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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rules and Laws

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

The Legacy of the Warren Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the major decisions by the Supreme Court when Warren was the Chief Justice. In groups, they research the life and other works of Earl Warren and discuss how ones background can influence decisions. They also examine...
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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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Law in the Future

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students develop a legal system. In this justice system lesson, 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 Earth.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Death Penalty As a Form of Torture

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners 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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's All About Justice

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars examine a specific environmental concern to their local community. In groups, they explore how the justice system would deal with the problem by participating in a treasure hunt. They review the meaning of federal and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Juvenile Death Penalty

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
iCivics

James Bond in a Honda? Trial Simulation

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Your class members will take on the roles of jury members in this exciting simulation. After reading a detailed script and reviewing pieces of evidence, they will determine whether Honda violated copyright and copied James Bond.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Row Behind Death Row

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mini-Mock Trial

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars 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...
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Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Crime and Punishment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indiana Courts: How Do They Work?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the branches of Indiana's judicial system and determine the differences between the different courts and different types of cases. Students create a flow chart showing how a court case works its way through the legal...
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Lesson Plan
3
3
American Documentary

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....
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Lesson Plan
BBC

Crime: Justice

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Are the juvenile courts fair? Learners read a bit from the classic Oliver Twist to consider how young people are treated and represented when they've been accused of a crime. They read a case study from their books, discuss children's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

the International Criminal Court's History And Uses

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze and come to explain the history behind the formation of the International Criminal Court, along with the recent controversy facing the Court; and current crises that warrant the Court's attention.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Supreme Court Confirmation Process

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the Supreme Court and the confirmation process. They simulate a confirmation hearing with students role-playing as nominees and others as members of the Judiciary Committee. Learners compose short essays outlining the...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Teaching Tolerance

Understanding the Prison Label

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Break the chain. An engaging lesson examines why it is so hard to break free of the prison system in the US. Academics participate in a reader's theater, read primary sources, and discuss their thoughts. The lesson explains the hardships...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Teaching Tolerance

Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....
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Lesson Plan
1
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Teaching Tolerance

Dismantling Racial Caste

For Teachers 9th - 12th
It's time to end racism. The final installment of the series encourages scholars to consider what is needed to ended the racial caste system in the U.S. Young historians complete group discussion, written prompt, and a hands-on-activity...
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Lesson Plan
Judicial Branch of California

The Power of the Press: The First Amendment

For Teachers 5th Standards
Was what happened in 1886 at the Haymarket riot a crime or a case of xenophobia? Using political cartoons from the time, young historians consider the role the media played in anti-labor sentiment during the time and how that influenced...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Teaching Tolerance

Slavery as a Form of Racialized Social Control

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson delves into the effects of slavery on society. Young historians read text excerpts, complete handouts, and participate in group discussion to understand how slavery was a means to control society and establish a racial...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Teaching Tolerance

Mass Incarceration as a Form of Racialized Social Control

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Mass incarceration: A result of a tough stance on crime or racial discrimination, you decide. Academics explore the history and reasons behind mass incarcerations in the United States and its impact on ethnic communities. The...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Curated OER

For The Sake Of Security: U.S.A. Patriot Act & Bill of Rights

For Teachers 8th - 12th
A substantive New York Times article about the U.S.A. Patriot Act, military tribunals, racial profiling, and the Bill of Rights forms the basis for a discussion of the complex interplay of fundamental American rights and the aftermath of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Due Process Freedoms

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students participate in a simulation of the voir dire portion of a trial. There are student lawyers assigned for the prosecution and the defense. They must review and question all prospective jurors to obtain a fair and impartial jury.

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