Deliberating in Democracy lesson which gets students to deliberate the question-Should violent juvenile offenders be punished as adults?
Civics Lessons
Grade Level: Grades 9-12
Juvenile Justice
The Exchange: When Should Increased Security Measures Outweigh Your Privacy Rights in School?
This activity encourages students to deliberate on the issue of balancing privacy and security.
In the Matter of Shelby Withers vs. Clearwater School District
Case developed for the 2003 Michigan High School Mock Trial Tournament
Civil Case-student whose disability may have manifested itself in the form of behavior that is arguably dangerous to others
The Exchange: Should Students’ Cyber Speech Be Protected Under the First Amendment?
This lesson encourages students to deliberate on the issue of cyber speech and the First Amendment. Through the use of court cases and school policy, students will be able to define student expression rights and then evaluate the necessity and constitutionality of censoring and reprimanding students’ online social networking behavior.
Cyberbullying
Deliberating in Democracy Lesson which gets students to deliberate whether schools should punish students for off campus cyber bullying
The Redistricting Game
The Redistricting Game provides a basic introduction to the redistricting system, allows players to explore the ways in which abuses can undermine the system, and provides information about reform initiatives – including a playable version of the Tanner Reform bill to demonstrate the ways that the system might be made more consistent with tenets of good governance. Beyond playing the game, the web site provides a wealth of information about redistricting in every state as well as providing hands-on opportunities for civic engagement and political action.
People vs. Brunetti
Case developed for the 2002 Michigan High School Mock Trial Tournament
Criminal Case-Murder
The Michigan Supreme Court
This unit includes ten lessons including a history of the Michigan Supreme Court, Procedures of the Court, and Civil Rights and the Michigan Supreme Court.
Texas v Johnson: Is There a Constitutional Right to Burn the American Flag?
This lesson explores Texas v. Johnson, the 1989 Supreme Court decision on flag burning. First, students read about and discuss Texas v. Johnson. Then in small groups, students role play aides to a U.S. senator on the Judiciary Committee. The committee is considering a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning flag burning, and the aides must make a recommendation on whether the
senator should support or oppose the proposed amendment.
People v Sam Seaside
Case developed for the 2014 Michigan High School Mock Trial Tournament: Criminal Case
After interviewing the witnesses and conducting extensive forensic analysis, police arrested and charged Sam Seaside for the murder of Nicki Shore.