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    TAP Impact

    Purpose and Types of Assessment

    Pre-assessment regards what students know about a particular topic before the class

    covers that topic. While it always takes place before a unit or lesson, pre-assessment can take a

    variety of forms. The teacher could simply test a students prior knowledge with a quiz, or the

    teacher might glean what students know by listening to their contributions in a small group or

    whole class discussion. However the teacher conducts pre-assessment, it is fundamental that the

    teacher examines students prior knowledge and uses it to guide teaching for the unit. While

    trends present throughout the entire unit plan (he or she could tweak the unit to address studentsweaknesses or points of strong student interest), the teacher can also use individual pre-

    assessments to differentiate instruction and help students in their individual strengths and

    weaknesses by speeding up, slowing down, and generally enhancing instruction.

    Throughout the instruction, the teacher should constantly conduct formative assessment.

    Much of this assessment does not come with any paperwork, but simply consists of the teacher

    conducting checks throughout the lesson to make sure students are paying attention and

    understanding the content. This qualifies as informal assessment. With it, the teacher can

    incorporate questions which require various levels of thought into lectures, allowing wait time so

    that students will actually contemplate the content. Teachers can also check for nonverbal

    formative assessment by seeing if students are on-task and paying attention. A teacher may use

    these quick checks to regain and refocus student attention during instruction. Formative

    assessment also demonstrates what topics or areas a teacher might have to review to reinforce

    student understanding before a summative assessment. For example, a teacher can take a ticket-

    out-the-door or a quick write, which ask questions or provide prompts requiring student

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    reflection on the lesson. The teacher then reads student responses to gain an understanding of

    how the students are thinking about the lesson.

    The most obvious forms of assessment are summative assessments. These take place at

    the end of a group of lessons or unit and exist to check, in some quantitative way, how much a

    student has learned and thought about the lessons or unit. This type of assessment can take many

    forms quizzes, tests, projects, papers, etc. and it forces students to review instruction. These

    assessments also provide feedback for the teacher as to the effectiveness of his or her lessons. If

    many students do poorly on a test, or if most students miss certain questions, the teacher must

    revisit the lesson plans to be sure they are effectively conveying the necessary information.Depending on the scope of the assessment, the teacher can use it, to varying extents, to reinforce

    what students may still struggle to understand. Barring final exams, all other tests and projects

    take place at a time after which the teacher can still review the content and incorporate it into

    future, related lessons and units. A teacher can also evaluate student performance on different

    types of summative assessment. If student performance does not match up with student

    knowledge and ability, the teacher might want to consider differentiating assessment type to help

    all students achieve and be encouraged in their scholastic pursuits. Hence, regardless of what the

    assessment may be, the teacher must always respond to it and use it to impact the focus and

    direction of future instruction.

    Unit Description

    This unit covers the criminal and civil trial system. It deals with the history and purposes

    of law, as well as how law plays out in court proceedings for adults and juveniles. The first

    lesson explored ancient law codes and Enlightenment philosophy and how they have impacted

    the development of the American law code. Once students have this foundation in ancient law

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    codes, they discovered the purpose of law and what qualifies a good law in the second lesson. In

    the third lesson, students studied the different types of law criminal, civil, constitutional,

    administrative, etc. Each type of law appears in court trials, which were explored further in the

    second half of the unit. In the fourth lesson, students reviewed the ways in which the Bill of

    Rights and precedents set forward by the Supreme Court protect persons accused of crimes from

    being treated wrongfully in the court system. The fifth lesson began to explore civil cases

    particularly. Students looked at the purposes of civil trials and how they proceed through

    mediation or court. The sixth lesson examined different types of crimes, the arrest process, and

    criminal trial proceedings. The seventh lesson inspected the conclusion of the criminal trials the sentencing. Students explored different sentencing options, the purpose of punishment, and

    how effective or ethical these sentencing options are, given their purpose. The final lesson

    explored the difference between how adults are tried in courts versus how juveniles are tried in

    courts. It also looked at the different types of juvenile cases, and how juveniles should be

    sentenced.

    NCSCOS objectives addressed

    2.03. Explain how the Unites States Constitution grants and limits the authority of public

    officials and government agencies.

