This article is drawn from the authors' book, "Judging for Themselves: Using Mock Trials to Bring Social Studies and English to Life," which discusses the effectiveness of mock trials as tools for learning and assessments. Mock trials are effective because they are challenging, authentic projects in which students create and then do…

Presents a curriculum program designed to dramatize the trial experience. Utilizes the fairytale "Little Red Riding Hood" to present the facts of a criminal case. Outlines the mock trial, rules of evidence, criminal code, and facts of the case. Suggests that classroom experience be enhanced with field trips to a real court. (DK)

Designed for use in the junior high school curriculum, two lessons involve students in the structure and procedures of the jury system as it functions within the court system. Although intended for use with a slide program and computer software program, activities in the teaching guide can be used independently. For each lesson, background…

Intended to help teachers of law-related education direct student's critical thinking by examining case studies in everyday newspapers, this booklet contains seven activities suitable for use with intermediate and secondary students. By examining daily newspapers and participating in the activities, students (1) determine ways in which the law…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about the law in social studies classrooms are provided in this supplementary packet. An introductory section provides a rationale for the unit, a guide to bringing law-related resource persons into the classroom, a teacher checklist for helping resource persons…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented in this supplementary packet. Section I provides suggestions for using community resource persons and lists Alabama resources for teaching about law. Activities in Section II focus on the need for laws and…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. Lessons in this unit further develop ideas presented in the eighth grade packet and can be used to supplement a course in government. Section I provides suggestions for using community resource persons.…

This handbook provides background information and classroom activities that teachers can use to help students in grades 6-8 understand the New Mexico court system. Although intended for use in New Mexico, a great deal of the information provided can be used by teachers in other states. The information and activities can be incorporated into…

Developed specifically for use in juvenile corrections facilities, this law-related curriculum acquaints students with important aspects of the criminal and civil justice systems. The criminal justice lessons in the curriculum are designed to help students better understand how the system actually works; the effect of crime on its victims; the…

An introduction to criminal law, processes, and justice is provided in this high school level text. Content is divided into six chapters, each treating a particular aspect of criminal procedure and the social and political issues surrounding it. Chapter 1 considers the criminal, the effects of crime on its victims, and legislation to aid victims.…

Intended for students in grades 4-7, the lessons in this guide focus on consumer law-related education. Major objectives are for students to gain an understanding of (1) the laws and legal practices in a democratic society; (2) the concepts of authority, order, property, and justice in the operation of institutions; and (3) the processes and…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about the law in social studies classrooms are provided in this supplementary packet. An introductory section provides a rationale for the unit, a guide to bringing law-related resource persons into the classroom, a teacher checklist for helping resource persons…

Presents the history and activities of the Legal Aid Society of New York City, the largest and oldest provider of legal assistance for poor people in the United States. Presents a timeline of the society and suggested instructional activities. Provides an annotated list of six resource organizations. (CFR)

Arranged in five chapters, this supplementary resource for junior high students contains information on the history, practical applications, and social consequences of the law. In chapter 1, students are introduced to the origin of laws through examination of a fable, the relationship between government and laws, types of laws, and law…