Unit 7 Overview
Laws, Rights and Responsibilities: "America, Land of the Free"
CASAS Competency: 5. Government and Law
Time Frame: 11 days

Unit 7 Picture

Goals for this unit:

  1. Students will learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  2. Students will become familiar with the core values of American government starting with the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution including the Bill of Rights.
  3. Students will discuss the differences/similarities between laws and practices in the U.S. and those in their native countries.
  4. Students will understand the court process in the U.S.
  5. Students will visit an in-court session addressing civil or criminal offenses.

Suggested Activities:

Activity 1—Pre-test
Teacher-led discussion follows the completion of the test.

Materials needed:
◆ Pre-test “Laws, Rights and Responsibilities: ‘America, Land of the Free’”

Activity 2—Form small groups to discuss questions on hand out exploring human rights. Visit human rights Web site and interpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights document. Ask students to identify and list the “Top 5” universal human rights.

Materials needed:
◆ Worksheet “Exploring Human Rights”
◆ Computers with Internet access
Web site: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Activity 3—Introduce students to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S.
Constitution, including the Bill of Rights (make a hand out or students can visit the Library of Congress Web site). Read together and ask students to note the three natural rights of man. Discuss the differences/similarities between human rights and civil rights. Divide students into three groups and assign each group one specific right; ask them to prepare an oral presentation that explains specific actions that right includes.

Materials needed:
◆ Computers with Internet access
Web site: http://memory.loc.gov

Activity 4—Identify students’ personal legal rights through a discussion of the Miranda Rule.

Materials needed:
◆ Worksheet “Your Personal Rights”

Activity 5—Show a film or television program that illustrates the workings of our justice system. Write up a short list of questions regarding the specific areas of focus (depending on the video chosen) to discuss afterwards as a group (sample questions: (1) Which rights are being violated? Why? (2) How do the characters address these violations? (3) How is the Miranda Rule used? (4) How is the injustice resolved? (5) Is the case tried in a civil or criminal court?). Include a list of vocabulary words from the video. Give the questions to
the students before showing the video.

Materials needed:
◆ Video: To Kill a Mockingbird, A Time to Kill, A Civil Action, The Client, “Law and Order,” “Judge Judy” (teacher provides)
◆ Questionnaire handout (teacher generates)

Activity 6—Ask students to draw a diagram of how the legal system works in their own countries when someone commits a crime. Students present these to the rest of the class.

Materials needed:
◆ Classroom art supplies (teacher provides)

Activity 7—Visit an in-court session to see the legal system in process. Back in the classroom, discuss what the students witnessed. Make connections between local courtroom procedures and court cases in the video in Activity 5.

Activity 8—Practice judging cases that are often brought to court. Discuss the reasons for the students’ decisions.

Materials needed:
◆ Worksheet “Order in the Court”

Activity 9—Post-test

Materials needed:
◆ Post-test “Share What You’ve Learned”

Connected Activities:

GUEST SPEAKER
Judge or courtroom clerk
Lawyer

FIELD TRIP
Tour local police station
Visit local courtroom

Supplemental Resources:

English, No Problem 4, Unit 6, pp. 80-90
Stand Out 4, Unit 8, pp. 145-146
Access Reading 4, Unit 7, pp. 81-84

Summary:

CASAS COMPETENCIES

5. Government and Law
5.2 Understand historical and geographical information
5.3 Understand... legal rights, responsibilities and procedures
5.5 Understand governmental activities

VOCABULARY

Documents Legal terms used in the context of civics topics
Terms Legal terms and phrases used in documents, courts, and processes
Concepts Words assigned to governmental concepts (i.e., laws, judicial, legislative, revenue, etc.)

SKILLS

Listening Dialogue in video; court room processes
Speaking Discussion (small groups)
Reading Historical documents
Writing Lists of rights
Life Skills Analyzing and understanding the human and civic rights; understanding and using legal and civil resources; having a working knowledge of the American legal system

GRAMMAR

Syntax Logical word order of sentences using legal terms and phrases

ENTERTAINMENT

Using local resources and information, students develop an awareness of social and cultural activities. Teacher and students work together to incorporate this in the course of study.

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

  1. Pre-test (needs assessment)
  2. The Miranda Rule worksheet
  3. Video questionnaire
  4. Order in the Court worksheet
  5. Post-test

Activity Sheets: