Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA Fingerprinting

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers experiment with chromatography as a technique which is similar to electrophoresis that scientists use to identify DNA samples.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who To Believe?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret meaning from opposing views on the same topic, and discuss that there is often so much "spin" and "hidden agendas" in the media.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do Suspected Enemies Have Rights?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students investigate the history of Japanese immigration. They complete an online Webquest, explore various websites, answer discussion questions, and locate and read newspaper articles about enemy compatants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landmines on Trial

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students engage in a discussion of both sides of the arms trade and landmine ban argument. They gain a broader understanding of the impact of landmines on human rights and development. They introduce solutions to the landmine issue.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Importance of the Group in Japan

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders discuss the importance of the group in Japan. In groups, they compare and contrast behaviors and attitudes of those in Japan and the United States. They are given a case to review and identify the rules by which the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in a mock trial. Given the scenario, students prepare a cases concerning the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble. In groups, students prepare an opening and closing statement, as well...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dear Congressperson...

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify their local, state, and national officials. They create a short blurb about each official and their function in office. Students choose an issue of concern they would like to write to their local official about,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Occupations - Matching Exercise

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students participate in a discussion about occupations and what type of transportation they use, the equipment they use, or the building they have. They then complete the worksheet provided.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whose Rock Is This Anyway?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students will seek to understand the events at Pipestone Quarry and what may have caused them. Pipestone Quarry in Pipestone, Minnesota, bears the mythic red Sioux quartzite called Pipestone or Catlinite.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Organization of Fairfax County Government

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify Fairfax County government as council-manager government, describe term of office held by members of Board of Supervisors and districts they represent, how Chairman of Board of Supervisors is elected and term and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Man on Trial Pre-Reading Activities

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students employ different strategies in order to increase reading comprehension. The Story is used to captivate the learners and provide a link to long term memory. By studying the one text in depth the skills will be embedded in the...
Organizer
Curated OER

Breaking News English: Schwarzenegger Allows Execution

For Students 6th - 8th
In this ESL reading comprehension worksheet, middle schoolers read or listen to a journalistic passage, complete warm-up activities and a wide variety of before, during, after, homework and discussion activities. 
Interactive
Curated OER

ESL -Occupations: What Is My Job?

For Students 4th - 6th
In this ESL occupations worksheet, learners read a set of 10 job descriptions and determine the job, clicking on an answer button to check answers.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

For Students 9th - 10th
A detailed description of the United States Supreme Court decision on the appeal of the case Escobedo v. Illinois, which ruled on the right to have counsel under the 6th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Bradwell v. Illinois (1872)

For Students 9th - 10th
Supreme Court case involving Myra Bradwell who was denied a license to practice law because she was a married woman. The full text of the decision is included here.
Website
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Supreme Court: Expanding Our Civil Rights: Gideon v. Wainwright

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a synopsis of the landmark Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright, which ruled that states must provide defense attorneys to any indigent criminal defendant charged with a felony. The decision was written by Justice Hugo Black.
Handout
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: History of the Supreme Court

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives insight into both the creation of the U.S. Supreme Court as well as its transformation to its present state. Throughout the text links can be found which lead to various Supreme Court topics and information.
Activity
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: Rules of the Supreme Court

For Students 9th - 10th
Site that acts as an index to all the rules that govern the United States Supreme Court. Each rule can be seen in its entirety by clicking the link on the left the listed rule.
Article
Cato Institute

Buying Justice: Plaintiffs' Lawyers Reap Huge Dividends

For Students 9th - 10th
This writer discusses the buying of justices' impartiality by trial lawyers and calls for tort reform.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Rhetoric & the Story of Corax vs. Tisias

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
After reading the arugments of each of two lawyers in court, decide who wins.
Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that gave defendants in state criminal courts the right to a lawyer. Students learn about the 6th Amendment right to a lawyer, why the right is important, and how the...
Handout
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez.org: Oyez Directory

For Students 9th - 10th
The OYEZ Directory offers hyperlinks to Supreme Court cases. Choose the topic you'd like to search under, like "Attorneys," or "Civil rights," for example.
Unit Plan
Other

Ontario Justice Education Network

For Students 9th - 10th
The Ontario Justice Education Network provides excellent resources for teaching about Canada's legal system. Programs range from Grade 4 up. Examples include a mock trial with Hansel and Gretel, a look at court artists, judge shadowing,...
Graphic
Curated OER

Clip Art by Phillip Martin: Lawyer in Court Room

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Cartoon of a judge listening to a lawyer present his case.