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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 4: The Judiciary: A Brief Introduction to the Courts System

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson in this series explores the structure of the US courts system. Beginning with an engaging activity based on the short story The Lady or the Tiger, students go on to examine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 5: In the Courtroom: Understanding the Players and the Action

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Young lawyers put Goldilocks on trial as they develop an understanding of the legal system in the final instructional activity of this five-part series. After learning about key terms relating to litigation, learners are assigned roles...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Laws...Who Needs Them?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Who needs laws? Junior high schoolers sure do! Provide your 7th-9th graders with an understandng about why laws are important and how they are used to create a functioning society. Learners use a series of handouts and readings to build...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 9

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Young scholars examine and compare/contrast the steps of criminal and civil cases. They define key vocabulary terms, develop an outline of a criminal and civil trial, and analyze the differences in standards of proof in legal cases.
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Website
Other

Canada and the International Criminal Court

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive website from the Canadian Government FAIT Department detailing the nation's involvement in the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Lists important topics, news, history and other relevant information,...
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Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: What's Law Got to Do With It?

For Students 7th
This tutorial explains the types of laws in the legal system of the United States. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
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Activity
Other

Law for Kids: Toons

For Students 9th - 10th
Join animated characters like Marco and Kirk, teenagers in difficult circumstances and facing legal issues, and find out what consequences they must deal with. Students can learn to avoid the same mistakes. Teens' questions about the law...
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Article
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Week of August 1 2016: Hinckley, States Tightened Use of the Insanity Plea

For Students 9th - 10th
The insanity ruling that sent President Ronald Reagan's would-be assassin John Hinckley, Jr., to a government psychiatric hospital rather than prison was handed down 34 years ago, but its repercussions still affect hundreds, if not...
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Activity
Other

Psychology Information Online: Forensic Psychology

For Students 9th - 10th
Gives a definition of forensic psychology and gives area of law where forensic psychology might be used.
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Activity
Other

Differences Between Civil and Criminal Law in the Usa

For Students 9th - 10th
This website provides a well-organized introduction to the differences between civil and criminal law. Addresses topics such as "punishment," "burden of proof," "protections for criminal defendants" and "ignorance of the law." Examples...
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Handout
Other

Judicial Learning Center: Types of Court Cases

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the two types of court cases - criminal cases and civil cases - and what types of crimes and disputes fall into each category.
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Website
Other

Federal Judicial Center: What the Federal Courts Do

For Students 9th - 10th
U.S. government-sponsored site that provides excellent information on the distinction between civil law and criminal law. It is part of a larger website that is dedicated to explaining the workings of the federal judicial system....
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Website
Other

Streetlaw: Criminal Law and Juvenile Justice

For Students 9th - 10th
The chapters of this unit on criminal law and juvenile justice are as follows: "Crime in America," "Introduction to Criminal Law," "Crimes Against the Person," "Crimes Against Property," "Defenses," and "The Criminal Justice Process: The...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Sources of Law

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson teaches students about the sources, types, and unique systems of law that exist in the United States. They learn about sources of law from the Constitution to local ordinances and also compare and contrast civil and criminal...
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Handout
Lectric Law Library

'Lectric Law Library: Lexicon on Perjury

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of the extensive 'Lectric Law Library's glossary of terms, this page provides information on perjury.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Introduction to Laws

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson is based on an introductory lesson to laws. It was originally intended for high school Business Law, but can be used as a simple overview of laws in general.