Curated OER
Rules and Laws of the Community
Second graders recognize and identify the need for rules in school. They also discuss the importance of safety rules at school, home, and in the community. They illustrate a rule which they have learned in class, and write letters to the...
C-SPAN
14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause
Two Supreme Court cases, Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education take center stage in a lesson about the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Class members research both cases to compare and contrast the rulings.
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...
Judicial Learning Center
Your 4th Amendment Rights
Americans love to learn about their rights, especially those that protect them from the government's power to invade their privacy. Young people are especially engaged by this topic. An informative lesson explores four Supreme Court...
Judicial Learning Center
Your 1st Amendment Rights
Why should classes care about the First Amendment? An engaging lesson serves as a powerful tool for answering just that. As all four cases in the lesson relate directly to freedom of expression in schools, young scholars explore the...
Mississippi Bar
The 2018 Mock Trial Case
All rise! Scholars put their skills to the test in a mock trial. Using evidence, photographs, and testimony, they role play the trial in the classroom. Rules of law—and the court room—come to life as the class becomes a place of law!
Curated OER
President Bush's Decision Points: Torture & the Rule of Law
Students explore terrorist interrogation issues. In this human rights lesson, students read articles and documents related to torture in terrorist investigations. Students respond to discussion questions regarding the articles. Students...
Curated OER
Learning the Value of Rules - A Paper Clip Game
Using a game, learners discuss laws and fairness in society. In order to play the game, they line up in rows in the classroom. The teacher gives them paper clips based on their sex or other criteria. They can begin to discuss issues of...
Mr. Roughton
The Maya Files
Class members adopt the role of Law and Order history investigators and examine primary source documents to determine the legitimacy of Marco Polo's claim that he traveled to and traded in China. A cleverly crafted activity that deserves...
Curated OER
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Students examine Article I, Sections 1, 7, and 8, of the U.S. Constitution and discuss the authority and restrictions placed on the Congress in making laws.
Curated OER
A System of Rules
Students write letters, create models, create a photo display, and make charts about the rules that a state has. In this rules lesson plan, students learn about and make different displays of how states come up with rules, change them,...
BBC
EU, UN, and Commonwealth
Find out how international government organizations work to face global issues. Learners examine if major organizations like the EU, UN, and Commonwealth are effective at tackling big issues like animal protection. They think about the...
Atlanta History Center
Civil Disobedience and the Atlanta Student Movement
What tactics are used in civil disobedience? Learners study the conditions in Alabama that led to the establishment of the Atlanta Student Movement, as well as consider the nature and effectiveness of civil disobedience.
Curated OER
Following the Law
Students discriminate between what makes a rule or law good or bad. They each choose a classroom problem and come up with a rule to solve it. They present their rules to the class, who discusses whether to adopt the rule.
Curated OER
Rules, Who Needs Them?
Young scholars host a guest speaker. In this rules and laws lesson, students play a game to introduce rules and laws, discuss the need for laws and rules, complete a handout and listen to a person in law enforcement talking about the...
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...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Elonis v. U.S.
With the explosion of social media sites, with online threats and cyber bullying, issues of freedom of speech have taken on a whole new aspect. Elonis v. U.S. represents the first time the Supreme Court has considered whether or not...
PBS
Constitution Day
September 17, Constitution Day so named because that was the day in 1787, that 39 men signed the Constitution, is the focus of a series of activities designed to simulate a Constitutional convention and open a study of the US Constitution.
Judicial Learning Center
Judicial Independence
Most people support the idea of an independent judiciary in theory until they hear about a court case that violates their principles. An informative resource explains why the concept is important. It also provides scholars of criminology...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Purged From the Voter Rolls: Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
Once a registered voter isn't always a registered voter. Academics explore the topic of voter registration and hindrances to remaining registered. The resource focuses on data analysis, federal voter registration law, and Supreme Court...
State Bar of Texas
Marbury v. Madison
Who has the final say in matters dealing with the rules under the United States Constitution? The case Marbury v. Madison brings to light the issue of judicial review. Learners investigate the Supreme Court's opinion in the case with a...
Law Focused Education
Objection! Your Honor Game
Objection! Scholars research the rules and regulations of trial law. Using a trial game simulation, class attorneys choose whether to object to questioning during various trial scenarios. Once objecting, they must also choose the...
State Bar of Texas
Worcester v. Georgia
Can the president of the United States defy the rulings of the Supreme Court? Students investigate the case of Worcester v. Georgia and the impact it had on society and, most importantly, Native Americans. Using a short video clip as...
Curated OER
Comparing SLaves and Servants in Colonial New York
Young historians compare and contrast differences in the laws that regulated the activities of slaves and servants. They review and analyze a series of primary source documents to explain the social constructs related to slaves and...