University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Primary Objective: Provide students with a basic understanding of psychology within the
context of a fun mock trial game.
Overview:
This activity provides students with a very basic understanding of psychology and how mental
processes influence and are influenced by behavior. This is achieved largely within the context
of a mock trial game that requires students to act out and interpret others’ behaviors. Students are
presented with a crime scenario in which they are assigned a character and are required to
interact with other characters in small groups. Each group contains several characters, including
investigators and a perpetrator. Later, students attempt to identify the characters in their groups,
with special emphasis being placed on identifying the perpetrators of the crime. The primary
emphasis for this activity is for students to have fun and learn a little about psychology.
However, teachers can easily incorporate more detail on the study of psychology into this
activity.
Grade Level(s): 6-8
Group Size: This can be done with an entire
class; students will work in groups of 5.
Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge
None. This activity assumes that students have little or no prior knowledge of psychology.
Time Frame: 1.5 hours for each scenario
Part 1: 45 mins.
Part 2: 45 mins.
Enduring Understandings:)
Students will develop a basic understanding of how cognition and emotion influence, and are
influenced by, behavior. Students will also develop a basic understanding of the complexity of
human behavior.
Relevant Skills:
Students will be able to more critically analyze their own and other behaviors with reference to
the mental processes that underlay them.
Relevant Vocabulary:
- Psychology: The science that studies behavior and how mental processes (i.e., cognition,
emotion) influence and are influenced by behavior.
- Cognition: All mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and
communicating.
- Emotion: A response of the whole organism, involving (1) physiological arousal, (2)
expressive behaviors, and (3) conscious experience.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Wyoming Science Standards and Benchmarks:
SC8.1.5 Behavior and Adaptation: Students recognize behavior as a response of an
SC8.2.1
SC8.2.2
SC8.2.3
SC8.2.4
SC8.3.2
organism to an internal or environmental stimulus and connect the
characteristics and behaviors of an organism to biological adaptation.
Students research scientific information and present findings through appropriate
means.
Students use inquiry to conduct scientific investigations.
 Ask questions that lead to conducting an investigation.
 Collect, organize, and analyze and appropriately represent data.
 Draw conclusions based on evidence and make connections to applied
scientific concepts.
 Clearly and accurately communicate the result of the investigations.
Students clearly and accurately communicate the result of their own work, as well
as information obtained from other sources.
Students recognize the relationship between science and technology in meeting
human needs.
Students explore how scientific information is used to make decisions.
 The role of science in solving personal, local, and national problems.
 Interdisciplinary connections of the sciences and connections to other
subject areas and careers in science or technical fields.
 Origins and conservation of natural resources, including Wyoming
examples.
Part 1: Introduction and Group Interaction (45 mins.)
Materials/Preparation:
1. Wildfire scenario instructions and character descriptions (Appendix A)
2. Fireworks scenario instructions and character descriptions (Appendix B)
3. Board games (any will work, but the game should involve frequent player interactions)
Location/Environment: Classroom
Background Information for the teacher:
Included in this packet are two scenarios (Wildfire Scenario and Fireworks Scenario). Teachers
can use both scenarios in two separate activities or one scenario in a single activity. The
instructions provided below are general and can be used for both scenarios.
Lesson Plan/Narrative:
1. Introduce the study of psychology (see definition above). Emphasize that psychology
studies how mental processes systematically and predictably influence and are influenced
by behavior.
a. Note the predictability of behavior mental processes using several examples.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
i. Example: “If you observe someone hit their friend, what emotion do you
think the person is feeling? Conversely, if you know that someone is very
mad at their friend, what types of behavior would you expect to observe”
ii. Example: “If you know that your friend is hungry and that they think there
is food in the refrigerator, what type of behavior would you expect to
observe? Conversely, if you observe someone walking to the refrigerator,
what do you think is going on in their mind?”
b. Note that each of us engages in some form of informal psychology every day. We
often interpret others behaviors based on what we think they are thinking.
Divide students into groups with five members each.
