Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meting Out Justice

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the murder case of Emmett Till and identify the missing pieces from the case. Through research, they then work to fill in the gaps to create a basis for examining how justice might be served anew in this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trying Teens

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the court cases and legal organizations that were instrumental in creating a system of juvenile justice in the United States, then present their findings in a composite timeline.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mini-Mock Trial

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read through accounts of a teenage boy's use of a personal watercraft vehicle. They discuss the presented evidence and consider the varying details of the defendant, plaintiff and witnesses. They come to an agreement and state a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why a Mock Trial?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Pupils participate in a mock trial. They discover how U.S. courts resolve conflicts.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rules and Laws

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the difference between rules and laws. In this justice system lesson plan, students discuss the presence of rules of their lives and compare them the "Code of the West."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Badminton

For Teachers 8th
Students evaluate their partner in playing a game of badminton. In this badminton lesson plan, 8th graders explain the rules of the game and participate in a warm up. Additionally, students observe their partners by completing a...
Worksheet
Curated OER

5th Grade Social Studies

For Teachers 5th
In this social studies learning exercise, 5th graders answer multiple choice questions about important court cases, World War II, Abraham Lincoln, and more. Students complete 14 questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Law in the Future

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students develop a legal system. In this justice system instructional activity, students examine case law in the Untied States and draw on that experience to create a legal system for a "moon colony" which integrates the legal systems on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Court System Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are assign a particular Federal or State Court. They are asked to make a poster of the court they have been assigned. Students are told that the poster should include a list of the types of cases that particular court hears. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Affirmative Action

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners explore policies concerning affirmative action. After reading affirmative action handouts, students use the internet and other resources to research information about affirmative action laws, court cases, and arguments. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Good Judge?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students define qualities that should be considered when selecting judge, evaluate costs and benefits of two methods of selecting and retaining judges, decide whether methods provide for judicial independence and judicial accountability,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living to Avoid The Criminal Justice System

For Teachers K - 12th
Students brainstorm a list of negative stereotypes in the African-American society. In groups, they develop ways to decrease the chance of them living in poverty and being in trouble with the law. They develop ways to solve problems...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fun with Jury Trials

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students take a true or false quiz about jury trials and then gain understanding of interesting facts. It is basically again, an outline that students have as the teacher lectures. The quiz would be for students to remember for further...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Cultural Defense to Crime?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students define a "defense to a crime" and identify various defenses to crimes in Utah. They examine "cultural defense" and apply it to case studies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trial Simulation Project on First Amendment Cases

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in research and role play to discover the history and importance of certain First Amendment court cases. They act out the cases in different roles in order to understand different perspectives from the prosecution to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You and the Judicial System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils explore how the structure of the state and federal judicial systems affect them. They select an appropriate media and create a presentation on the structure of the judicial system, the criminal judicial system and a guide to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mediation/Conciliation

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders discuss the court system in Japan, and assume roles of family members and friends of air crash victims. They discuss whether they would file suit against airlines, compare methods of achieving justice in United States and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Court Cases Get Appealed

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read and analyze two functional documents. They predict outcomes using prior knowledge and documents. Students draw conclusions about how court cases are appealed. They list the parts of a court case.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moot Court Preparation

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Zen and the Art of Murder

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students describe the importance of citizen involvement in the judicial system. They play the role of a witness to a crime scene by watching the video clip. Students discuss how differing eyewitness accounts can affect a police...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Damilola Taylor: Young people in court

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners read the story, "The scene in the courtroom" then discuss a list of questions. They look at the criminal court system, and design their own user-friendly courtroom.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Death Penalty As a Form of Torture

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students write their impressions to an article about the death penalty. They discuss various facets of the death penalty issue, including whether or not it constitutes cruel and inhuman punishment. Students write responses to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The "Big Four"

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars identify the four individuals who are identified as the "Big Four", examine the years they were on the bench together, and look and the impact they made in key cases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil Rights and the Michigan Supreme Court II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a PowerPoint presentation on the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society's Civil Rights and/or the Native American Rights. They write a reaction paper and prepare for a class discussion. They work in groups and discuss...