EGP 335: Unit Plan Lesson Plan

Author: Allie Broomall

Unit: US Government
Lesson: Judicial Branch: Make Your Case Courtroom Simulation

Lesson Preparation
I. Learning Objectives
a. Students will be able to identify the Judicial Branch of Government and its
function.
b. Students will be able to engage in collaboration during a courtroom trial
simulation with the use of technology.
c. Students will be able to apply knowledge of court room procedures to a virtual
courtroom simulation.
II. Standards
a. Social Studies
i. Standard - 5.1.3.C - Define the principles and ideals shaping local
government.
1. Liberty / Freedom
2. Democracy
3. Justice
4. Equality
ii. Standard - 5.3.3.C
1. Identify services performed by the local governments
iii. Standard - 5.3.6.F
1. Explain how courts resolve conflicts
i. NCSS Theme: X Civic Ideals & Practices programs should include
experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and
practices of citizenship in a democratic republic, so that the learner can:
2. Identify key ideals of the United States democratic republican
form of government, such as individual human dignity, liberty,
justice, equality, and the rule of law, and discuss their application
in specific situations;
ii. NCSS Theme: VI Power, Authority, & Governance programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and
change structures of power, authority, and governance, so that the
learner can:
3. Recognize and give examples of the tensions between the wants
and needs of individuals and groups, and concepts such as fairness,
equity and justice.
III. Academic Language
a. The defendant in a case is an individual, company, or institution accused in a
court of law.
b. The plaintiff in a case is an individual, company, or institution who brings a case
against another in a court of law.
c. A jury is a group of people who decide the verdict of a court case. There are grand
juries, criminal petit juries, and civil juries.
d. An objection can be made by either side in a court case. It is the action of
challenging or disagreeing with something within the case.

IV. Technology, Materials, Resources

a. SMARTBoard
b. Virtual courtroom trial simulation for Make Your Case game
http://www.scholastic.com/americanjustice/makeyourcase/
c. Make Your Case answer key
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/americanjustice/pdfs/abota_answer_key.
pdf
d. Student journals for note taking and reflection

Instructional Delivery
V. Anticipatory Set
a. On the final day of instruction on the Judicial Branch, students will be
participating in a full class virtual simulation of a courtroom trial.
http://www.scholastic.com/americanjustice/makeyourcase/
b. To engage students, the teacher will ask each student to take out their journals and
write down two things they remember from the previous two class days (the
previous two class days have focused on the Judicial Branch).
c. After about three minutes, the teacher will have students turn to a partner and do a
think-pair-share on the information they just wrote down in their journals.
d. The teacher will then ask for three volunteers to share what they wrote about the
Judicial Branch to the class.

VI. Instructional Activities

a. To begin, the teacher will remind the students of the information they have
learned the previous two days to review content.
i. Todays lesson involves a virtual courtroom simulation. Students were
exposed to a local courtroom the first day on a field trip. The field trip
provided students with essential information about the process and
characteristics of a court room, which will aid them in todays lesson.
b. The teacher will then inform the students about the simulation they will be taking
part in as a full class.
i. This simulation focuses on a court case with two sides: a plaintiff
(bicyclist) and a defendant (driver). The language used within the
simulation will allow students to learn various elements involved in the
process of a trial. Students will be split into teams and will work together
 for their side. The teacher will work the controls of the game, as the
students collaborate with one another to provide the answers. The teacher
will provide support if students seem to be struggling with concepts.
ii. The virtual simulation provides a full case: Winters vs. Ramirez with a
case file, a judge, a jury, evidence, and witnesses.
c. Students will be split into two teams: One team is the Defendant; one team is the
Plaintiff. The defendant team will sit on one side of the room, while the plaintiff
team sits on the other side.
d. The teacher will instruct each student to have their journal out to record notes and
important information that comes up within the simulation.
e. The opening statements will help students understand their task as members of the
defense and plaintiff teams.
f. The teacher will begin the simulation. The class with sit and listen to the opening
statements from the judge, plaintiff, and defendant.
g. Throughout the simulation, opportunities occur for students to choose questions to
ask the opposing side. As the trial proceeds, students will continue to receive
points for making good decisions on behalf of their client.
i. During these times, students will be given time to collaborate to decide on
which question to ask the opposing side.
h. The teacher and students complete the simulation together. This simulation
implements the skills of:
i. Interpersonal communication, Observe, Listen, Discuss, Watch, Pretend,

VII. Closure
a. Once the simulation has been completed, the teacher will ask the students to
return to their seats.
b. With the use of their journals, students will be instructed to reflect on the
simulation by writing about the arguments that were presented from the defendant
and the plaintiff. Students will also be asked to write about the jurys final
decision on the case.
c. The teacher will review the case with the class in order to check for understanding,
and provide clarification.

Meeting All Learners

VIII. Differentiation
a. Multiple intelligences will be met throughout this lesson:
i. The use of a virtual simulation meets the needs of visual-spatial learners,
as well as auditory learners.
ii. The use of two teams requires collaboration among students, meeting the
needs of interpersonal learners.
IX. Accommodations
a. Student who has an IEP/504 will be paired with a note taker who will aid the
student as they take work through the simulation to write down key elements of
the trial.
 b. Student with an IEP/504 stating they need accommodations with written
assignments will be asked to verbally explain what occurred within the courtroom
simulation, rather than writing these responses in their journal.
X. Modifications
a. Student with an IEP/504 stating they need modifications to writing assignments
will be given the task to choose one side to write about: either plaintiff or
defendant, rather than writing about both sides of the case.

Meeting Objectives
XI. Assessments
a. The student collaboration and answers throughout the simulation will be used as a
formative assessment to check for student understanding (objective a, b, c).
b. The writing in students journals will serve as a formative assessments and will
allow the teacher to check for understanding of the simulation (objective b and c).