Resources

This town hall simulation gives elementary students the opportunity to learn an inquiry-based process that teaches the skills involved in civic participation. Students take on roles of different species that live in the same watershed: The Klamath River Basin. Many of these species are struggling and there is often not enough water to go around. Practicing perspective-taking helps students build empathy and recognize the complexity of issues. Students will take on a role, research the assigned stakeholder, and prepare a testimony from the point of view of their assigned role. For the culminating act of the town hall, students will testify about their experiences and needs to a panel of human decision-makers, who manage the water resources in the Klamath Basin. The “humans from the Oregon Water Resources Department” will listen to the species’ testimony and ask questions. The “humans” will also open up the floor and let different stakeholders ask questions of each other. Finally, students will all reflect on how their understanding of the situation grew and what solutions they recommend for the actual humans making decisions about water allocation.  This method of active learning teaches students about civil discourse, respecting each other, collaboration, and developing a deeper understanding of an issue. This simulation lesson plan provides all the components needed by teachers and students.  Objectives of a Town Hall Simulation: Students will:  Analyze and articulate various perspectives of different kinds of species that rely on the water resources of the Klamath Basin Develop and hone listening skills to better understand distinct points of view Identify ways to compromise and collaborate Practice public speaking and democratic participation 

This activity helps students consider their individual and collective liberties. When extraterrestrials decide they have too many rights, they must choose what rights stay and what goes using the Preamble of the Constitution. Students work in teams to apply reasoning and come to a consensus as they interpret the principles of rights. Includes translated worksheet (Spanish).

A worksheet associted with the "Extraterrestrials" lesson plan. The handout contains a list of rights students will use to complete the activities in the lesson.

ELL RESOURCE. This town hall simulation gives elementary students the opportunity to learn an inquiry-based process that teaches empathy and collaboration. Students take on roles of different kinds of kids who might be in a class together. By taking on the perspective of those they might not necessarily relate to, children can gain a deeper understanding and ability to critically think through how to talk with each other. Included in packet are the simualtion, role sheets, and a supplemental literacy lesson.Note: supplemental literacy lesson not incuded in translation

In State v. Goldilocks, students take on roles in the prosecution and defense (and jurors and journalists) of Goldilocks and consider the question of whether she committed crimes when she went into the Bear family. Teaching resources include instructions for implementing this mock trial in the classroom, templates for jury observation notes, and witness statements.

ELL RESOURCE. Due Process & the Sixth Amendment: The Outsiders presents a step-by-step guide for preparing students for and completing a Moot Court about issues raised in S.E. Hinton's novel, The Outsiders. Moot Court bears some similarities to Mock Trial, except that it deals more in case precedent and the exploration of Constitutional issues. Within the packet, teachers can find relevant case materials, a description of the Moot Court process, and everything else they would need to introduce this activity with their students.

The News Analysis Graphic Organizer is a one-page handout that asks students to distill the basic information about a text into concise summaries and pose questions that deepen their thinking about/understanding of the text. Translated to Spanish. (ELL RESOURCE)

In this Town Hall simulation, students assume a variety of roles and perspectives in relation to Measure 92, a 2014 ballot measure that would require genetically engineering food products to be labeled as such. During this town hall, most students (working in small teams) assume the role of a particular community member or organization, create testimony that articulates their particular viewpoint, present their views to a mock legislative committee, listen to other speakers' views, respond to questions from the (student-comprised) legislative committee, and debrief the process with the rest of the class. Town hall simulations provide many ways for teachers to modify the activity to meet their own students' needs, time constraints, and other contextual considerations.

This mini-unit provides an extended lesson plan and several handouts for a class to conduct a town hall simulation about the importance of voting. Students write testimony and share their perspectives in front of the class. Debriefing and reflection opportunities are also provided.

This lesson helps train students to be critical consumers of information and identify bias either through selection of evidence or through the analysis of it.

This lesson guides students step by step through the process of analyzing a judicial decision, including identifying the key parties involved, describing the arguments presented on each side, and summarizing the key points of the decision itself.

The Argument Identification activity asks students to deconstruct arguments and identify elements within that argument, in order to expose them to persuasive arguments and writing.

This activity, modified from Center for Civic Education's Project Citizen, encourages students to research and collaborate to develop a new policy around issues important them and their community. (Middle-school and elementary-school versions also available.)

