This article is drawn from the authors' book, "Judging for Themselves: Using Mock Trials to Bring Social Studies and English to Life," which discusses the effectiveness of mock trials as tools for learning and assessments. Mock trials are effective because they are challenging, authentic projects in which students create and then do…

In this article, we focus on the contributions that a simulated jury-based activity might have for pre-service teachers, especially for their active participation and learning in teacher education. We observed a teacher educator using a series of simulated juries as teaching resources to help pre-service teachers develop their pedagogical…

In the criminal justice system, defendants accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Statistical inference in any context is built on an analogous principle: The null hypothesis--often a hypothesis of "no difference" or "no effect"--is presumed true unless there is sufficient evidence against it. In this…

A game based on a simulated plea bargaining leads to understanding of negotiation, compromise and decision-making skills as well as information about the criminal justice process. (Author/KM)

Presents materials necessary for conducting a mock disposition hearing in which students learn how courts deal with wayward and neglected juveniles. Intended to illustrate the problems that courts face in dealing with minors, the materials include activity instructions and a mock probation report to be used in the simulation. (GEA)

A variety of methods can be used to resolve environmental controversies, such as passing new laws, enforcing existing laws, conducting public education programs, and creating new governmental management agenceis. In many instances the courts become the site for environmental decision-making. The purpose of this activity is to help acquaint…

Profiles "Civil Law Mini-Trials," an instructional activity developed by P.A.T.C.H. (Participatory Awareness Through Community Help). The Mini-Trials allow students to participate in mock civil cases including preparation, presentation of arguments, debriefing afterwards, and a discussion of the real case verdict. Discusses other P.A.T.C.H.…

Presents an inquiry unit of study focusing on the question of rights of smokers and nonsmokers as it may be acted out in a court of law. Includes two phases of data collection, beginning with a springboard scenario and incorporating a simulation during the hypothesis testing stage of the inquiry. References are provided. (LS)

Presents the materials and procedures for an instructional activity using a student forum to discuss litigious activity in the United States. The forum is an organized role play where students assume the representative roles including a single working mother, the CEO of an insurance company, a corporate lawyer. (MJP)

Describes the annual Moot Court Competition held each year in Sacramento, California and supported by the Citizenship and Law-Related Education Center. The program gives high school students the opportunity to learn about the nation's justice system using a role-playing scenario of an appellate-level court argument. (MJP)

This K-12 handbook is designed for law and justice professionals who serve as resource persons and for classroom teachers in working with resource persons. The book consists of four parts. The introduction provides an overview, explains use of the handbook, presents information on using the community as a teaching resource, and provides a…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. Lessons in this unit further develop ideas presented in the eighth grade packet and can be used to supplement a course in government. Section I provides suggestions for using community resource persons.…

This K-12 handbook is designed for law and justice professionals who serve as resource persons and for classroom teachers working with resource persons. The book is arranged in four parts. The introduction provides an overview, explains the use of the handbook, presents background for the teacher on using community resources, and offers practical…

One of a series of secondary level teaching units presenting case studies with pro and con analyses of particular legal problems, the document consists of a student's lesson plan, a teacher's lesson plan, and a lawyer's lesson plan for a unit about the enforcement of federal criminal regulatory statutes. The lesson plan presents an analysis of the…

The document outlines a semester-long 12th grade study of criminal law which is accomplished through an examination of Wisconsin and constitutional law. Six sections comprise the teaching outline. Section I, The Legislative Process, considers the legislature, various statutes and terminologies, revision of legislation, and penalties. Section II,…