Why is it so important to have a trial by jury in the American judicial system? This right is one of the hallmarks of American democracy, but it also comes with the responsibility of serving on a jury if called. Young legal scholars...

Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson plan, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...

Objection! Scholars participate in a mock trial to gain an understanding the ins and outs of court procedures. Using the Jessie Jones v. Palm City court case, they role play each specific part of the trial, learning how courts operate...

Your class members will take on the roles of jury members in this exciting simulation. After reading a detailed script and reviewing pieces of evidence, they will determine whether Honda violated copyright and copied James Bond.

Unless you are a lawyer, you might not understand just how unrealistic Law and Order and other legal dramas actually are. Here's a great resource to help scholars of criminology gain a more realistic perspective. The lesson outlines the...

What is the role of the judge in a trial? What schooling is required to be a judge? How much do judges typically earn? Class members research the job descriptions, education required, and salaries of law-related occupations including...

Here's a must-have resource for anyone reading To Kill A Mockingbird or using Harper Lee's award-winning novel in a classroom. The packet contains Miss Hollace Ransdall's first-hand, factual account of the trials of the Scottsboro Boys,...

What happened to a murder case when the police eat the murder weapon? After reading Roald Dahl's dark and ironic short story "Lamb to the Slaughter," young scholars write a persuasive essay to convince a jury that the wife who killed her...

A courtroom can be a scary place for the uninitiated. Get familiar with the process using a helpful overview of the activities that take place prior to both civil and criminal cases.  The lesson explains the differences between...

After reading the first act of The Winter's Tale, class members conduct a trial and consider Leontes' accusations against Herminone.

A jury must decide: are the names of two businesses so similar that one is hurt by customer confusion? Learners play the role of a juror who must decide—and convince others—whether Trio Taco and Trio Pizza are too similar. Using...

Students 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.

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...

Young lawyers put Goldilocks on trial as they develop an understanding of the legal system in the final lesson of this five-part series. After learning about key terms relating to litigation, students are assigned roles and reading...

Students investigate how a jury is chosen, and what the rights and responsibilities of juries are. They examine case studies to determine the role of the jury in both criminal and civil cases.

Whether out of choice or necessity, people want to know what will happen on a typical day in court. A helpful lesson walks scholars in the field of criminology through the trial process from opening statements to the final verdict. 

Even in court, your class members have procedural rights provided by the amendments. Teach high schoolers this important instructional activity by using the 18th installment of a 20-part unit exploring the US Constitution. The resource...

Young scholars examine the difference between a jury trial and a bench trial. They discuss any protections that the Indiana and United States Constitution offers its citizens. They use the internet to research any current press of jury...

What if the jury is not made up of people from your ethnicity or background—are they still considered your peers? Scholars analyze the impact the Supreme Court case Hernandez v. Texas had on jury selection across the nation. Paired...

Students analyze text and utilize outside resources to determine Iago's fate, which is not addressed by Shakespeare in Othello; students present their findings in an organized trial scenario.

Students study the history of the jury system in the United States. They enact a number of different types of trials including trial by jury. They complete a worksheet that compares the trials systems before writing a persuasive essay...

Objection! Scholars research the rules and regulations of trial law. Using a trial game simulation, class attorneys choose whether to object to questioning during various trial scenarios. Once objecting, they must also choose the...

Students take a true or false quiz about jury trials and then gain understanding of interesting facts. It is basically again, an outline that students have as the teacher lectures. The quiz would be for students to remember for further...

Learners, after the traditional read and discussion of BEOWULF, put one of the the main characters on trial.