This activity, modified from Center for Civic Education's Project Citizen, encourages students to research and collaborate to develop a new policy around issues important them and their community. (High-school and elementary-school versions also available.)

This activity, modified from Center for Civic Education's Project Citizen, encourages students to research and collaborate to develop a new policy around issues important them and their community. (High-school and middle-school versions also available.)

This activity has students practice and examine their questioning skills through the use of creating block towers. Students guide one another in creating block towers through the use of questions and then debrief on the process.

Each Oregonian is represented by a single Senator and a single Representative in the state legislature, which gathers in Salem, each January. Oregon’s legislative assembly consists of a 60-members House of Representatives and a 30-member Senate, serving for two and four year terms, respectively. Each of the 90 members must be United States citizens, at least 21 years old, and have lived in the legislative district from which they were elected for at least a year. The main duty of the Oregon Legislature is to “enact new laws and revise existing ones relating to the health, education and general welfare of Oregonians, and to make decisions that keep the state in good economic and environmental condition,” according to its website. The Legislature is also responsible for the state budget. This lesson takes students into the state lawmaking process and shows them how to follow and interact with this process, using a bill considered in the 2024 short session. We hope this lesson teaches students (and teachers) how to participate in their state government and make their voices heard beyond just voting.

One of the most important, and at times, most challenging aspects of incorporating current events into the classroom is fostering a civil dialogue amongst students. As polarization seems to be growing each year, the practice of holding a discourse with folks who hold different, and at times, conflicting views is becoming an ever more important skill to practice. There are a number of ways to introduce and encourage respectful discussion in classrooms, most of which begin with foundational work by the class in setting a respectful culture of inclusion. Proper preparation can set you up for success.

Conflict is a normal part of human existence, yet we all can learn to manage conflict more effectively. Diplomacy helps countries avoid war, build important trade relations, and form long standing alliances. Likewise, diplomatic skills can help us interact better with people in our day-to-day lives. We can all improve how we handle tense situations, in order to experience more positive outcomes.

Structured Academic Controversy: Building Consensus" is an interactive resource designed for classroom use, focusing on the debate between military volunteerism and conscription. Through structured group discussions, students analyze evidence, articulate arguments, and collaborate to reach a consensus. The resource guides teachers in facilitating pre-discussions, small group conversations, whole-class consensus building, and student reflections, fostering critical thinking, communication skills, and empathy. Students engage in thoughtful reflection on their evolving perspectives, making this resource a powerful tool for promoting civic engagement and democratic decision-making in education.

One of the core tenants of U.S. law is the right of private property ownership. But what about property that is public? According to Cornell Law, “Public trust doctrine is a legal principle establishing that certain natural and cultural resources are preserved for public use. Natural resources held in trust can include navigable waters, wildlife, or land. The public is considered the owner of the resources, and the government protects and maintains these resources for the public's use.” This is the core concept behind federal environmental protection regulations such as the Endangered Species Act which celebrated its 50 year anniversary in 2023. When designating and administering public lands, a wide variety of considerations are included, such as the rights of impacted private property. Trying to balance all these considerations can lead to tensions stemming from the government’s actions in protecting, maintaining, and regulating public lands. Routinely the actions taken on behalf of public land and resources will negatively affect individuals and entities, sparking the continued debate between the common good (public resource stewardship) and individual rights. In using the interactive Continuum Dialogue activity, students can explore their own opinions on what that balance should be and which considerations should be at the forefront of the government’s decision making. 

What portion of a group is big enough to make decisions for the whole? Some say a majority is fair enough, some say a supermajority is best, and others are patient enough to work toward consensus. Should virtual attendance count for governing bodies to vote or only an in-person presence? Is busting quorum an acceptable method of asserting minority views? These are important questions for the procedures of a fair and representative democracy. In this lesson, students compare quorum requirements in our national and state constitutions and take a stand on the issue by composing an opinion piece for a newspaper.

