Teachers Network
Witness for the Prosecution: Online Newspaper
Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution becomes the text for an online newspaper activity. Young journalists craft news, features, obituary, and opinion articles based on the characters and events in the play.
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Lessons from the Holocaust
In an ultimate lesson plan about listening to opposing points of view, your young historians read testimony from the Nuremberg Trials by Nazi SS officers regarding their actions during the Holocaust and a brief speech by Himmler to SS...
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The Trial of the Bloody Sucker
A blood sucking what? Grade schoolers identify the characteristics of blood sucking parasites. They organize their information, identify their arguments, and present them to the class in persuasive arguments. They participate in a debate...
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Fairytales for 4th Grade
Students read different versions of the Three Little Pigs and then hold a trial for the Wolf. They create a Venn diagram to show the likenesses and differences and engage in a poster making activity to advertise the books.
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Judges in the Classroom - Mock Trials
Students conduct a mock trial and follow established procedures role-playing attorneys, witnesses, judges, bailiffs, etc. Students examine documents, present arguments and decide a case in which a sea lion is on trial for eating fish.
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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.
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Thomas Edison on Trial
Young scholars learn about Thomas Edison and his invention laboratory/factory and the concept that he might not have given enough credit to the employees who invented for him. They hold a trial to determine guilt or innocence as a outcome.
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Charging Redchief
Read and analyze the novel, Ransom of Redchief. They identify the elements of character development, and participate in a mock trial, creating the witnesses through the use of character development.
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Trial Simulation Project on First Amendment Cases
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...
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DNA Fingerprinting: You Be the Judge!
Students use their knowledge of DNA fingerprinting to evaluate the use fingerprints in courts, and will address the ethics of establishing a national database of fingerprints.
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Courtroom Testimony and Presentation
Twelfth graders examine the court process and practice writing and reviewing reports. They practice their public speaking skills as they pretend to present information to a court.
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Navigating The Legal System
Learners identify personal rights allowed under the law in the United States. An exploration of the legal process leads students to describe how the American legal system works. This lesson plan is intended for learners acquiring English.
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Swiss Bank Accountability: Mock Trial
Young scholars use a variety of sources to construct a case defending and prosecuting the Swiss government for their role in Nazi gold transactions during World War II. They practice research techniques, persuasive writing and speaking.
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Witch Hunt or Red Menace? Anticommunism in Postwar America, 1945-1954
Students investigate what constitutes an "un-American" activity and why Soviet espionage was such an important issue in the 1940's and 1950's. Joseph McCarthy's impact on American anticommunism is examined in this lesson. There are three...
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Damilola Taylor: Young people in court
Students 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.
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Do We Need a Permanenet International Criminal Court?: War Crimes, Violence, International Law and Politics, Nuremberg
For this lesson, students explore the history, relevance and current application of international tribunals for war crimes. Students look at cases from the Nuremberg trials, Tokyo trials and the Bosnian War.
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Was the Wolf Really Guilty?
Young scholars read plays, short stories, or novels which revolve around trials, and write essays explaining or defending the assigned role in a mock fairy tale trial.
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Juvenile Justice-Adjudicatory Hearing
Students list the role of the prosecutor and the role of defense counsel. They state the elements of robbery and defense of compulsion. Students conduct a mock hearing, following the sequence of steps in an adjudicatory hearing and...
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Was Goldilocks Innocent or Guilty?
Fourth graders act out a mock fairy tale trial. They use a fairy tale like "The Three Little Pigs", "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "Hansel and Grete"l, and/or "Little Red Riding Hood".
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The Trial of Monty Terry
Young scholars research and analyze the Federal Reserve System. They participate in a reader's theater, acting out the roles typical of a courtroom drama as they determine whether the defendant, Monty Terry, is guilty or innocent of...
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The Trial Martin Luther
Students investigate details about the trial of Martin Luther. For this Reformation lesson, students review the acts of Martin Luther concerning Reformation of the Catholic Church and then read proceedings from his trial. Students...
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DNA Fingerprinting: You Be the Judge!
Students explore DNA fingerprinting. Students discover how DNA fingerprinting is done and judge the validity. They evaluate the use of certain prints in courts and address the ethics of establishing a national database of fingerprpints.
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Mock Trial
Students, after the traditional read and discussion of BEOWULF, put one of the the main characters on trial.
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Teachers Network: Witness for the Prosecution: Online Newspaper
This lesson plan uses Agatha Christie's novel Witness for the Prosecution as a starting point for students to learn about the sections of newpapers as they analyze articles from the various sections. This leads up to the students...