    4.05. Analyze consequences of compliance or noncompliance with laws governing society.

    5.03. Describe the adversarial nature of the judicial process.

    6.01. Trace the development of law in American society.

    6.02. Cite examples of common, criminal, civil, constitutional, administrative, and

    statutory law.

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    6.03. Identify the various procedures in the enactment, implementation, and

    enforcement of law.

    6.07. Compare responsibilities, jurisdictions, and methods of law enforcement agencies.

    6.08. Evaluate methods used by society to address criminal and anti-social behaviors.

    Lesson one formative assessment

    After studying the ancient and philosophical foundations of law codes, students discussed

    to what extent the development of American law reflects Hammurabis Code, the Ten

    Commandments, and Roman law. This discussion took place in groups of three or four,

    depending on how many students were seated at each table. The teacher observed the

    discussions, asking questions of the groups to guide them into considering the connection

    between fair punishments, the emphasis on morality, and the importance of organization in law.

    Students were not graded on their discussion participation, although the teacher prompted less

    involved students with questions to make them more engaged in the group discussion. While the

    groups were discussing, the teacher took notes on the quality of discussion based on the

    following rubric:

    1 2 3 4

    On-taskParticipation

    Students remainoff-task for over

    75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task for

    approximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task for

    approximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task for

    nearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codes

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    discussed

    Quality

    reasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason throughconnections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason throughconnectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

    Once the class had sufficiently discussed the topic, the teacher selected based on in-group

    performance one student to present the groups consensus regarding one ancient code of law as

    it relates to current, American law. That student was awarded with five to ten extra credit points,

    depending on the depth of his or her presentation.

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    Student work samples:

    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Sam

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    Evan

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    Assessment:

    Elijah

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    1

    23 4

    On-task

    Participation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codesdiscussed

    Qualityreasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-

    thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason through

    connections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason through

    connectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-

    thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

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    Sam

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    12 3 4

    On-taskParticipation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codesdiscussed

    Quality

    reasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-

    thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason through

    connections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason through

    connectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-

    thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

    Note: Sam decided early in the assessment that he would not be able to complete it. I told him todiscuss the matter with his tablemates, but they offered no help. I then showed him where hecould find a condensed version of the Ten Commandments, and went over one of thecommandments to show how it related to current laws. He continued to say he could notcomplete the task. The matter was made worse when his already mounting frustration was paired

    with another student telling him he could do it. The attention from other students onlyexacerbated Sams mood, and he entirely gave up. I offered him the opportunity to work on theassignment at home, which only flustered him further, as he could not handle the idea of havingany homework beyond studying for a test tomorrow. I will offer Sam the opportunity to completethe task tomorrow, after the test.

    Sam returned the next day, and before class even began, he handed me his completed work. Iknow he had not written this assignment down, so I was very impressed and proud that he caredenough to complete the task. He also completed the assignment in a more thorough manner thanmany of the other students.

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    1 2 3 4

    On-taskParticipation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codesdiscussed

    Qualityreasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason throughconnections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason throughconnectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

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    Evan

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    1 2

    34

    On-task

    Participation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codesdiscussed

    Qualityreasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-

    thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason through

    connections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason through

    connectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-

    thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

    Reflection:

    It was very discouraging when Sam refused to complete his assignment in class. I tried to

    offer him appropriate help and attention, but when other students also needed help, I could not

    walk Sam through the assignment. However, I was exceedingly happy when Sam came in the

    following day with one of the best reasoned assignments which I read. Granted, I am sure that he

    received help from his mother or father for the assignment, as he often does with his homework.

    However, I was still impressed that Sam remembered to complete the assignment with such

    detail. His initiative also demonstrated that he genuinely cared about learning and his

    schoolwork. Having that level of motivation is fundamental for any learning.

    I realize that, by asking students to compare the ancient law codes with modern,

    American law, I was also conducting a form of pre-assessment. We had not really studied

    American law, particularly as it relates to penalties. Since many of the ancient law codes deal

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    heavily in penalties, students had to examine what they knew about American penalties before

    studying them so that they could compare the penalties of American and ancient law codes.