Explore the Rule of Law in our Civics Concept Lesson Plan. Students will analyze current events, identifying instances where the Rule of Law was upheld or violated, and apply the concept to notable court cases, including those involving the 14th Amendment and eligibility for office as highlighted in CLP’s “Current Events: The 14th Amendment & Insurrection.” Through these discussions, gain a deeper understanding of the Rule of Law's crucial role in shaping legal frameworks and democratic processes.   CLP is enhancing Current Events with an additional resource – Civics Concept Lesson Plans! These lesson plans connect with the prior week's current event, offering a deep dive into the civics principles behind each week's Current Event.  What to Expect: Comprehensive Approach: Each lesson plan not only delves into the previous week's Current Event but also includes a dedicated vocabulary section for deeper understanding of content Standards Based: aligned with Oregon State Standards for multiple grade levels Ready to use: Each lesson plan is ready for the classroom, designed to follow in class, as is CLP remains committed to enhancing the classroom experience, valuing teacher input as we strive for student growth in civic learning areas. Please let us know if you used the lessons! Tag us on social media (@civicslearningproject) or send us an email at [email protected]

This resource explores the complexities of free speech with students through the RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) strategy, encouraging critical thinking and persuasive writing. In this lesson, students will delve into the First Amendment, examining its scope, limitations, and the societal consequences of free expression. By adopting various perspectives, students articulate and support their viewpoints on free speech issues, crafting persuasive arguments that consider the balance between freedom of expression and the potential for harm. This approach not only deepens their understanding of democratic principles but also hones their ability to reason and communicate effectively on contentious topics.

This lesson presents three different activities to help foster a civil space in the classroom. After introducing the concept of "civil discourse," students work together to create norms for discussion; practice using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning framework; and employ sentence stems that activate constructive discussions.

The Closing Statements Rubric is a tool to help evaluate students' closing statements around the criteria of content, organization, and delivery. Descriptors allow evaluators to give students a score for each criterion.

Students learn the basic skills and techniques of conducting an interview to solicit a person’s opinion about a specific Current Events topic (or related subject) and present their findings to a classmate. Three-day lesson plan that can be modified in numerous ways.

This activity helps students consider their individual and collective liberties. When extraterrestrials decide they have too many rights, they must choose what rights stay and what goes using the Preamble of the Constitution. Students work in teams to apply reasoning and come to a consensus as they interpret the principles of rights. Includes lesson, worksheet, and handouts.

Google Slides for Constituional Rights and Law Lesson Plan. This lesson plan introduces concepts of indvidual and collective liberty by examining the Preamble of the Constitution. Students work in small groups to compare and contrast rights and work as a group to determine which rights stay when forced to choose. Materials include lesson plan and handouts.

This lesson plan introduces concepts of indvidual and collective liberty by examining the Preamble of the Constitution. Students work in small groups to compare and contrast rights and work as a group to determine which rights stay when forced to choose. Materials include lesson plan and handouts.

The Continuum Dialogue is a provocative yet non-threatening way to get to know students’ perspectives, beliefs, and opinions on current events, as well as potentially controversial issues. A Continuum exercise provides an opportunity for students to articulate their own ideas, revise their thinking throughout the process, and hear their classmates' viewpoints with respect and interest. (The Continuum Diagloue is similar to the Four Corners Discussion activity.)

The docket is a daily schedule of the individual assignments for each judge. A list of docket abbreviations are explained in this document to help understand what is going on in each courtroom and which courtrooms will be best for different age groups to visit.

This document provides procedures for Courthouse Tour Guides to prepare for Courthouse Experience Tours. Tips for communication, selecting courtrooms, and organizing the school groups included.

A one-page document with more information about Courthouse Tours, including historic background, student outcomes, and general procedures.

This document provides a roadmap for cultivating civic culture over a multi-week period of time. It includes recommendations for preliminary activities, as well as suggestions for how to return intentionally to creating civic culture beyond the initial weeks of a course.

Google Slides for Creating an Argument: Opening Statements lesson.This lesson plan and worksheet teaches students how to build an effective opening statement and the real world implications of argument framing and adovcacy. Using fairy tale stories, students create their own opening arguments based off misunderstood characters from well known stories and present to their classmates. Indcludes lesson plan and worksheets.

This lesson plan and worksheet teaches students how to build an effective opening statement and the real world implications of argument framing and adovcacy. Using fairy tale stories, students create their own opening arguments based off misunderstood characters from well known stories and present to their classmates. Indcludes lesson plan and worksheets.

This resource provides two separate worksheets for students to evaluate elements of a Current Event. The Current Events Analysis asks students to capture the basic elements of a current event. Current Events: Then and Now allows students to extend their learning by comparing contemporary current events to historical episodes.

