Curated OER
Law
As you introduce learners to the basics of law, have them complete a related worksheet. They are required to compose 11 short answers that define basic law terminology, statues, legal differences, and history.
Heritage Foundation
Lawmaking and the Rule of the Law
How many constitutional clauses does it take to create a bill? High schoolers find out with several activities and selected clauses about the rule of law and the US Constitution. Various coinciding activities help to strengthen learning.
Curated OER
Federal and State Laws on Hazardous Waste
Students examine how laws on hazardous waste is developed and enforced. They work together to discover how statutes are passed as well. They complete an activity to end the instructional activity.
Curated OER
What Makes a Good Law?
Why were laws created? Spark a group discussion on why we need laws to co-exist. Should the sale of some things be outlawed on Sundays? Read a case summary between Target and the state of Minnesota that debated this issue. Ask your...
Curated OER
John Jones and the Fight to Repeal the Black Laws
Middle schoolers examine the role of John Jones and his fight to repeal the Black Laws of Illinois. Using the text of the law, they explore his reasoning for repealing the laws and the arguments he used to support his beliefs. They draw...
Curated OER
Hong Kong: Law to Ban Criticism of China
Students compare the governmental policies of Hong Kong before and after returning to the People's Republic of China. They describe and analyze the "Basic Law 23" of Hong Kong statutes and its effect on Hong Kong's political and economic...
Curated OER
Writing Environmental Laws Refer To Reading Material
Students examine the steps and decisions that are made when drafting an environmental statute. They examine the interplay of opinions, values, beliefs, and science in the development of law. They identify methods to obtain information...
Advocates for Human Rights
Civic Engagement and U.S. Immigration Policy
To conclude their study of immigration and human rights, class members create a civic engagement project centered on an issue of immigration and designed to influence US immigration policy. They examine examples of attempts to influence...
Curated OER
Federal Court Systems and Court Cases
Ninth graders investigate the basis for the Common Law Tradition. They examine the organization of the Federal Court System and students identify the various sources of the American Law.
Curated OER
Torts
Students examine tort law and defenses to negligence claims. They read case studies, participate in a mock trial, answer questions about the case summaries, and present information to their group about tort law.
Curated OER
The U.S. Constitution and Disability Laws
Students examine the United States Constitution for laws that protect people with disabilities. They discover how the education system provides equal education to all students and how the Federal Government makes sure this is occuring.
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...
Curated OER
How Long is Too Long?
Students examine the legal term statute of limitations and how it varies based on the type of criminal or civil activity under discussion. They discern the applicable statute of limitations given an hypothetical or actual situation and...
Curated OER
Family Law: Parent - Child Relationship
Students examine the role courts play in family matters and children's rights. They propose a court-ordered plan to resolve conflicts between parents/guardians and children. Students complete worksheets with various scenarios and discuss...
Curated OER
Inspiration for and Application of the Bill of Rights
Students examine individual rights. In this case law lesson, students discuss the from and function of the Bill of Rights prior to investigating several cases that deal with Constitutional rights. Students discuss the outcome of the...
Curated OER
Rights or Fights
Students identify and explain the four doctrines of groundwater use law. Students compare and contrast the doctrines of groundwater use law; Students also research and decide on a groundwater case based on the groundwater use law. ...
C-SPAN
Title IX
There's more to Title IX than equality in sports. The federal statute—aimed at preventing gender discrimination—guides how schools handle everything from sports to sexual assault. A series of clips from athletes and schools delves into...
Curated OER
Living Under the Illinois Black Codes
Students use the text of the Illinois Black Codes to examine the laws in place. Using this information, they draw their own conclusions about why the laws existed in a free state. They also identify the purpose of these laws and how they...
Nebraska Department of Education
Laws that Isolated and Impoverished the Irish
Students identify the reasons for the mass starvation in Ireland in the 1800's. They analyze the historical and political forces that caused the famine and discuss the potato blight itself in detail.
Curated OER
Fruit or Vegetable?
Watermelon is a vegetable? A tomato is a fruit? Believe it or not, this debate is decades old. Groups examine rulings by the US Supreme Court, the USDA, and state statutes before developing their own criteria to use when labeling the...
Curated OER
Basic Workplace Rights
Students study basic workplace rights and the limits of those rights. They determine how many of the rights guaranteed in the Constitution only regulate governmental actions, not private actions. They examine the concept of at-will...
Curated OER
Child Abuse and the Trial Process
Students identify the elements of child abuse and neglect. Using this information, they relate it to the laws in their home state. They read scenerios and ask questions to determine if child abuse is present. They review the trial...
Curated OER
Criminal Law: Rape
Students explore the different degrees and types of rape as defined in the state of Washington. They role-play as prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges, with one of each in different groups. The attorneys present their cases and the...
Street Law
Mock Trial - Brooks v. Lawrence and the Metro City Police Department
An incident with a Swiss Army knife leads to a suit against the police department for battery, false arrest, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in the Brooks v. Lawrence & the Metro City Police Department mock trial...