Table of Contents and Site Overview

Section 1: About California Judicial Education for Youth Project

This section discusses the background and need for this site, as well as a resource section for teachers with tips for getting the most out of this site and how to use it in your lesson plans.

Section 2: Court System Overview

This overview of the Judicial Branch of Government was prepared with the California History-Social Science Content Standards in mind. It is intended to provide teachers with useful background information regarding the judicial branch that will support the lessons and activities contained in the Resource Guide.
Overview of lesson plans in this section

Section 3: Grade Three Law Related Lessons

This section includes lessons specifically targeted toward Grade Three that explain rules and laws focusing on the role of citizenship in the promotion of rules and laws, and the consequences for people violate rules and laws, and the importance of public virtue and the role of citizens as well as how we participate in civic life, with a discussion of American heroes who took risks to secure our freedoms, as examples of public virtue and participation in civic life.
Overview of lesson plans in this section

Section 4: Grade Four Law Related Lessons

This section contains three lessons specifically targeted at Grade Four that explore what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important, as well as the rights of citizens and defining the structure and purpose of governments from the federal to local levels. Also included is a simulation simplifying the trial experience in order to help students understand the essence of judicial decision-making.
Overview of lesson plans in this section

Section 5: Grade Five Law Related Lessons

This section describes the people and events associated with the development of the U.S. Constitution and analyzes the Constitution's significance as the foundation of the American Republic, as well as an exploration of citizen's rights under the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a complete listing of all the Chief Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Overview of lesson plans in this section

Section 6: Visiting the Courthouse

This section contains information for arranging and scheduling visits to courts, as well as additional lessons and resources designed to increase student understanding of the appropriate History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools. Lessons are designed to insure that students are studying concepts related to the standards, while insuring that visits and activities are not duplicated between grades.
Overview of lesson plans in this section

Lesson Plans and Content Overviews by Section

Section 2: Court System Overview contents

This overview to the Judicial Branch of Government was prepared with the California History-Social Science Content Standards in mind. It is intended to provide teachers with useful background information regarding the judicial branch that will support the lessons and activities contained in the Resource Guide. Topics include:

Judicial Branch Overview
Federal Courts
California Courts
An Illustrated Review of a Civil Court Case
Judges
Juries

Section 3: Grade Three Law Related Lessons

Rules and Responsibilites: An Alien Approach to Law
The purpose of this lesson is to explain rules and laws; the role of citizenship in the promotion of rules and laws; and the consequences for people who violate rules and laws.

The Ugly Ducklings: A Discussion of Human Rights
Discusses the importance of public virtue and the role of citizens, including how to participate in a classroom, the community, and in civic life; and describes the lives of American heroes who took risks to secure our freedoms as examples of public virtue and participation in civic life.

Exploring Citizenship
This Lesson plan continues the discussion of importance of public virtue and the role of citizens, including how to participate in a classroom, the community, and in civic life; and describes the lives of American heroes who took risks to secure our freedoms as examples of public virtue and participation in civic life.

Section 4: Grade Four Law Related Lessons

U.S. Constitution and the Three Branches
This lesson plan explores what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important. It explains that the Constitution not only details the rights of citizens, but also defines the structure and purpose of the U.S. government and describes the shared powers of federal, state and local governments.

Understanding Judicial Decision-Making
This lesson plan is a simulation that simplifies the trial experience to allow students to focus on the essence of Judicial decision-making.

Section 5: Grade Five Law Related Lessons

The First Amendment and the Supreme Court
This lesson plan describes the people and events associated with the development of the U.S. Constitution and analyzes the Constitution's significance as the foundation of the American Republic. It also explores citizen's rights under the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and lists all of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.

To Read or Not to Read: An Exploration of Citizenship
This is an animated, interactive comic exploring the concepts of Free Press in schools, censorship, and First Amendment rights. The download contains a Macromedia Flash projector file for both Mac and PC, with instructions on how to play the comic.

Section 6: Visiting the Courthouse

Courthouses provide a variety of educational activities that can enrich student understanding of civics, the judicial branch, the rule of law and legal professions. Visits can be tailored to increase student understanding of appropriate History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools. Activities for each grade level are suggested to insure that students are studying concepts related to the standards and that visit activities are not duplicated between grades. Topics include:

How to Set Up a Visit to a Courthouse
Take a Tour (Grade Three)
Interview a Judge (Grade Four)
Observe a Court Hearing (Grade Five)