The Current Events Analysis lesson provides an effective starting place for students to dig into texts and big ideas around a specific current-events topic. It combines reading for understanding with summarizing, predicting, and other key literacy skills. It also has an optional historical comparison component.

This video gives an overview of Classroom Law Project's Current Events resources, including the various sections included in each week's Current Events post.

This worksheet guides students through the process of clarifying a defense's case theory in a Mock Trial.

"Developing a Theory of the Case" provides students with key elements of a good case theory, as well as steps to develop their own case theories.

The tool guides through the process of generating questions for expert witnesses on both sides of a case, placing particular emphasis on the witness's expert qualifications, what evidence the witness reviewed in preparation for the case, and questions/follow-up questions about what conclusions the witness drew.

This worksheet helps students construct a sequence of questions to ask eyewitnesses as part of a Mock Trial. Students generate warm-up questions, questions with factual responses, concluding questions/statements, and possible re-direct question in preparation for the trial.

This worksheet allows students a chance to practice writing questions for a mock trial. Students select one paragraph from each witness's affidavit and compose three questions based on the information contained within the paragraph. The activity can be used as a general exercise in generating questions, or it can be used by attorney teams in preparation for the trial itself.

Drought and the Deschutes: A Town Hall Simulation offers a three-day lesson plan for students to assume roles in a simulated town-hall environment on drought and water-related issues in Central Oregon. This packet includes descriptions of how to prepare students for the town hall (including interactive activities and a list of key vocabulary), eight roles for students to play in the town hall, additional resource links, and a rubric for student testimony.

Democracy requires public participation and compromise to solve problems as a community. By simulating a town hall meeting, students will be exposed to the multiple perspectives involved in a complex societal issue. They will identify evidence that best supports each role’s interest and will practice writing and delivering persuasive testimony to a policy workgroup. By researching and then taking on the perspective of those they might not necessarily agree with, students gain a deeper understanding and ability to critically think through one of the most controversial topics in the state. Finally, they will engage in deliberative and direct democracy as they seek a solution. 

Due Process & the Sixth Amendment: The Outsiders presents a step-by-step guide for preparing students for and completing a Moot Court about issues raised in S.E. Hinton's novel, The Outsiders. Moot Court bears some similarities to Mock Trial, except that it deals more in case precedent and the exploration of Constitutional issues. Within the packet, teachers can find relevant case materials, a description of the Moot Court process, and everything else they would need to introduce this activity with their students.

This unit provides extensive resources and suggested activities around the history of voting rights in the United States, the expansion of voting rights to 16 year olds, the history of gerrymandering, and the curtailment of the right to vote in recent years. Two large activities are offered—the first, a Stuctured Academic Controversy (SAC) asks students to generate arguments in favor of and in opposition to lowering the voting age to 16. In the second, students participate in a simluated legislative hearing about responses to voter suppression.

This unit considers three questions in the context of the 2020 election: (a) What makes people want to vote?; (b) Why don't more people vote?; and (c) How can voters access quality information? Each lesson consists of several readings about the issues that include charts, maps, timelines, and analysis. The third lesson culminates in an interview role play scenario in which students take on the perspectives of different community members and interview one another about increasing voter turnout.

The introductory section to the 2020 Election Curriculum. This document provides an overview of the elections materials, an introductory survey for students to complete, Tips for Teaching in Polarized Times, a list of standards covered, and inspirational quotes about voting.

This unit frames the selection of the President of the United States around three questions: How do Americans hire a president? What are the qualities of a good president? How do we compare the candidates? Each overarching question leads into several activities with entry points for students in different grade levels and with varying learning styles. Highlights include an activity where students identify traits of an effective president and create a Help Wanted poster recruiting a new U.S. president. Includes unit vocabulary and three lesson plans with student handouts and worksheets.

This unit, about "other election issues" in 2020, consists of three in-depth lessons: the first examines how democratic the election of U.S. Senators is. Students read articles about the makeup of the Senate and compare current trends with the preamble to the Constitution. In the second lesson, students compare the legislative process and initiative/referendum/referral process to understand how laws are made in Oregon. As a culminating activity, students draft a ballot measure on a topic of interest to them. Finally, in the third lesson, students learn more about the four major initiatives on the Oregon ballot in 2020 and analyze the key components of these proposals.