    Some of the generalizations that students made about American law, such as the idea that

    penalties may vary depending on social status, provided great discussion prompts. Technically,

    American law should not work that way, but in practice, celebrities and influential people may

    receive preferential treatment under the law. Therefore, students comparisons between ancient

    law and American law revealed some uncomfortable similarities between the two.

    Lesson two assessment

    For a pre-assessment, students looked at a list of ridiculous laws. As a class, they

    discussed why these laws might have been formed, and whether or not the laws might still have

    any value. By doing this, the teacher gained insight into what students believe the purpose of

    laws is and how students define a good law. The teacher then used this information in the

    following discussion on what the textbook defines as qualifications for a good law.

    As formative assessment, students worked in pairs to pretend like they are writing three

    laws for a new society. They were cautioned to avoid obvious laws such as No murder. Each

    law had to meet the four purposes of a good law discussed in class, and the students had to

    explain how the law meets each of these purposes. Students were graded on the basis of

    originality of law and clarity of reasoning in defining it as a good law.

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    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Reflection:

    The Create-a-Law assignment provided a lot of insight for me as I reflected on my lesson.

    As students worked on the assignment during class, I became aware that many students did not

    know how to explain if a law was enforceable.

    Additionally, as I graded the worksheets, I realized that many students did not understand

    what was meant by describing a law as fair. If a law is fair, that means it applies to everyone in

    the same way. No one is above the law. However, many students viewed fair as meaning that

    the law was reasonable and made sense within the context of the given society. Therefore, on

    their worksheets and during instruction, I was sure to emphasize the true meaning of fair.

    Lesson three assessment

    Students were given time to look through recent newspapers and online news sites

    (ABCNews, CNN, GooleNews, etc.). Students cut out, printed, or extensively summarized

    articles and pasted them in their writing journals. They had to find at least one article pertaining

    to three types of law studied. For each article, they wrote a brief summary explaining why it

    demonstrates the specific type of law. The teacher checked these journal entries to determine that

    three types of law were represented and that the explanations were accurate.

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    Evan

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    Evan

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    Sam

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    Assessment:

    The assessments of the journals will occur at the end of the quarter. Each assignment in

    the journal is worth ten points, and we will check for five to seven assignments. Elijah did not

    have this assignment in his journal and would, therefore, receive a zero out of ten. Sam would

    receive an eight. He only gave two of the three articles, but I would be lenient with that number

    because I know they worked hard, and they should receive alternate grading. Interestingly, Sam

    went through several criminal law-related articles before he found one that did not offend him

    too much. He is very sensitive, and he did not enjoy reading about murder and other crimes.

    Finally, Evan would receive a ten. He is one of the few students who found three articles in the

    time restraints, and I am very proud that he found an article relating to constitutional law. It is

    rare to find articles which do not focus on criminal or civil law, so I am very impressed with his

    findings.

    Reflection:

    Students relatively poor performance on this assessment can be attributed chiefly to the

    various behavioral problems which arose during the activity. There were two primary types of

    behavioral problems: off-task behavior and distracted effort. Off-task behavior includes students

    who chose to read a novel or talk with other students rather than complete their work. Distracted

    effort includes students who were technically doing what they were supposed to do for the

    assignment (that is, search through internet news sites and the newspaper), but who were

    becoming distracted by some of the articles. For example, one student was enthralled by a

    website showing all of the recent arrests in Winston-Salem. While the student used the resource

    for their reference on criminal law, he continued to search through the arrest records for the

    majority of the allotted time, thereby hurting his chances of finishing the assignment.

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    Other students became very frustrated when they could not find appropriate articles. I

    tried to help as many students as possible, but I could not do enough. The assessment may be

    improved by finding resources which would have a higher likelihood of having clear examples of

    civil and criminal law. Perhaps students should not have cut out the articles, thereby limiting

    future classes from finding articles. Also, when facing these problems with limited articles, I

    became more lenient about how many articles should be found on the internet versus the

    newspaper. Perhaps students should be allowed to search the internet for all of the article

    examples so that they would use their time more efficiently.

    Lesson four assessment

    For pre-assessment, students reviewed the articles they had found during the previous

    lesson. They reviewed the articles to see if they could find any references to the Bill of Rights.

