Name: Skylee Robinson
Lesson: Introduction to Criminal Trials
Sources: Criminal Law: Original; Thomas Mauer, Trial Techniques, 6th ed.
Supplies: Student Handouts (notes on the lecture below); Intro to Criminal Trials
Powerpoint; Candy; Criminal Trials Quiz (below)
Time and Date: 50 Minutes (one class period)
I.
GOALS
a. Have a better understanding of the criminal justice process
b. Understand the different stages involved with a criminal trial
II.
OBJECTIVES
a. Knowledge Objectives: as a result of this lesson, students will be better able to:
i. Learn the stages of a criminal trial
ii. Learn the different roles of all the parties in a criminal trial
b. Skill Objectives: as a result of this lesson, students will be better able to:
i. Critically examine the criminal trial process
ii. Distinguish between the defense attorney and the prosecuting attorney
iii. Have a better understanding of the different steps involved in a criminal
trial.
c. Attitude Objectives: as a result of this lesson, students will be more likely to feel:
i. That they have a better understanding of the lengthy process involved with
a criminal trial
ii. Better prepared for their upcoming mock trials.
III.
CLASSROOM METHODS
a. Collect homework assignments from previous class.
b. Introduce topic in conjunction with its relevance to the mock trial final project
they will be doing at the end of the term.
c. Pass out the handout so the students can take “notes” during the lecture portion.
d. CRIMINAL TRIAL LECTURE (25 minutes): Teach the students about the
criminal trial process using the “Introduction to the Criminal Trial” Power Point
presentation (attached). Answer questions students may have about each of these
as they come up.
The 10 Stages of the Criminal Trial
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Jury Selection
Opening STATEMENTS
Presentation of the Prosecution Case
Presentation of the Defense Case
Closing ARGUMENT
Jury Instructions
Jury Deliberation
Verdict on Guilt
Sentencing Phase
Judgment and Sentence
e. Activity: CRIMINAL TRIAL QUIZ (20 minutes)
1.
The “quiz” includes questions about the lecture they just received.
Students will be encouraged to use the notes they just took in class. There are
some short-answer and true-false questions on a handout. The answers are all
discussed in the previous lecture.
2. Structure of Activity
a.
Split the room into teams (six teams of five, or ten teams of three).
b.
Hand out one quiz per team, face down.
d.
Have one member of the group write the answers.
e.
Give the teams 10 minutes to complete the questions, but there is a
prize to the first team to finish the quiz.
f.
After 10 minutes, collect all quizzes (one teacher should grade
them during the next portion)
g.
Review all the answers of the quiz.
i.
The team with the highest score will get a prize (highly
recommend king sized candy bars for the winners and smaller bit
sized candy for the rest of the class).
j.
The goal is that every team scored 100%!
IV.
ASSIGNMENT
Distribute the “Facts” section of the assigned Mock Trial problem (approximately two pages).
a.
Students are required to read the fact pattern.
b.
Students must write five “good” facts for the prosecution and five “good” facts
for the defense.
c.
The assignment is due at the beginning of the next class.
d.
The assignment is worth 10 points.
V.
EVALUATION
Students will be evaluated based on:
a.
Participation in the student exercise.
b.
Their completion of the mock trial homework assignment.
Name:
Introduction to the Criminal Trial
The 10 Parts of the Criminal Trial are:
1.
During this part:
2.
During this part:
3.
During this part:
4.
During this part:
5.
During this part:
6.
During this part:
7.
During this part:
8.
During this part:
9.
During this part:
10.
During this part:
CRIMINAL TRIAL QUIZ!
Group #
Members
1)
How many jurors are selected in a criminal trial?
2)
Do all jurors need to agree in order to find someone not guilty?
3)
True or false: The Defense presents its closing argument second.
4)
May the Prosecutor call the Defendant as a witness? Why or why not?
5)
What are the different types of challenges to potential jurors?
6)
True or false: The Defense counsel reads jury instructions to the jury.
7)
Who presents its opening statement first?
8)
During the Prosecution’s presentation of evidence, witnesses they call are
questioned during what type of examination?
8)
During the Defense’s presentation of evidence, witnesses they call are questioned
during what type of examination?
9)
True or false: The defendant has the burden of proving he is innocent.
10)
True or false: The defendant is presumed innocent through every stage of the trial.