This unit resource is a comprehensive packet of materials designed for secondary grades focusing on a variety of aspets of Oregon's democracy. Topics covered include the basics of Oregon's democracy, voting rights, and a culminating assessment writing an op-ed. This resource includes a variety of lessons, worksheets, handouts, and activities to engage students in exploring the political processes and issues relevant to Oregon's electoral system. 

This three-lesson unit focuses on how Americans "hire" a president, what qualities make an excellent presidential candidate, and what the best ways are for comparing different candidates. The unit includes a Pre-Unit Survey, an exercise the Constitution as a primary source, an actiivty that asks students to generate a "help wanted" ad for the next president, and tools to compare/contrast different candidates.

Published in 2020, this unit considers three questions about elections-related issues: How democratic is the United States Senate?, How does direct democracy work in Oregon?, and What proposed initiatives might you support? Readings, supplementary handouts, and activities are included for each lesson.

The third unit of the 2020 Elections materials focuses on Voter Rights. The packet includes a comprehensive historical timeline about voter rights, articles about felon voting rights and whether 16 year olds should have the right to vote, and materials about gerrymandering.

This unit explores the importance of voting and considers why some people do not vote in elections. Articles and activities take on the issue of voter participation from different perspectives, and a role-play activity engages students directly in questions about low voter turnout.

This unit challenges students to create a mock legislative hearing in which they deliver testimony around one of several questions about the upcoming election.

Google Slides with Elements of Case Theory Lesson. This packet of material helps student understant the elements of case theory. Students role play a scenario where they must build a case from the perspectives of the prosectuion and defense. Includes lesson plan, Google Slides, and worksheets.

This lesson plan and worksheet of material helps student understant the elements of case theory. Students role play a scenario where they must build a case from the perspectives of the prosectuion and defense. Includes lesson plan, Google Slides, and worksheets.

Evaluating a Source trains students to critically and systematically assess as they consume information. There are many variations of this exercise with catchy acronyms that fit the specific genre/course. This exercise attempts to merge the many variations of source analysis (usually with catchy acronyms) into one that works in most scenarios.

Using resources provided in a Classroom Law Project Current Event, students will read, analyze, and evaluate various media sources focused on a particular topic or theme.

This "article" reports on the arrival of extraterrestrials on Sauvie Island and the corresponding governmental and societal response. The one-page document provides the set up for an activity about the Bill of Rights, the instructions for which are included in other We the People materials. The details of this article (location, date, people) may be adapted to fit more contemporary contexts directly relevant to students.

This one-page worksheet provides a framework for students examining witness materialsin a mock-trial activity to fill in the relevant information provided in the case affidavit they have received.

Four Corners is a discussion-based, interactive process that encourages students to take a stand on several different statements, share their points of view about the issues that arise, listen to their peers, and be wiling to change their minds based on what other students have to say. Four Corners encourages students to vote with their feet, moving to different corners of the room in response to statements read aloud throughout the activity. The central purpose of Four Corners is to generate deeper understanding of different viewpoints rather than to arrive at a "correct" answer or ignite competition among students.

Four Corners allows students to move around the room and share their ideas with other students. In this strategy, students take a position on a controversial topic and defend it. This strategy encourages students to listen to the perspectives of others, and be willing to change their position if convinced by another student’s arguments. (Four Corners Discussion is similar to the Continuum Dialogue activity.)

This handout provides background information about buildings visited in the Multnomah County Courthouse Experience Tour, as well as interesting facts about the history of Multnomah County courts and general information about the judicial process.

This simulation invites students to engage with the complex issues surrounding water rights, agricultural demands, environmental conversation, and indigenous rights within the Klamath Basin. Students will explore the perspectives of various stakeholders in a mock town hall setting, aiming to negotiate solutions that balance ecological sustainability with community needs.  Quote From NOAA’s The Essential Principles of Climate Literacy: “Climate plays an important role in the global distribution of freshwater resources. Changing precipitation patterns and temperature conditions will alter the distribution and availability of freshwater resources, reducing reliable access to water for many people and their crops. Winter snowpack and mountain glaciers that provide water for human use are declining as a result of global warming.”

