Teaching Tolerance
Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System
Explore the impact of the war on drugs in a thought-provoking lesson for high school academics. Young historians delve into the world of the criminal justice system and the racial disparity that occurs in the US. The resource provides...
Curated OER
Meting Out Justice
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...
Anti-Defamation League
The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas became a quick hit in the young adult literature genre before its adaptation in the 2018 film of the same name. Use a thorough lesson, discussion guide, and series of activities to discuss the social...
Curated OER
Opening Eyes, Changing Minds. Talking About Personal Transformation And the Development of World Views
Students read one teen's story of personal growth through learning about racism and the criminal justice system to explore how individuals' world views are shaped and changed through experiences and education.
Curated OER
Trials and Tribulations
Students explore their beliefs about objectivity and the United States justice system. They examine the facets of a criminal case by researching various aspects of the judicial system and apply what they have learned to the Michael...
Curated OER
Justice for All? Debating the Fairness of the Juvenile Justice System
Students discuss treatment of young people by the criminal justice system and debate whether or not that treatment is fair.
Teaching Tolerance
The War on Drugs—Mechanisms and Effects
The war on drugs doesn't have definite results. An interesting lesson examines the social, political, and economic effect of the war on drugs. Academics learn how the war on drugs has led to mass incarcerations and negatively affected...
Curated OER
Science in the Court Room
Share their opinions on the use of DNA databases in criminal investigations. After reading an article, they evaluate the pros and cons of the databases and work in groups to answer discussion questions. They write a letter to a state...
ConnectED
Crime Scene Investigation
How exactly does a crime scene investigation work? The resource, a unit on criminology, covers everything from the deductive reasoning skills needed for detectives to DNA fingerprinting, all the way to how to gather evidence and bring...
Curated OER
Trying Teens
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.
iCivics
James Bond in a Honda? Trial Simulation
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.
Teaching Tolerance
Dismantling Racial Caste
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...
Teaching Tolerance
Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow
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....
American Documentary
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains
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....
Curated OER
Consequences
Students identify and describe what consequences are and how they affect others. Then they play the "Kids' Court" game as a class as outlined in the lesson. Students also identify how consequences and their actions are linked using their...
Curated OER
Law in the Future
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...
Curated OER
Are You Listening?
To underscore the importance of practicing good listening skills class members engage in a series of activities that model poor listening skills. In pairs and then as a whole group, class members enact different, more positive techniques...
Curated OER
Total English Upper Intermediate: Crime Issues
In order to build discussion skills, English language learners use a worksheet with several questions regarding crime and punishment in the justice system. They interview fellow classmates, noting how each feels about a given topic. They...
Curated OER
Supreme Court Confirmation Process
Students 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. Students compose short essays outlining the...
Curated OER
Teens on Trial
Students read about the public reaction to the conviction of Alex and Derek King, and explore the issue of child offenders being tried and sentenced as adults. They compose letters to Florida Governor Jeb Bush, outlining their opinion on...
Curated OER
Japanese Inspired Activities for the Classroom
Students become more aware of cultural differences by reading a variety of multicultural books about social issues. They assess various Haiku's by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Kamishibai stories by Dianne Clouet and snapshots from Japan by Peter...
Curated OER
The People vs. Guy Montag
In this trial activity instructional activity for the novel Fahrenheit 451, students participate in a trial for Guy Montag. Students follow the seven directions to complete the trial activity.
Ken Taylor
The Stones: Guilty or Not Guilty?
Young drama pupils will perform a number of expressive speaking exercises as they consider the themes of responsibility, consequences, and justice in the very modern Australian play The Stones. With a lot of role playing and...
Curated OER
Who Serves Time? Breaking Down Stereotypes About Juvenile Offenders
Students read and discuss article "Doing Time," explore juvenile justice system and juvenile hall, and discuss stereotypes of young offenders.