Introduce the game.
a. Students are told that they will be characters in a crime and will have to act out
their characters. They can act out their character in any way that they like, but it is
helpful to think about what their character may be thinking and feeling (e.g., the
perpetrator may be feeling guilty, and may think that others will find out that
he/she committed the crime).
b. Students are told that they should also observe the other members of their group,
because they will have to try and identify their characters later.
c. Read crime scenario to students (see ‘Facts’ section on scenario instructions
form).
d. Give students their character assignments. Each group should have a perpetrator,
two investigators, and one of each of the other characters (e.g., an innocent
camper and an angry local rancher in the wildfire scenario). Tell students what
characters are in each group (see ‘People in Your Group’ section on instructions
form. Character descriptions and instructions are provided on the character
descriptions form. TIP: Have character descriptions printed and placed in
individual envelopes to distribute to each student once they are put in groups.
e. Important: Tell students that they are not to discuss their character or the crime
with any other students. They are to act out their character with no explicit
reference to the crime.
f. Tell students that they will be acting out their character within the context of a
board game. Students are to play the game like they think their character would.
Inform students that in the second part of this activity they will have to try and identify
the perpetrator in their group during a mock trial.
Note that to be good at this game, students have to be good psychologists. They will have
produce behavior that is consistent with their character and will also have to critically
observe others behaviors to identify their character.
Distribute board games and allow students to play. Remind students that they are not to
just play the board game, but to play like their character and observe others in their
group.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Part 2: Mock Trial (45 mins.)
Materials/Preparation:
1. Judge wig and gavel (optional)
2. Arrange classroom like a courtroom with spaces for the judge, witnesses, and the “jury.”
(To keep the entire class involved, students in other groups serve as the jury.)
Location/Environment: Classroom
Lesson Plan/Narrative:
1. The teacher is to be the judge. As judge, it is the teacher’s job to ask the witnesses
questions, to facilitate discussion, and to control the court.
2. Inform students that they will be the jury and that they will have to vote on who they
think the perpetrator is in each group.
3. For each group, have both investigators come up as witnesses for questioning. The judge
can ask several questions to the investigator witnesses, and investigators may or may not
differ in their assessments. However, the judge should ask the witnesses to tell the jury:
a. Who was in their group
b. What behaviors they observed from each of the members of their group
c. What they believe these behaviors indicate about each members character
d. Who they think is the perpetrator in their group
4. Allow the jury (or class) to vote on who they think the perpetrator is based on the
investigators’ assessments.
5. Have students identify their characters to see if the investigators and the jury are correct.
6. Repeat this process for each group.
TIP: A Mock Trial is the most engaging and entertaining with a lively and funny judge. While it
is important to maintain control of the class, this part of the activity has lots of room for silliness
and laughter too.
Lesson Wrap-up:
After the trial, discuss how this activity relates to psychology. In most cases, students are quite
bad at identifying the perpetrators and other characters in their group. Often, they will be
surprised by who is actually the perpetrator. This can be explained by noting how complex
human behavior is. Several things could be going through the mind of the perpetrator. For
example, some perpetrators may feel guilty, some may be afraid of getting caught, and others
may act in different ways. Additionally, cognition and emotion often interact in ways that
produce seemingly ambiguous behavior. For example, one might predict that someone who is
angry (an emotion) may hit or yell at another person. However, if this emotion, anger in this
example, is coupled with knowledge (an aspect of cognition) that the other person is having a
bad day, the individual may be less likely to produce the expected behavior (yelling or hitting in
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
this example). Given this complexity, the study of behavior and mental processes is often quite
difficult, as likely evidenced in this activity.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Wildfire Scenerio Mock Trial
Facts: On August 11th 2009 at approximately 3:00 am, a local rancher awoke and saw that a
portion of his pasture was on fire. After causing a great amount of damage to the rancher’s land,
the fire was extinguished. Authorities discovered that the fire started on public land and spread
into the rancher’s land. This public land is often used for camping and other outdoor activities
and authorities believe that campers may be responsible for the fire.
Authorities found out that two groups with five people each were camping in the public land on
the night in question. Either group of campers could be responsible for the fire.
Issues: Which group of campers caused the fire? Who among you is part of the group of
campers who started the fire?
People in your groups: There are four types of people in your group (you are one of these
types).
