Judicial Branch of California
Faces of Citizenship: Jury Duty
An interesting middle school lesson focuses on the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Academics choose a civic project to complete, such as an oral history or photo essay. They then conduct interviews with members of the community...
Judicial Learning Center
The Judge and the Jury
Unless you are a lawyer, you might not understand just how unrealistic Law and Order and other legal dramas actually are. Here's a great resource to help scholars of criminology gain a more realistic perspective. The lesson outlines the...
Curated OER
Citizen Juries: Zacarias Moussaoui - May 1, 2006
Students consider deliberations by juries. In this citizen jury activity, students complete readings regarding the constitutional right to a trial by jury as well as on the civic responsibility to serve on a jury.
K12 Reader
Responsibilities of Citizenship
Your pupils are all citizens of your classroom. Provide some more instruction on how people can be citizens with the reading passage included here. After reading, learners answer the five related questions.
Curated OER
Twelve Angry Men: Trial by Jury as a Right and as a Political Institution
Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson plan, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...
Curated OER
Can I Have a Jury Trial?
Students examine the difference between a jury trial and a bench trial. They discuss any protections that the Indiana and United States Constitution offers its citizens. They use the internet to research any current press of jury trials.
State Bar of Texas
Hernandez v. Texas
What if the jury is not made up of people from your ethnicity or background—are they still considered your peers? Scholars analyze the impact the Supreme Court case Hernandez v. Texas had on jury selection across the nation. Paired...
Curated OER
Climate Chaos Week
Pupils research the pros and cons of wind farm technology as an alternative source of energy. The class is divided into two groups that should formulate a debate on each side of the argument. Groups use a debate guide to help develop...
Curated OER
The Jury System
Students analyze Article III and the Seventh Amendment. In this US Justice lesson, students research the US jury system and complete a Student Jury questionnaire. Students will discuss the impact the implementation of the Jury System had...
Curated OER
Jury Duty: Honor or Burden
Learners come up with a synopsis of whether they feel jury duty is necessary or not and how people rate their experience. They research state jury duty websites and express their ideas. They can propose changes that they feel may...
Curated OER
Citizenship Worksheet 1 - The Rights and Responsibilities of a United States Citizen
In this United States citizenship worksheet, students learns the qualifications for U.S. citizenship, the rights of that citizenship as well as the responsibilities therein.
Curated OER
Be a Responsible Citizen: Vote!
Students explore American citizens' rights and responsibilities through group research on the Internet and develop a presentation for the class.
Curated OER
We Have Rights
Students investigate the concept of having rights as citizens. In this citizenship instructional activity, students examine the rights that are given to citizens of the United States in the Bill of Rights. They draw pictures of eight of...
Curated OER
An Introduction to Immigration and the Canadian Political System
Twelfth graders take a citizenship test before learning how their own ideology fits in with current political parties. They create questions for a debate and learn the process of registering to vote.
iCivics
We the Jury
Learners take on the roles of jurors in a civil case to evaluate evidence and determine a verdict in this engaging online interactive experience.
Carolina K-12
How Do I Pre-Register and Vote in North Carolina?
This practical activity helps young citizens learn about pre-registration to vote in elections, discuss the merits and flaws of the pre-registration process, and register themselves. The concluding activity has young voters creating an...
Curated OER
Arrest- A Legal System Simulation
What would your class do if a police officer arrested a student in class? This is exactly the anticipatory set that gets students engaged in a unit on the legal system. The plan is to get the officer to simulate an arrest, and then guest...
Curated OER
Mock Trial
Students rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play roles.
Curated OER
Military tribunals
Ninth graders explore the role of government on terrorism. In this current events instructional activity, 9th graders create a trial for an individual who has been suspected for terrorism. Students present the case to the jury.
Curated OER
Environment: Mock Trial
Students role-play a trial regarding the taking of family property for a new water purification plant. Among the roles are the judge, attorneys, witnesses, plaintiff, mayor, and jury members. Once both sides present their case, the...
Curated OER
The Leed's footballers' trial
Learners explore what happens when someone is tried for a crime. They expand their knowledge of the name "Criminal Justice System" and develop discussion skills. Students read the story Leeds footballer guilty of fighting in public. ...
Curated OER
Government
Eighth graders analyze the purposes of government. They examine or assess the importance of citizenship to the individual or to society at large (e.g., the importance of voting). Students explain the structure and functions of the three...
Curated OER
The First Amendment
Students participate in a mock trial. Given the scenario, students prepare a cases concerning the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble. In groups, students prepare an opening and closing statement, as well...
Carolina K-12
Preventing Voter Fraud or Encouraging Voter Suppression?
The issues of voter fraud and voter suppression are relevant in every election, local as well as national. Soon-to-be voters learn about a recent bill proposed in North Carolina, the Voter Information and Verification Act, and decide for...