This town hall simulation gives elementary students the opportunity to learn an inquiry-based process that teaches empathy and collaboration. Students take on roles of different kinds of kids who might be in a class together. By taking on the perspective of those they might not necessarily relate to, children can gain a deeper understanding and ability to critically think through how to talk with each other. Included in packet are the simualtion, role sheets, and a supplemental literacy lesson.

This activity helps students who are new to Mock Trial in the Classroom identify different types of objections and practice making arguments about why certain types of statements should or should not be allowed in court. This activity is designed as a low-stakes game in which winners are determined by those students who identify the most correct responses.

This town hall simulation gives students the opportunity to take on different roles of people who have a stake in the debate over guns. By researching and then taking on the perspective of those they might not necessarily agree with, students gain a deeper understanding and ability to critically think through one of the most controversial topics in contemporary American culture.  This simulation lesson plan provides all the components needed by students, as well as resources and materials that help students build their understanding.

In this Town Hall simulation, students assume a variety of roles and consider the question of "How is immigration affecting my community?" from the role they have been assigned. During the town hall, students work with other students who have been assigned their roles, create testimony that articulates their particular viewpoint, present their views, listen to other speakers' views, respond to questions from a town council (made of other students), and debrief the process with the rest of the class. Town hall simluations provide many ways for teachers to modify the activity to meet their own students' needs, time constraints, and other contextual considerations.

This lesson guides students through the process of analyzing data visualizations (i.e., charts, graphs, and tables). The activity includes several visualizations for introductory purposes, but teachers can easily substitute their own selections.

The Issue & Solutions activity seeks to have students examine a current event and grapple with the complex issues and possible solutions centered around the topic. Students practice close reading skills while at the same time practice critical thinking sk

This lesson plan provides a list of teaching strategies that will help students become more familiar with, learn in depth, grapple with the complexities of, and otherwise engage with witness affidavits that they will need to understand for a mock-trial experience.

Slides Presentation with supplemental information (Liability Breakdown Slides) that pairs with Question Formulation & Legal Responsibility Lesson Plan & Worksheet. This lesson helps students understand quality questioning as an essential skill and why questioning is important for mock trial or moot court to determine liability.

Microlabs is a discussion activity designed to maximize equal participation in conversation among students on nearly any topic. After the teacher provides an overview and instructions, students engage in three rounds of highly structured conversation in response to a series of questions. Students receive an equal amount of time, uninterrupted, to answer each question.

Microlabs, or Triads, sets up a controlled environment for students to express their opinions about a subject. In groups of three and over three rounds, students respond to questions (one question per round) and then listen to their classmaters' responses. Microlabs is intended to give uninterrupted space to students as they answer the questions, and for classmates to listen carefully to their peers' resopnses without judgment, interruption, or rebuttal.

The Sequence of Events handout provides a brief step-by-step overview of the steps of a standard mock trial process. (Teachers may of course modify the sequence to meet the particular needs of their mock trial experience.)

The Mock Trial Evaluation Criteria Handout provides brief criteria for assessing different players in a mock trial—Attorneys, Witnesses, Teams, Clerk/Bailiff, and Judge.

This vocabulary guide provides definitions for over 60 of the most frequently used terms in mock trial.

This resource provides a self-contained mock trial for use in the classroom based on "Harrison Bergeron," a science-fiction short story by Kurt Vonnegut. The document includes six sections, including teacher instructions, the context of the story, case materials (affidavits and exhibits), student materials, score sheets and evaluation rubrics, and post-trial wrap-up/reflection activities.

The Role Aasignment handout provides a consolidated location to see the possible roles for a mock trial, as well as to fill in which students are taking on each role in the trial.

This handout lists the roles and responsibilities for Mock Trial. Handout offers guidance on best practices for each role.

A Mock Trial has several different roles: Attorneys, Witnesses, Jurors, Bailiffs, Court Clerks, and Courtroom Journalists/Artists. This handout provides detailed descriptions of each role and helps identify the best practices associated with each role.

The Mock Trial Script offers a step-by-step guide through the mechanics of trial procedure. In sections on the trial opening, opening statements, plaintiff's case, defense's case, closing arguments, jury instructions, and the jury verdict, this guide provides scripted prompts for guiding students through the trial process.

