School Improvement in Maryland
Court Proceedings Civil Cases
What's the difference between civil and criminal law? How do the court proceedings differ in these two types of trials? How do the standards of proof differ? Why do these differences exist? As part of their examination of the US court...
Curated OER
Laws...Who Needs Them?
Who needs laws? Junior high schoolers sure do! Provide your 7th-9th graders with an understandng about why laws are important and how they are used to create a functioning society. Learners use a series of handouts and readings to build...
Personal Genetics Education Project
DNA, Crime and Law Enforcement
Civil rights meets biotechnology in a instructional activity that scrutinizes the collection of DNA of citizens who have been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime. Real-life cases are examined in which the DNA of a relative was...
Curated OER
Lesson 4: The Judiciary: A Brief Introduction to the Courts System
Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson in this series explores the structure of the US courts system. Beginning with an engaging activity based on the short story The Lady or the Tiger, students go on to examine...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 9
Young scholars examine and compare/contrast the steps of criminal and civil cases. They define key vocabulary terms, develop an outline of a criminal and civil trial, and analyze the differences in standards of proof in legal cases.
Curated OER
An Introduction to Law
With so many different types of law, it can be difficult for learners to discern which is which! Use a newspaper to give tangible examples of various types of law, including criminal, civil, consumer, family, local, state, federal and...
Curated OER
An Introduction To Law
Students identify 4 branches of law-criminal, civil, consumer, and family. using a newspaper, they locate examples of how laws affect citizens on a daily basis.
Curated OER
Enriching Students' Understanding of Criminal and Tort Law Using Technology
Students define criminal and tort law and explain how they are different.
Judicial Learning Center
Understanding the Types of Cases
Most young scholars are aware of the criminal courts system, but the United States Constitution allows for a much broader role. What other roles do courts play in settling other questions? A case study and WebQuest-style activities...
Teaching Tolerance
Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System
Explore the impact of the war on drugs in a thought-provoking lesson for high school academics. Young historians delve into the world of the criminal justice system and the racial disparity that occurs in the US. The resource provides...
Curated OER
A Civil Action
Young scholars explore the roles of law enforcement officials, the news media, and civilians in crime prevention and criminal apprehension. They envision ways to build and strengthen community partnerships to address concerns about crime.
Curated OER
You and the Law -- Beating the Odds
Students examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify the...
Curated OER
Tort Law -- Negligence
Students review the differences between criminal and civil law. In groups, they examine high-profile cases and identify any act of negligence. They create a list of the elements of negligence and answer discussion questions as they watch...
Curated OER
Tort Law
Students study the concept of negligence. They recognize the difference between civil and criminal law and examine the factors that courts consider when considering if there is a duty and whether it has been breached. They argue either...
Curated OER
Laws - Who needs them?
Students examine the need for laws. In this government lesson, students participate in 2 classroom activities that require them to consider the impact of laws on their personal lives. Students discuss how laws solve societal problems and...
Teaching Tolerance
Jim Crow as a Form of Racialized Social Control
Just because slavery was illegal doesn't mean it went away ... Jim Crow Laws took its place. An eye-opening lesson focuses on how Jim Crow Laws were used as a form of racial social control against African Americans in the United States....
Curated OER
How Long is Too Long?
Students examine the legal term statute of limitations and how it varies based on the type of criminal or civil activity under discussion. They discern the applicable statute of limitations given an hypothetical or actual situation and...
Curated OER
Did Jack break the law?:
Students identify the process for settling a legal dispute, identify key players in a legal dispute (who presents the facts; who makes the final decision) and determine what makes a decision fair.
Curated OER
Hong Kong: Law to Ban Criticism of China
Students compare the governmental policies of Hong Kong before and after returning to the People's Republic of China. They describe and analyze the "Basic Law 23" of Hong Kong statutes and its effect on Hong Kong's political and economic...
Curated OER
Lesson 5: In the Courtroom: Understanding the Players and the Action
Young lawyers put Goldilocks on trial as they develop an understanding of the legal system in the final activity of this five-part series. After learning about key terms relating to litigation, students are assigned roles and reading...
Curated OER
Keeping A Watchful Eye
Students explore the use of satellite surveillance systems to track criminals. They consider how the use of this technology in law enforcement might affect them and write opinions on whether or not such a system should be adopted by...
Teaching Tolerance
Mass Incarceration as a Form of Racialized Social Control
Mass incarceration: A result of a tough stance on crime or racial discrimination, you decide. Academics explore the history and reasons behind mass incarcerations in the United States and its impact on ethnic communities. The...
Teaching Tolerance
Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow
Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....
Curated OER
Torts: Intentional Torts
High schoolers are introduced to the concept of intentional torts. In groups, they compare and contrast civil and criminal wrongs committed by people. They are given case studies and use the elements of torts to apply to them. They share...