Part of Lesson Plan: Making Decisions By Group: The Jury System

Activity Overview / Details

First, the teacher will explain that the primary objectives of this lesson are to work cooperatively within a group, communicate their ideas clearly, and summarize their experience in writing.

Next, explain that students will determine a verdict of guilt or innocence based on the evidence presented.

Next, the teacher will define jury, judge, unanimous, verdict, guilty, innocent, reasonable doubt, evidence, and deliberation.  The teacher will also discuss the purpose of Sixth and Seventh Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. During this time the teacher will display the "     Vocabulary   " (PDF) words on the screen using an LCD projector and ask the students to take notes.

Next, the teacher will distribute copies of “ Deciding by Group: You Are the Jury ” (PDF) Student Reproducible 1.

Next, ask students to work individually by reading Part 1 and answering the questions in Part 2 without discussing the case with any other classmates.

Next, students will watch the "Stabbing" clip from "The Outsiders".

Finally, ask the students: Do you think the person with the knife was guilty or innocent? Ask student to raise their hands for “guilty” or “innocent”.