

Slavery in India, Sudan, and Mauritania? What about in the United States? Groups research modern slavery in these four countries, collecting factual evidence (What), determine their feelings about this evidence (So what), and consider...

"Can the connotation of a word or phrase create bias or prejudice?" The activities in this SMART Board lesson are directed toward this question, which will be sure to incite lots of opinions and ideas. The SMART Board file guides them...

Sensitive material is discussed in this lesson. Please review to ensure that the content is suitable for your class. The topic is the Eighth Amendment and how the U.S. Supreme Court makes determinations about what constitutes cruel and...

Introduce young philosophers to the wisdom of China's most famous thinkers with a short bio. The reading comprehension passage includes an answer key.

A rigged spelling bee gives class members a chance to experience some of the feelings associated with unfair treatment. Team one is given easy words while team two is given difficult words. As teams realize the unfairness the instructor...

Students are introduced to the juvenile justice system in Missouri. Using the internet, they familiarize themselves with the law and identify their rights and responsibilities as juveniles. They review the certification and sentencing...

New ReviewScholars closely read Justice John Marshall Harlan's dissenting opinion in the Plessy v. Ferguson case, seeking to understand why he disagreed with the court's decision that racial segregation laws for public spaces were constitutional....

Robert Coles’ The Story of Ruby Bridges forms the basis of this powerful cross-curricular study of civic education and civic responsibility. Class members consider how the book presents authority, responsibility, justice, and privacy.....

Looking in the cabinet can be fascinating! Examine the various departments of the Executive Cabinet in this group research project, which jigsaws so each small group has a different department and presents to the class. Groups create...

Americans love to learn about their rights, especially those that protect them from the government's power to invade their privacy. Young people are especially engaged by this topic. An informative lesson explores four Supreme Court...

After listening to Jon Scieska’s The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, groups discuss whether they think the wolf is telling the truth, whether he deserves punishment, and if so what punishment he deserves. You might use this lesson early...

After reading Touching Spirit Bear, learners examine the justice system described in the novel. They research real-world justice systems, both traditional and alternative. In a comparative reasearch paper, scholars determine what they...

Students explore what the United States would be like today if the Bill of Rights had never been written.  In this exploring the constitution lesson, students research Supreme Court cases that were heard in the early years of the U.S....

Eleventh graders analyze primary sources for evidence of intent and purpose. In this American government lesson, 11th graders compose a one-page response explaining their understanding of "justice." Students read and examine quotes about...