    They highlighted any references found. If students seemed to be struggling, they were allowed to

    reference their Bill of Rights worksheet from a previous unit. This served to remind students the

    protections offered by the Constitution to persons accused of crimes. The teacher asked for a few

    examples from students to describe to the class.

    As a formative assessment, students took a vocabulary quiz because this lesson is so

    heavy on technical, legal vocabulary which must simply be memorized.

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    :

    Evan

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    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Sam

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    Student Assessment:

    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Reflection:

    The largest problem I noted for the vocabulary quiz was that students had difficulty

    differentiating between larceny, burglary, and robbery. Many believed that the differences

    between the three dealt with whether a homeowner realized they were being robbed. This is not

    the case. I gave students partial credit for giving correct definitions of at least one word, which

    most students were able to do.

    Since I repeated this question on the test at the end of the unit, it was important to review

    the differences between the three types of theft in class. This was very simple to do because, in

    every class, one student asked me about the differences at the end of the test. Not only did thisreflect well on the students, because it demonstrated that they know what information they need

    to re-examine and study, but it also helped me address their confusion immediately, without

    trying to fit it into another lesson.

    The fact that this question provided the most insight into what students were learning

    proves an important point about the most effective types of assessments. The question about theft

    was the only short answer question. Students do not like short answer questions, but they provide

    teachers with the greatest insight into what students know. With matching, students can use the

    process of elimination, or they can look at context clues. However, with short answer, the

    students response depends entirely on what learning they can recall. I prefer short answer or fill-

    in-the-blank vocabulary tests, and would like to implement more of that format of test in my

    future classroom.

    Lesson five assessment

    Students either created a picture book detailing the court proceedings in the civil court

    trial of A. Wolf v. The Third Pig or wrote a small skit demonstrating the court proceedings.

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    Students were given a guide to help them determine the necessary vocabulary and proceedings to

    address. The class went over the required steps for a civil case, which are: complaint, summons,

    Discovery phase, pretrial conference, trial, and verdict. Students were graded on the presence of

    these steps.

    Elijah turned in a play for this assignment. However, it described a criminal trial more than a

    civil trial. I pointed this out to him and told him I would use the project for the next lessons

    assignment. However, he never brought another play to me.

    Sam

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    Student assessment:

    Evan

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    Evan

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    Evan

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    Reflection:

    Students seemed to struggle with the instructions on this assignment. I realized that the

    guide may have not been as beneficial as I thought it could be, and I decided to give students

    extra time to complete the assignment, more time in class to work on it with my ready aide, and

    more deliberate instructions. By giving students a list of steps they had to include, I gave

    students a clear chronology they could use in their picture books or plays. Still, several students

    overlooked steps or failed to effectively demonstrate what would happen during each step of the

    trial process.

    Moreover, students clearly struggled with the basic definition of a civil trial. Manystudents associated lawsuits with crimes, believing that someone could be sued for murder.

    Fortunately, there were numerous opportunities to emphasize the definition, purpose, and result

    of civil trials as we continued to study criminal trials, penalties, and the judicial branch as a

    whole. Also, if students had turned in their picture book or play early, I was able to tell them to

    revise it if they had not used the correct definition of a civil trial. After going over the fact that

    civil cases are the result of negligence or bad business practices, and that the cases result in fines

    and damages being paid, I believe students gained a better grasp of the definition of the civil

    trial.

    For Sams picture, I decided to edit how I would assess his work. He was confused as to

    the requirements, yet he was able to fill out the entire back side of the notes, which outlined the

    court case. Most students did not fill the guide out entirely. Additionally, he did so exceptionally

    on his criminal case picture book. Therefore, I believe he has demonstrated the effort and

    learning that I wanted students to achieve with these assignments. However, since he did not

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    actually complete the requirements of the picture book or play, I gave him a 70 as a grade. I

    explained my reasoning to him in class.

