Rights of the Accused simulation lesson planGoals and objectivesStudents will be able to:
Describe issues that arise from the guarantee of a speedy and public trial, and determine what constitutes a fair trial by jury. Explain how the right to a grand jury and the guarantee against double jeopardy help to ensure the rights of the accused. Understand the importance of a person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the American judicial system. |
California state content standards
12.1.6 Understand that the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the federal government and state governments.
12.2.1 Discuss the meaning and importance of each of the rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights and how each is secured (e.g., freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, privacy)
12.5.4. Explain the controversies that have resulted over changing interpretations of civil rights, including those in Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Adarand Constructors, Inc. v.Pena, and United States v. Virginia (VMI).
12.2.1 Discuss the meaning and importance of each of the rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights and how each is secured (e.g., freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, privacy)
12.5.4. Explain the controversies that have resulted over changing interpretations of civil rights, including those in Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Miranda v. Arizona, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Adarand Constructors, Inc. v.Pena, and United States v. Virginia (VMI).
Common core literacy standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
driving historical questions
What is the significance of the rights guaranteed to people accused of a crime?
Why is it necessary for the American judicial system to presume a person is innocent until proven guilty?
Why is it necessary for the American judicial system to presume a person is innocent until proven guilty?
Lesson introduction
Have the term “Miranda Rights” written on the board. Ask students to take a few minutes to think about when they have heard the Miranda rights, perhaps in a movie or tv show. Tell students to turn to someone next to them and take turns reciting what they remember from these rights that are told to someone upon their arrest. Ask if any students were able to recite the whole thing by memory and if they can share with the rest of the class. Explain that these words are one example of the rights that people have when they are accused of a crime.
Vocabulary
Writ of habeas corpus
Bill of attainder
Grand jury
Indictment
Double jeopardy
Bench trial
Miranda Rule
Bill of attainder
Grand jury
Indictment
Double jeopardy
Bench trial
Miranda Rule
content delivery
The teacher will handout summaries of four Supreme Court cases that deal with rights of the accused. The rights that will be discussed in this lesson are:
1. The right to a speedy and public trial with an impartial jury 2. Right to a trial by jury 3. Right to an adequate defense 4. Right against self-incrimination Students will be divided into groups of five and read the summaries and rulings of Supreme Court cases (Sheppard v. Maxwell, Duncan v. Louisiana, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Miranda v. Arizona). For each case, students will work with their groups to answer “The Essential Questions” worksheet. After each group has read the Supreme Court case summaries and answered the questions on the worksheet for each case, the teacher will lead a whole class discussion for students to understand why these rights are important and how they are guaranteed by the Constitution. For the simulation activity, the teacher will introduce the following quote: “It is better that ten guilty persons go free than that one innocent person be punished.” Students are already in groups of five so there will be a total of six groups. Tell students that they will write a script for a skit they will perform based on this quote. Assign three of the six groups to act out a skit in which the students play a role of an individual who is wrongly convicted of a crime. The other three groups will create their skit about the consequences of guilty persons going free as a result of constitutional protections of the rights of the accused. |
student engagement
Students will work in groups to read summaries of four Supreme Court cases (Sheppard v. Maxwell, Duncan v. Louisiana, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Miranda v. Arizona). For each case, students will answer the questions presented on “The Essential Questions” worksheet and then discuss the significance of each Court ruling. The rights that will be discussed in these court cases are the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by jury, adequate defense, and right against self-incrimination.
Students will work in their groups to write and perform a skit that portrays either the cost or the benefit to society in pursuing the principle expressed by the quote. Students will follow the directions for this simulation and each student in the group will have a role: Judge, jury, plaintiff, defendant, and defense attorney.
The groups will take turn performing their skits for the class, and the rest of the class will respond to them.
Students will work in their groups to write and perform a skit that portrays either the cost or the benefit to society in pursuing the principle expressed by the quote. Students will follow the directions for this simulation and each student in the group will have a role: Judge, jury, plaintiff, defendant, and defense attorney.
The groups will take turn performing their skits for the class, and the rest of the class will respond to them.
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lesson closure
After each group has performed their skit, remind students that the rights of the accused stem from the idea that the accused are innocent until proven guilty. Ask students to suppose that this was no longer the case for the American judicial system and ask them to write a short story about what would happen to a person arrested for a crime now that they do not have the benefit of these rights.
assessments
Summative: The group will write and act out a skit in response to the quote “It is better that ten guilty persons go free than that one innocent person be punished.” Their performance will demonstrate their understanding of the rights guaranteed to people accused of a crime that have read about and discussed in class. The teacher will use this assessment to determine how well students worked together to analyze the Supreme Court case summaries and evaluate their performance.
accommodations for English learners, striving readers, and students with special needs
Students will be presented with the key vocabulary words for this lesson prior to the group activities. The vocabulary words will help the students to analyze the Supreme Court cases and will also provide a detailed description of the four rights discussed in this lesson (speedy and public trial, trial by jury, adequate defense, and self-incrimination).
The student groups will be carefully chosen so that there are students of various skill levels in each group. Heterogeneous groups will encourage collaboration and peer teaching during the Supreme Court case analysis and group skit.
The student groups will be carefully chosen so that there are students of various skill levels in each group. Heterogeneous groups will encourage collaboration and peer teaching during the Supreme Court case analysis and group skit.
resources
The Essential Questions Worksheet
simulation_lesson_worksheet.pdf | |
File Size: | 67 kb |
File Type: |
Directions for Group Skit
rights_of_the_accused_skit.pdf | |
File Size: | 45 kb |
File Type: |