1. Perpetrators: These are the campers that started the fire
2. Innocent campers: These are the campers who did not start the fire
3. Local ranchers: These are local ranchers who are angry about the fire
4. Investigators (2 people): These are people who are trying to figure out who started the
fire
Mock Trial: Each of the investigators will present their observations of the behavior of the
individuals in their group, followed by their conclusion about who is the perpetrator. The jury
(audience) will decide whether or not they think the investigators are correct.
Remember! You are trying to figure out who the perpetrators are by assessing their
behavior.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Perpetrator of the fire
Facts: On August 11th 2009 at approximately 3:00 am, a local rancher awoke and saw that a
portion of his pasture was on fire. After causing a great amount of damage to the rancher’s land,
the fire was extinguished. Authorities discovered that the fire started on public land and spread
into the rancher’s land. This public land is often used for camping and other outdoor activities
and authorities believe that campers may be responsible for the fire.
Authorities found out that two groups with five people each were camping in the public land on
the night in question. Either group of campers could be responsible for the fire.
Your Character: You were camping with the group that started the fire and are responsible for
the fire. You do not want people to know that you started the fire.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who started the fire.
Remember, you are acting like someone who started a fire. But, don’t make it obvious that you
started the fire.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fire. Act out your character
through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Innocent Camper
Facts: On August 11th 2009 at approximately 3:00 am, a local rancher awoke and saw that a
portion of his pasture was on fire. After causing a great amount of damage to the rancher’s land,
the fire was extinguished. Authorities discovered that the fire started on public land and spread
into the rancher’s land. This public land is often used for camping and other outdoor activities
and authorities believe that campers may be responsible for the fire.
Authorities found out that two groups with five people each were camping in the public land on
the night in question. Either group of campers could be responsible for the fire.
Your Character: You were camping with the group that did not start the fire. Although you are
innocent, you were camping nearby that night and do not want others to think that you started the
fire.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who started the fire. One person in your group is one of the campers who did
start the fire.
Remember, you are acting like someone who is innocent and doesn’t want people to think they
started the fire.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fire. Act out your character
through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Angry Local Rancher
Facts: On August 11th 2009 at approximately 3:00 am, a local rancher awoke and saw that a
portion of his pasture was on fire. After causing a great amount of damage to the rancher’s land,
the fire was extinguished. Authorities discovered that the fire started on public land and spread
into the rancher’s land. This public land is often used for camping and other outdoor activities
and authorities believe that campers may be responsible for the fire.
Authorities found out that two groups with five people each were camping in the public land on
the night in question. Either group of campers could be responsible for the fire.
Your Character: You are an angry local rancher. You are angry about the fire and are
concerned that other campers may damage your land.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who started the fire. One person in your group is one of the campers who
started the fire.
Remember, you are acting like someone who is angry about the fire and is concerned about other
campers damaging your land.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fire. Act out your character
through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Investigator
Facts: On August 11th 2009 at approximately 3:00 am, a local rancher awoke and saw that a
portion of his pasture was on fire. After causing a great amount of damage to the rancher’s land,
the fire was extinguished. Authorities discovered that the fire started on public land and spread
into the rancher’s land. This public land is often used for camping and other outdoor activities
and authorities believe that campers may be responsible for the fire.
Authorities found out that two groups with five people each were camping in the public land on
the night in question. Either group of campers could be responsible for the fire.
Your Character: You are a criminal investigator. Your job is to try and figure out who in your
group started the fire.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. One person in your group is one of
the campers who started the fire.
You have to try and figure out which person in your group started the fire by observing their
behavior. No one, not even you, is allowed to talk or ask questions about characters or the fire.
So, you have to critically observe others behavior and determine who you think started the fire.
Take careful observations, because later tonight you will have to tell everyone who you think
started the fire and why they, and not the other people in your group, are the perpetrator.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fire. Act out your character
through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Appendix B
Fireworks Scenario
Facts: On the 4th of July 2009, authorities were notified that campers were illegally setting of
fireworks in a nearby national park. When authorities arrived at the campground, they found
several spent firework casings, indicating that someone was indeed setting off fireworks.
However, authorities could not find the individuals who had been setting off the fireworks.
There were three groups of campers in the campground that evening. One of these groups is
suspected to be the perpetrators.
Issues: Which group of campers was setting off the fireworks? Who among you is part of the
group of campers who set off the fireworks?
People in your groups: There are four types of people in your group (you are one of these
types).
