Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Police Use MySpace

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Search & Seizure Opinion Poll

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students examine federal and state constitutional law relating to search and seizure. They analyze various scenarios, participate in an opinion poll, and discuss difficulties in balancing individual privacy rights with the need to fight...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reporter Rights vs. Legal Access...

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore cases that have occurred in the past in which reporters refuse to reveal their confidential conversations with government sources and investigate the status of the current bills in Congress. Students use this information...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seeing the Courtroom and Legal System Through the Eyes of a Child

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students understand that law is a tool that provides for the protection of our individual rights and at the same time makes it possible for groups to live together.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parental Accountability and Public Policy

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine laws that relate to parental accountability for minors. Students debate these laws and identify their own personal opinions regarding parental civil and criminal liability. Students draft legislation that reflects their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping A Watchful Eye

For Teachers 6th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Facing History and Ourselves

Continuing Lemkin's Legacy: What Can We Do to Prevent and Stop Genocide?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate genocide. In this contemporary history lesson, students research Darfur advocacy organizations and present plans of action to stop the injustice in Darfur.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mock Trial

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play roles.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Prisoners in Another War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the role of the Geneva Convention. For this world history lesson, students investigate primary sources that prompt them to consider the evolution of the Geneva Convention.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gideon v. Wainwright

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the right to counsel and due process. In this Supreme Court lesson, students  examine primary documents from Gideon v. Wainwright and discuss the implications of the decision.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Movement

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students participate in a movement to music activity. In this awareness of movement lesson, students hear music and move like animals they hear described in the music. Students make disciplined movements and make sounds...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

NUMB3RS Activity: Regular Ploygon Centroids

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate geo-profiling.  In this secondary mathematics lesson, students use geo-profiling to determine the most probable location of a criminal.  Students find the centroid of a polygon where the vertices represent...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Studying the Food Pyramid

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore the food pyramid and how to eat a healthy diet.  In this nutrition lesson, students use pictures to make charts of food from the different food groups, record the food they eat throughout the day, investigate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Decides Who Dies?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore various state laws concerning capital punishment and conduct a mock meeting of the United States Congress to set standards for the death penalty.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Didn't Do It! (Is Anyone guilty Anymore?)

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students explore the concept of "reasonable doubt" in our criminal court system and compare it to "preponderance of the evidence" in the civil court system. They discuss the trials of OJ Simpson and other historical criminal defendants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing Police Reports

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover police procedures by filling out crime reports.  In this government instructional activity, students discuss the benefits of historical reports pertaining to criminals and victims.  Students listen to an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forensic Detectives: Mysteries and Solutions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine forensic science. For this video based lesson, students examine the tools and techniques of forensic science. They write a report about a fictional crime scene from the Discovery video.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Citizen Juries: Zacarias Moussaoui - May 1, 2006

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars consider deliberations by juries. In this citizen jury lesson, students complete readings regarding the constitutional right to a trial by jury as well as on the civic responsibility to serve on a jury.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Force and Motion

For Students 6th - 8th
For this force and motion worksheet, students read six paragraphs with numbered sentences about force and the laws of motion and answer one question.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Police Arrest MySpace Users

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the background of websites, MySpace and FaceBook. In groups, they interview local experts about Internet crimes. They investigate what their school's policy is and write a news feature how local schools are disciplining...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hodgson v. Minnesota

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the role of and develop opinions of the court in weighing competing interests in making decisions. They examine the power of the courts and legislature to regulate constitutional rights.
Lesson Plan
Utah State Courts

Judges in the Classroom

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Class members explore the process of a disposition hearing for juveniles, particularly looking at how the judge decides what sentence the juvenile offender should receive. Task your pupils with evaluating different sample cases provided...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Using Primary Sources: The Rogue's Gallery

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What would be in your life's scrapbook? Scholars use short video clips, primary and secondary documents, and photos to investigate a 1909 scrapbook. They analyze and uncover what the Rogue Book tells them about the past in Western...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Checks on Presidential Power

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine presidential powers. In this checks and balances lesson, students identify the constitutional and informal restraints of the president and consider the reasons for the limitations.