Curated OER
Pressing Cases
Students investigate famous criminal cases in which the media has played a significant role and reflect on how the news helps to shape attitudes and behaviors in their own lives.
Anti-Defamation League
Exploring Solutions to Address Radical Disparity Concerns
The deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, and the protests that followed the 2014 shootings, are the focus of a current-events activity that asks class members to brainstorm and research possible strategies to address the...
Judicial Learning Center
Levels of the Federal Courts
The Supreme Court gets all the glory, but very few federal cases make it to the highest court. An interesting lesson explores the structure of the lower levels of the federal court system. In addition to outlining the organization of...
Curated OER
Moot Court Preparation
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
Media Smarts
Cyberbullying and the Law
Research, role-playing, and reflection are the three “R’s” that form the basis of an examination of Cyberbullying. Although based on the Criminal Code of Canada, the included scenarios and case studies provide valuable resources for a...
Curated OER
Reporter rights vs. legal access...
Students write an article to inform readers about confidentiality with reporters, attempting to find local lawyers and journalists to explain the issues as they relate to them. Students research past cases and the status of the current...
Curated OER
Social Studies: MySpace as Crime solver
Students research how police use MySpace to apprehend criminals. They debate the pros and cons of this method and decide if the local policy needs to be changed. Students create a better policy for using the Internet and present it to...
Curated OER
Role Playing Free Speech
Learners conduct research into looking at a free-speech issue. They role play the events surrounding a court case. The lesson includes guiding questions to help create context and determine areas of further study. The presentation...
Judicial Learning Center
The Appeal Process
Why doesn't the Supreme Court hear testimony from witnesses? How do they complete an entire proceeding in less than two hours? A helpful lesson guides scholars of criminology through these and other questions by explaining how appeals...
Curated OER
Police Use MySpace
Students interview law enforcement officials concerning their use of the Internet to catch criminals. They research how MySpace operates. They interview staff at MySpace and its uses. They write a news feature about a criminal case...
Curated OER
The Jury's Still Out
Students examine the trials and executions of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. In groups, they use the internet to research the impact of the executions in the shape of political cartoons and writings. They discuss an article to...
Curated OER
12 Days of Christmas
Students utilize different problem-solving strategies and creative writing when dealing with the words from the song, "12 Days of Christmas." They try to problem solve how may presents were given and then explain their sequence in the...
Curated OER
Civil Rights and the Michigan Supreme Court II
Students view a PowerPoint presentation on the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society's Civil Rights and/or the Native American Rights. They write a reaction paper and prepare for a class discussion. They work in groups and discuss...
Curated OER
Affirmative Action
Learners explore policies concerning affirmative action. After reading affirmative action handouts, students use the internet and other resources to research information about affirmative action laws, court cases, and arguments. They...
Curated OER
Presenting Constitutional Issues in a Non-adversarial Mode
Young scholars study the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth Amendments to the US Constitution. They apply different points of view to their research and present their finding to the class.
Curated OER
Minority Teenage Fathers: Rights and Responsibilities
Students examine current laws and use problem solving activities designed to develop in students the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate situations they may/ be confronted with as potential teen-aged fathers.
Curated OER
Guilty to a Fault
Students consider the moral and legal issues involved in distinguishing a verdict of murder from one of manslaughter (criminally negligent homicide) and write an essay describing the issues involved in the case that was researched.
Curated OER
Under the Collar
Students first examine different types of white-collar crimes; they then research recent individual cases to present in a student-written and produced expos?? program on white-collar crime.
Curated OER
The Legacy of the Warren Court
Young scholars examine the major decisions by the Supreme Court when Warren was the Chief Justice. In groups, they research the life and other works of Earl Warren and discuss how ones background can influence decisions. They also...
Curated OER
Executing Justice
Students explore the reasons for postponing the execution of Timothy McVeigh, assess key legal definitions in relation to the case, and formulate personal responses.
Curated OER
Bioethics of Eugenics
Students research and discuss the ethical aspects of Nazi racial ideology, including sterilization, marriage prohibitions, and euthanasia. They develop codes of ethics regarding reproductive rights, euthanasia, and the death penalty.
Curated OER
Who Knew What When?
Students define words of relevance to the stock market and fair trading. They explore the significant events surrounding the charges brought against Martha Stewart as a means of learning how the stock market is governed.