    Lesson six assessment

    As a pre-assessment, in order to understand a primary step in a criminal trial how a jury

    is selected students were presented with a hypothetical murder trial. Then, several students

    volunteered as potential juror candidates for a jury pool. Each student was given one of the

    following character profiles:

    A very religious individual

    Someone who loves crime and forensic television shows A member of the NRA

    Someone who spends a significant amount of effort to find extraterrestrials

    A super-opinionated and vocal individual

    A hippie

    Someone who is out of the state for an extended time (in college, for example)

    Someone who just came back from a long vacation

    Someone who has a family member who was murdered

    A strong supporter of the death penalty

    Given these characters, the class discussed who should be allowed (or in most cases, who should

    be rejected) from the jury pool. For each character, students determined which side the

    prosecutor or the defender might prefer or dislike the potential juror. The class discussed why

    each side might feel strongly about each character. This demonstrated what students already

    know about the biases that may be present in court trials.

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    As a formative assessment, students continued their picture book or play from the civil

    trial case. However, this time, the case was People v. A. Wolf, and it was a manslaughter case

    against A. Wolf for the deaths of the pigs. Students were given another guide worksheet to help

    them determine the vocabulary and proceedings they needed to address. Students were graded on

    the presence and the accurate description of the following steps in a criminal case: arrest,

    booking, arraignment, trial, verdict, and sentence.

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    Evan

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    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Student assessment:

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    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Reflection:

    Students were much more engaged in and informed about criminal trials than they were

    about civil trials. There was no confusion about the basic story behind the criminal trial relating

    to The True Story of the Three Little Pigs . The only issues (where points were deducted from

    individuals grades) occurred when students would forget or not include steps of the criminal

    trial process, or when they might mix up the purposes of the pretrial hearing and the arraignment.

    Having learned from the civil trial assignment, I began by giving students a list of events to

    include, in order, in their picture book or play.

    Providing students with so much scaffolding may seem to limit how much a teacher canlearn about the students understanding. If the students are given the order of events in the

    formative assessment, can I presume that they would be able to recognize the correct order of

    events later, in a summative assessment? I can justify giving students that level of scaffolding by

    noting that I want students to learn the significance of an arraignment or of booking, rather than

    just memorize the order of events. Ideally, if students create the picture book or play according to

    my instruction, they will remember their artwork when they complete their summative

    assessment in order to recall the order of events in a criminal trial.

    In general, students were much more interested in the criminal trial. As a result, they

    produced much better quality picture books and plays. However, some students suggested that a

    more effective assessment might be to create a mock trial. A mock trial would operate differently

    than a play because it would be less rehearsed, and there would be no set script. That type of

    assessment might take much more preparation, but I can see how that level of movement and

    engagement would really benefit the students. I would like to implement a mock trial in my

    future classroom.

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    Lesson seven assessment

    Students separated (on opposite sides of the room) based on whether or not they support

    the use of the death penalty. Each side was split into smaller groups to maximize individual

    student participation. After each group had ample time to discuss their opinions and reasoning,

    each group picked a representative to share the groups consensus on the death penalty in a

    debate forum. During the group discussion portion of the activity, the teacher circulated the room

    and evaluated (not for a grade) the discussion and individual participation on the following

    rubric:

    1 2 3 4

    On-taskParticipation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any law

    code discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on a

    surface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all three

    law codesdiscussed

    Qualityreasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason throughconnections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason throughconnectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

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    1 2 3 4

    On-taskParticipation

    Students remainoff-task for over75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task forapproximatelyhalf of discussiontime

    Students remainon-task forapproximately75% of discussion time

    Students remainon-task fornearly all of discussion time

    Using facts

    Students fail tosignificantlyaddress any lawcode discussed

    Students addressone or two lawcodes discussed

    Students addressall three lawcodes on asurface level

    Students recalldetailed factsfrom all threelaw codesdiscussed

    Qualityreasoning

    Students struggleto form a well-thought-outresponse, evenwith significantteacherprompting

    Students canreason throughconnections withaide from teacher

    Students canreason throughconnectionswithout muchaide from teacher

    Studentsformulate a well-thought-outresponse whichrecognizes deepand complexconnections

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    Reflection:

    The debate format provided students with an interesting opportunity for the students.

    First, it allowed students to stand up and get moving. Then, many students, who might otherwise

    have been quiet or off-task during individual assignments or even group discussions, embraced

    the debate format. They demonstrated excellent critical thinking skills as they argued for or

    against the death penalty.

