Six cases from Rhode Island court history are presented in this document. The cases, dating from the time of Roger Williams to the 1970s, examine religious freedom, personal freedom, treason, robbery, murder, and drug possession. Each case is summarized and questions are supplied to help students understand crime and punishment in Rhode Island. A…

The 36 lessons collected in this publication are designed to introduce students to the rights of the accused and provide a scholarly study of these rights, exploring historical development as well as current application. Lessons are provided for all grade levels. The topics covered include the Bill of Rights, criminal rights amendments, juvenile…

Designed to extend Law Day's impact, this program gives lawyers, judges, and other community leaders the opportunity to teach important lessons about the United States Constitution and the federal government. It is intended to stimulate opportunities for students to reflect on the country's constitutional heritage and gain appreciation for the…

The question of the relationship between capitalism and democracy is not new; scholars have produced a rich literature about it that includes virtually every considerable point of view. Yet the question is of more than historical interest; with the recent dramatic political and economic upheavals in Eastern Europe and the former USSR, it becomes…

This resource package contains ideas for local projects to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United States Constitution. The document includes a bicentennial chronology, a selection of general projects, educational projects, air and print media projects, and fine arts projects. Six appendices feature: (1) Bicentennial Chronology; (2)…

Americans traditionally have looked to the public schools to play a role in transmitting society's values to students, and on various occasions the U.S. Supreme Court has emphasized the role of the nation's schools in inculcating basic values. For many years Maine has had a statute mandating the teaching of virtue and morality and another that…

This book explores the lives of people who have shaped the laws and legal system of the United States and describes their impact on the U.S. Constitution. The new government's beginnings are examined in unit 1, through the pitfalls and triumphs of the First Continental Congress. The role of John Marshall, the First Chief Justice of the Supreme…

Law has been neglected as an area of inquiry in citizenship education. Fundamental to citizenship education is the teaching of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights in elementary and secondary schools. The bicentennials of these documents will be celebrated within the next decade. Law-related inquiry could enrich the…

This resource guide contains six units of study on citizenship education for use at the secondary level. The purpose of the units is to help students examine the political and legal processes of American society and the rights, responsibilities, and roles of its citizens. The units can be used as the basis for a one-semester elective course in…

Emphasizing the educational importance of the bicentennial celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, Miller reviews various curriculum materials related to the topic. Recommends works for all grade levels, citing, among others, LESSONS ON THE CONSTITUTION, LAW AND THE BICENTENNIAL, and computer software entitled THE UNITED STATES…

Offers a lesson plan for teaching upper elementary and middle school students about the First Amendment. The lesson begins by inviting students to censor government criticism in the local newspaper and may be expanded to include an introduction to the Bill of Rights. (JDH)

Offers a lesson in which students examine the issue of mandatory drug and alcohol testing in public schools. Students develop a policy for their own school after considering a hypothetical policy statement and attendant legal issues. (JDH)

Reviews 10 resources on First Amendment issues and related social studies topics available from the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC). Presents information pertinent both to the classroom teacher and to school administrators concerned about First Amendment issues. Gives annotated bibliographical information. (CH)

This document consists of one volume (3 issues) of a serial devoted to law-related education (LRE) that offers background information on a wide range of legal issues with teaching strategies for LRE. The themes for the issues include: (1) character education; (2) conflict resolution; and (3) the 1996 election. Each issue proposes teaching methods…

The lessons in this volume, written by experienced Georgia teachers with backgrounds in law-related education, were designed for teachers new to this area of the social studies curriculum. The lessons, which are organized by grade level, include the following information: author, time required, concepts/vocabulary, main ideas, instructional…