In the run-up to a mock trial, the To-Do List for Student Team Worksheet provides teams with a checklist of what they need to have prepared for the trial itself. A section at the end of the document allows students to express their ongoing concerns and identify possible solutions to said concerns.

The Vocabulary Review document provides an organized format for students to study the vocabluary associated with their upcoming mock trial. The handout may be used in a variety of ways, and teachers will need to identify the process that best suits their students at the stage of preparation when they decide to introduce this activity.

The Witness Rubric offers criteria for what makes an excellent witness and provides a grid for scoring witness testimony.

The News Analysis Graphic Organizer is a one-page handout that asks students to distill the basic information about a text into concise summaries and pose questions that deepen their thinking about/understanding of the text.

After reading a news article about a current event, students can fill out this worksheet to capture the essential information about a text/topic.

This handout provides guiding questions and other tips for conducting effective (Internet) searches for articles about current events.

This one-page handout guides prosecution/plaintiff and defense attorneys with tips and strategies for developing a compelling opening statement. The handout includes a list of resouces students can consult in order to improve their opening statements. This document may be used in conjuction with Opening Statement Preparation Worksheet

The Opening Statement Preparation Worksheet is divided into sections that help students identify their team's theory of the case, themes to include in an opening statement, a listing of relevant facts that may emerge during the trial, where the burdenof proof lies within this case, and what they are asking the jury to decide on/do in this trial. This document may pair well with the Opening Statement Preparation Handout.

The Opening Statements Rubric lists scoring categories and criteria for a successful mock trial opening statement.

Slides presentation for Persuasive Argumentation & Advocacy Practice Google Slides. This lesson plan walks students through how to use persuasive skills in lobbying/advocacy. Students practice persuasive skills in a role play scenario using current events for their arguments and advocacy. Materials include worksheets.

This lesson plan walks students through how to use persuasive skills in lobbying/advocacy. Students practice persuasive skills in a role play scenario using current events for their arguments and advocacy. Materials include worksheets.

Plaintiff/Prosecution teams in a mock trial may use this worksheet to outline the major theories, facts, sources of evidence, and major themes in develping their theory of the case.

This worksheet guides students through a three-step process (story from the plaintiff/prosecution's point of view, arguments needed to convince the jury, main themes of the case) for developing the case theory they will present to the jury.

This graphic organizer provides an easy-to-use one-page template for students to fill in as they are examining a primary source document. This resource may be used with historical or contemporary sources.

The Question Formulation activity challenges students to generate, refine, and identify different types of questions. The process helps students become more nimble in asking questions about texts they have read, creating Essential Questions, writing closed- and open-ended questions, and using the questions they have generated to identify further areas of research and exploration.

This lesson plan and worksheet helps students understand quality questioning as an essential skill and why questioning is important for mock trial or moot court to determine liability. Students work in teams for Mad Lib Activity and role play different scenarios to practice questioning to determine liability. Supplemental materials: Question Formulation & Legal Responsibility Slides and Liability Breakdown Slides.

Slides Presentation that pairs with Question Formulation & Legal Responsibility Lesson Plan & Worksheet. This lesson helps students understand quality questioning as an essential skill and why questioning is important for mock trial or moot court to determine liability.

The Research Scavenger Hunt asks students to extend what they have learned about a current event by locating answers to a series of questions. This lesson plan outlines a process for completing a research scavenger hunt in one class period and identifies different types of questions a teacher may want to focus on in generating their own Research Scavenger Hunt handout. A completed Research Scavenger Hunt handout on Campaign Finance Reform demonstrates how someone might implement this activity in their classroom.

The SAC Graphic Organizer is composed of a series of questions for students to answer during their participation in a Structured Academic Controversy. Sections exist for listing relevant facts, identifying stakeholders and their corresponding concerns, arguments for and against a proposed plan of action, and a summary of the final decision (arrived at by consensus).

The SAC Handout is composed of a series of questions for students to answer during their participation in a Structured Academic Controversy. Sections exist for listing relevant facts, identifying stakeholders and their corresponding concerns, arguments for and against a proposed plan of action, and a summary of the final decision (arrived at by consensus).

This one-page document provides students with a framework to reflect on their participation in a classroom mock trial, focusing particularly on their teamwork (cooperation & attitude), preparation & focus, and individual performance.

This worksheet provides a list of scenarios for students to discuss and decide whether it should be considered a crime. Includes worksheet and reflection question.