1. Perpetrators: These are the campers that set off the fireworks
2. Innocent campers: These are the campers who did not set off the fireworks
3. Campers who called the authorities: These are the campers who called the authorities in
the first place to report the fireworks
4. Investigators (2 people): These are people who are trying to figure out who was setting
off the fireworks.
Mock Trial: Each of the investigators will present their observations of the behavior of the
individuals in their group, followed by their conclusion about who is the perpetrator. The jury
(audience) will decide whether or not they think the investigators are correct.
Remember! You are trying to figure out who the perpetrators are by assessing their
behavior.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Perpetrator
Facts: On the 4th of July 2009, authorities were notified that campers were illegally setting of
fireworks in a nearby national park. When authorities arrived at the campground, they found
several spent firework casings, indicating that someone was indeed setting off fireworks.
However, authorities could not find the individuals who had been setting off the fireworks.
There were three groups of campers in the campground that evening. One of these groups is
suspected to be the perpetrators.
Your Character: You were camping with the group that was setting off the fireworks. You do
not want people to know that you were setting off fireworks.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who was setting off fireworks.
Remember, you are acting like someone who is guilty. But, don’t make it obvious that you were
part of the group who was setting off fireworks.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fireworks. Act out your
character through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Innocent Camper
Facts: On the 4th of July 2009, authorities were notified that campers were illegally setting of
fireworks in a nearby national park. When authorities arrived at the campground, they found
several spent firework casings, indicating that someone was indeed setting off fireworks.
However, authorities could not find the individuals who had been setting off the fireworks.
There were three groups of campers in the campground that evening. One of these groups is
suspected to be the perpetrators.
Your Character: You were camping with the group that did not set off fireworks. Although you
are innocent, you were camping in the same campground that night and do not want others to
think that you were setting off fireworks.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who was setting off fireworks. One person in your group is one of the
campers who did set off fireworks.
Remember, you are acting like someone who is innocent and doesn’t want people to think they
were setting off fireworks.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fireworks. Act out your
character through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Camper who called the authorities
Facts: On the 4th of July 2009, authorities were notified that campers were illegally setting of
fireworks in a nearby national park. When authorities arrived at the campground, they found
several spent firework casings, indicating that someone was indeed setting off fireworks.
However, authorities could not find the individuals who had been setting off the fireworks.
There were three groups of campers in the campground that evening. One of these groups is
suspected to be the perpetrators.
Your Character: You are one of the campers who called the authorities to tell them about the
fireworks. You are angry about the fireworks and don’t want others to ruin the rest of your
vacation by setting off more fireworks.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. Importantly, some people will be
trying to figure out who was setting off the fireworks. One person in your group is one of the
campers who was setting off the fireworks.
Remember, you are acting like someone who is angry about the fireworks and is concerned about
other campers setting off more fireworks.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fireworks. Act out your
character through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.
University of Wyoming
Science Posse
June, 2010
Science ALIVE! Mythbusters
PSYCHOLOGY MOCK TRIALS
Ethan A. McMahan
Character: Investigator
Facts: On the 4th of July 2009, authorities were notified that campers were illegally setting of
fireworks in a nearby national park. When authorities arrived at the campground, they found
several spent firework casings, indicating that someone was indeed setting off fireworks.
However, authorities could not find the individuals who had been setting off the fireworks.
There were three groups of campers in the campground that evening. One of these groups is
suspected to be the perpetrators.
Your Character: You are a criminal investigator. Your job is to try and figure out who in your
group was setting off fireworks.
Your Group: In your group are several other characters. You will be interacting with these
characters, but nobody knows for sure who each character is. One person in your group is one of
the campers who was setting off fireworks.
You have to try and figure out which person in your group was setting off fireworks by
observing their behavior. No one, not even you, is allowed to talk about characters or the
fireworks. So, you have to critically observe others behavior and determine who you think the
perpetrator is.
Take careful observations, because later tonight you will have to tell everyone who you thing
was setting off fireworks and why they, and not the other people in your group, are the
perpetrator.
The one and only rule: You can’t talk about your character or the fireworks. Act out your
character through your behaviors, actions, and emotions.
This lesson plan was developed with support from
the National Science Foundation (G-K12 Project # 0841298) and
the University of Wyoming.