    Interestingly, they did not reference the trivia related to the death penalty, such as the

    data which seems to suggest that the death penalty may be disproportionately applied to African

    Americans or people from lower economic statuses. Only one or two students discussed the cost

    of prisons or appeals courts. Most of the students argued from moral standpoints. Yet, because

    the debate dealt so heavily with morality, it created numerous uncomfortable situations. One girl

    talked about how her cousin had been given the death penalty, and she then asked if those who

    deliver the death penalty go to hell. Another student had a relative who was murdered. While she

    was originally against the death penalty, when I asked if opinions might change if ones mom or

    grandmother or other relative was murdered, she changed her mind. Still, discomfort is not

    necessarily bad in a classroom. In many cases, uncomfortable conversations inspire students to

    truly contemplate and formulate their own opinions and convictions.

    The moral debate also demonstrates to students the two sides of penalties for

    punishment and for rehabilitation. These two points were the theme of the lesson. Therefore,

    when students argue for the death penalty by saying, An eye for an eye, or when students

    argue against the death penalty by saying, Everyone deserves a second chance, they are

    arguing for those two purposes of penalties.

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    Lesson eight assessment

    Students wrote a rap, poem, song, or short story describing their interpretation of what it

    would be like to be a juvenile involved in a trial. They had to address the nature of the trial, the

    alternative options for juvenile criminals, and the goal of rehabilitation. Students could choose to

    write about a neglect case rather than a criminal case, if the idea of criminal cases seemed too

    disturbing. Mostly, I wanted them to reflect on the videos we watched in class, which depicted

    the experiences of several juveniles in adult prisons. While considering the facts of juvenile law,

    I also wanted students to think about what juveniles feel when they face severe penalties.

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    :

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    Elijah

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    I excused Sam from this assignment because he and his brother respond very poorly to

    violence and tense situations. They left the room when the videos were being shown, and I did

    not think it fair to require them to do an assignment, when the assignment relied on information

    from the videos.

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    Student assessment:

    Evan

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    Elijah

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    Reflection:

    I thought the two student samples collected provided excellent examples on both sides of

    the spectrum one was more factual and academic while the other was more emotional and

    creative. Ultimately, Evans poem earned the better grade because it demonstrated more

    effectively the learning that was required. In a very succinct way, Evan was able to outline all of

    the major attributes of a juvenile delinquency case. With some minor editing, I believe this poem

    would be an excellent tool to use in future classes for a similar lesson. Notably, Evan was not

    present in class the day that students watched the video. He was able to make up the notes online.

    However, because of his lack of exposure to the video, it makes sense that his poem would beless emotional than other students stories or poems.

    Elijahs story definitely had evidence of learning from the video. Many of the details he

    included were details discussed in the video, regarding the conditions in prison. While Elijah did

    not examine the unique attributes of a juvenile case, as opposed to an adult case, he still

    demonstrated a decent level of recall.

    The assessment could be improved with clearer expectations. I could have placed a

    greater emphasis on including a certain number of differences between adult and juvenile cases

    in my description of the assessment. I also could provide students with an example, either from

    previous years classes or from rap songs or short works of fiction. As an added benefit, if

    students could see how popular culture deals with juvenile law, I think that would enhance their

    learning and make the lesson more authentic.

    Summative assessment

    Students were given a test at the end of the unit. This test was comprised of multiple choice,

    true/false, matching, and short answer questions.

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    Chapter 15 & 16 Test

    True/False ndicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false.

    ___ 1. The goal of juvenile law is to punish the juvenile delinquents. ___ 2. The earliest written system of law was the Justinian Code.