Google Slides with Should It Be a Crime: Introduction to Criminal Law. This lesson plan explores behavior and the considerations behind what may or may not be a crime. In small groups, students are given scenarios and must determine which behaviors should be criminalized or not. Includes lesson plan and worksheets. These materials could be used for middle school but should be modified.

This lesson plan explores behavior and the considerations behind what may or may not be a crime. In small groups, students are given scenarios and must determine which behaviors should be criminalized or not. Includes lesson plan and worksheets. These materials could be used for middle school but should be modified.

Silent Debate approaches the traditional opposing-sides debate in a unique way by having each student assume a "pro" or "con" position on a question and debate a student on the other side of the issue through silent, written responses in a debate flowchart worksheet. Rather than discussing the issue out loud, students state their views—and responses to their classmate's perspective—in writing. Numerous modifications allow for different approaches to this activity based on student learning needs, the range of viewpoint diversity within a classroom, and other contextual factors.

Simplified Rules of Evidence provides an overview of what rules of evidence are, how they may be used in a mock trial, and definitions of the ten most frequently used objections (including examples).

The Socratic Seminar - Procedure outlines the steps a teacher would follow in supporting a Socratic discussion with their students. The lesson plan includes guidance for how to arrange the discussion space, guidelines for conversation, and ways to assess the conversation.

In State v. Goldilocks, students take on roles in the prosecution and defense (and jurors and journalists) of Goldilocks and consider the question of whether she committed crimes when she went into the Bear family. Teaching resources include instructions for implementing this mock trial in the classroom, templates for jury observation notes, and witness statements.

The Structured Academic Controversy strategy is one way to teach students how to build consensus and find common ground around controversial topics. Includes supplemental worksheet to walk studens through building consensus.

The Structured Academic Controversy strategy is one way to teach students how to build consensus and find common ground around controversial topics. Includes translated (Spanish) supplemental worksheet to walk studens through building consensus (ELL RESOURCE)

The goal of this project is to walk teachers through helping their students effectively engage in the Oregon Legislature's Short Session 2024. Using the OLIS system to track bills, students will learn how to make their voices heard in the legislative process. This process can help students develop a deeper understanding of civics, advocacy, and the impact of citizen engagement in policy making.

This town hall simulation gives elementary students the opportunity to learn an inquiry-based process tht teaches empath and collaboration, by taking on different roles.

In this Town Hall simulation, students assume a variety of roles and perspectives in relation to Measure 92, a 2014 ballot measure that would require genetically engineering food products to be labeled as such. During this town hall, most students (working in small teams) assume the role of a particular community member or organization, create testimony that articulates their particular viewpoint, present their views to a mock legislative committee, listen to other speakers' views, respond to questions from the (student-comprised) legislative committee, and debrief the process with the rest of the class. Town hall simulations provide many ways for teachers to modify the activity to meet their own students' needs, time constraints, and other contextual considerations.

The Trials Triad activity helps students as they prepare for a mock trial. Students break into triads and take turns presenting different sides of the case, questioning one another, and answering questions from a judge. Each round takes approximately 15–20 minutes, and students rotate through the roles of Plaintiff/Prosecution, Defense, and Judge.

This voting rights handout contains two separate timelines: one that tracks the legislative and Constitutional history of voting rights in the United States (1787–1990) and "Who Gets To Vote," which highlights key historical moments in the history of voting rights and enfranchisement.

This organizer allows students to take an inventory of potential strengths and weakenesses of each witness in an upcoming trial, issues that might arise in certain witnesses' testimony, and where to locate key information about each witness.

The Witness Profile Worksheet is a space for a witness to analyze their own potential strengths and weaknesses in an upcoming trial. They are asked to reflect on their motivation to testify, as well as the areas where their testimony will be strong and weak, characteristics of the role the student is portraying, and ways in which they do and do not relate to their character.

Writing & Delivering a Persusasive Speech offers a general set of structures for students to prepare and deliver a persuasive speech in front of an audience. Activities include a pre-writing cloze exercise, a process for collecting evidence, guidance for drafting and (peer) editing a speech, and preparing to deliver the speech.

Writing an Op-Ed introduces students to the elements of an opinion-editorial piece of writing and then guides them through the process of writing their own opinion-editorial piece.