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Lesson 4: The Judiciary: A Brief Introduction to the Courts System
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...
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Digital Forensics
Students examine a crime scene and photograph evidence. In this forensics digital photography lesson, students recognize the correct procedures for filming a crime scene. Students document evidence and keep a log of the...
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Justice at the Local Level: Is it Effective?
Students view a PowerPoint presentation on the court system. They are arranged into groups and evaluate the effectiveness of the criminal and civil courts in local Michigan communities.
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Supreme Court Confirmation Process
Learners examine the Supreme Court and the confirmation process. They simulate a confirmation hearing with students role-playing as nominees and others as members of the Judiciary Committee. Learners compose short essays outlining the...
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Deadlock on Verdict
Students read a text about a murder trial. They review related vocabulary, complete a matching exercise and take a quiz. Afterward, they play a game called 'alibi' where the group with the weakest alibi is found guilty.
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Which Court Would You Use?
Students study court system and the various levels of courts in their state. In groups, they create their own brief scenario for each court they have studied. As a follow-up activity, they match given scenarios to the correct court, as...
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Court System Scavenger Hunt
Students are assign a particular Federal or State Court. They are asked to make a poster of the court they have been assigned. Students are told that the poster should include a list of the types of cases that particular court hears. ...
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Knife crime and sentencing
Students discuss their feelings about kids carrying knives and whether or no people who carry knives should be punished just as much as people who carry guns. Students study what a fixed penalty is, the dangers of kids carrying knives,...
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Introduction to Juvenile Delinquency
Students discuss cases in which juveniles were convicted of horrific crimes. They answer questions in which there are no right or wrong answers related to juvenile delinquency.
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Paying for Crime
Students participate in activties examining ratios and proportions. They use graphs to interpret data showing the government's budget for prisons. They present what they have learned to the class.