Curated OER
Who's on Trial Here?
Students discuss privacy issues that public personalities encounter when they are accused of committing a crime after reading an article in The New York Times. Students then write essays after researching several trials of public...
National First Ladies' Library
Safety or Civil Liberty? The Trial of Sacco and Vanzet
Students investigate the Sacco-Vanzetti trial and develop a basic understanding of the issues involved. Then they write an essay taking a stance on the Sacco-Vanzetti trial: was the trial fair? were the two men falsely accused? Finally,...
Curated OER
Hero vs. Claudio: A Case of Slander
High schoolers research marriage customs of the Renaissance, discuss and debate the issues raised by Claudio repudiating Hero at the altar in the Shakespearean play Much Ado About Nothing, and then stage a mock trial accusing Claudio of...
Curated OER
Adult Criminal Justice System
Twelfth graders examine the procedures and protections involved in processing an accused person through the criminal justice system. They view a Powerpoint presentation, conduct research, and write a paper describing a crime they have...
Curated OER
Sudan -- Efforts to Avert Genocide in the Making
Students examine current events in Sudan and their efforts to prevent another genocide. They identify the roles of different humanitarian organizations in the area. They research the efforts to bring those accused of genocide to justice.
Curated OER
Rights of The Accused
In this social studies worksheet, middle schoolers look for the vocabulary terms in the word search under the theme of legal rights. The answers are found when you click the button at the bottom of the page.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy
"I have here in my hand . . ." The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1954. Joseph McCarthy takes center stage in this, the final lesson of the...
Curated OER
War Crimes Trial
Students consider the implication of war crimes. In this Bosnian War instructional activity, students watch video clips and read about the trial of Dražen Erdemovic, a Bosnian Croat accused of shooting civilians. Students discuss the...
California Department of Education
Plagiarism is Stealing!
Stop, thief! Do your pupils understand the consequences of plagiarism? Lesson three of six in a series of college and career readiness activities demonstrates the dangers of taking credit for someone else's work. Learners engage in...
Curated OER
We Accuse Colored Peoples of California V. State of California
Students participate in a WebQuest to investigate discrimination of African Americans, Chinese and Californio/Latino during the Gold Rush era. They act as law clerks to write a letter to their clients about a potential trial.
Curated OER
Drugs In The Olympics
Students brainstorm and discuss the issues raised by Olympic drug cheating from history as well as today. They bring in examples of individuals who have been accused of drug cheating and examine their situations. In addition, they chart...
Curated OER
Terrorism: What's in a Word?
Students read selected articles and discuss various definitions of terrorism. They create a chekclist of their definitions. Students listen as the teacher reads several scenarios aloud and decide if the incident would count as terrorism....
Curated OER
Weapons of Mass Desctruction in Iraq
Students analyze the chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction that Iraq is accused of having. Students investigate the history and resolutions that have been made regarding bioterrorism.
Curated OER
A Case Study: My Friend Brian
Eighth graders study a case study in which a Korean student, Brian, is beaten and accused of being a homosexual.
Curated OER
Misplaced Blame
Students, after researching a variety of resources, paraphrase examples of how it feels to be wrongly blamed or accused of an incident today, yesterday and in the future. They list the consequences of such actions. In addition, they...
Curated OER
Video Umpires
Students play umpire in a baseball game. They video the umpire's calls and then examine the accuracy of a "line call" when compared to a taped record of a ball's exact impact location. They create a transcript of a fictional court case...
Curated OER
Grammar Bytes: Adjectives and Adverbs
Using a format similar to what students may see on standardized tests, this presentation discusses the proper use of adjectives and adverbs. The examples focus on some of the most common errors, including the use of the words poorly and...
Curated OER
Double Jeopardy Clause: A Fifth Amendment Constitution Trivia Game
Here is a wonderful way to introduce your learners to the Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights. There are 16 questions designed to generate thinking and discussion questions about the Fifth Amendment. This lesson is extremely...
Curated OER
Equal Protection of the Law: Fact or Fiction
High schoolers focus on the 14th Amendment of the Bill of Rights to decide whether or not racism denies citizens of their rights under the amendment. They watch a movie, Every Two Seconds and complete a worksheet (included in the plan)...
Heritage Foundation
Procedural Rights: Amendments VI, VII, and VIII
Even in court, your class members have procedural rights provided by the amendments. Teach high schoolers this important lesson by using the 18th installment of a 20-part unit exploring the US Constitution. The resource provides several...
Curated OER
A Test of Faith
Secondary schoolers investigate the debate surrounding the current sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church with this New York Times lesson. Through discussions and written reflection, they explore their own thoughts and opinions on...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The House Un-American Activities Committee
Was the House Un-American Activities Committee justified in investigating subversive influences in the entertainment industry? Part two of the three-part series of lessons that examine the anti-communism movement after World War II,...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights
Students work in collaborative groups to research an amendment of the Bill of Rights. They then design and present a skit that demonstrates and communicates the core values and concepts of the amendment to the class.
Curated OER
The Two Sides of the Declaration of Independence
Budding historians read six documents related to grievances that led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. They then craft an essay in which they discuss the perspective of both the colonists and the king. This DBQ could be...