    ___ 3. A plea of no contest has the same end result as a plea of not guilty.

    ___ 4. In criminal cases, the government is always the defendant.

    ___ 5. The prosecution files charges in a civil suit.

    ___ 6. The writ of habeas corpus requires officials to bring arrested people to court.

    ___ 7. During cross-examination, the attorney attempts to cast doubt on the witnesss testimony.

    ___ 8. If the police obtain evidence of a persons guilt illegally, it can still be used against him or her.

    Multiple Choice dentify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

    ___ 9. What amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, and excessive bail?

    a. 8th c. 5thb. 7th d. 14th

    ___ 10. In juvenile cases, the judge might sentence the defendant toa. a stern lecture c. all of the aboveb. attend a special school d. receive treatment or counseling

    ___ 11. What happens during the booking process?

    a. a verdict is reached c. a lawyer is hiredb. suspects personal information is taken d. evidence is gathered___ 12. Which of the following is NOT a misdemeanor?

    a. burglary c. vandalismb. trespassing d. disorderly conduct

    ___ 13. Serious crimes with serious consequences are calleda. statutes. c. felonies.b. torts. d. misdemeanors.

    ___ 14. What amendment guarantees due process of law?a. 16th c. 8thb. 4th d. 5th

    ___ 15. What was the first known system of written law?a. Justinian Code c. Code of Hammurabib. Napoleonic Code d. Morse Code

    ___ 16. The suspect hears the formal charges brought against him or her and makes his or her pleadings duringthea. arraignment. c. arbitration.b. discovery phase. d. pretrial hearing.

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    ___ 17. If a judge believes a person is interfering with the judicial process, the judge may hold that person ina. double jeopardy. c. contempt of court.b. attainder. d. stare decisis.

    ___ 18. What is correct order of the following events in a criminal trial?1. arrest2. verdict3. sentencing4. booking5. arraignment6. triala. 3, 1, 6, 2, 4, 5 c. 1, 4, 5, 6, 2, 3b. 4, 1, 6, 2, 3, 5 d. 4, 5, 1, 3, 6, 2

    ___ 19. What is the correct order of the following events in a civil trial:1. summons2. trial3. verdict4. complaint5. Discovery phase6. pretrial conferencea. 6, 4, 1, 2, 3, 5 c. 4, 1, 5, 6, 2, 3b. 5, 1, 4, 6, 2, 3 d. 1, 5, 6, 4, 2, 3

    ___ 20. This law code established strict and harsh penalties, such as giving the death penalty for taking a applefrom an orchard:a. Draconian law c. Hammurabis codeb. Justinian code d. Ten Commandments

    ___ 21. This type of law is based on precedents and previous court decisions, although it is not necessarilywritten:a. tort law c. common lawb. statutory law d. constitutional law

    ___ 22. Which of the following is NOT a part of a criminal trial?a. cross-examination c. discovery phaseb. testimony d. opening statement

    ___ 23. What Supreme Court case determined that juveniles should receive the same rights in criminal trials asadults?a. New Jersey v. T.L.O. c. Tinker v. Des Moinesb. Miranda v. Arizona d. In re Gault

    ___ 24. If a person is injured because of anothers negligence, the injured person can file a ____ action.a. statute c. misdemeanorb. tort d. edict

    ___ 25. The Fifth Amendment states that people may not be required toa. obey a tort. c. face a jury.b. incriminate themselves. d. permit a search.

    ___ 26. A child who is under the protection of the court rather than his or her parents is called aa. delinquent of the court c. arsonistb. ward of the court d. peer of the court

    ___ 27. In civil cases, the person or group being sued is thea. victim. c. challenger.b. plaintiff. d. defendant.

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    Completion Complete each sentence or statement.

    28. _______________________ cases involve instances where a childs basic needs (housing, food, clothing)

    are not met. 29. A ___________________________ occurs when a defendant makes a deal with the court in which he or

    she confesses or gives information in order to minimize his or her sentence.

    30. In his or her _____________________, the witness must tell their story truthfully.

    31. ____________________ is the act of purposefully and maliciously setting property on fire.

    Matching

    a. preponderance of evidence e. perjury

    b. victimless crimes f. acquittalc. complaint g. beyond a reasonable doubtd. sequester h. Miranda rights

    ___ 32. phrase describing the amount of proof required for guilt in a civil case

    ___ 33. phrase describing the amount of proof required for guilt in a criminal case

    ___ 34. prostitution and gambling, for example

    ___ 35. finding a defendant innocent

    ___ 36. statement naming the sides involved and the details of a civil lawsuit

    ___ 37. right to remain silent and right to a lawyer, for example ___ 38. separating a jury so that they can determine the verdict of a case

    ___ 39. lying under oath

    a. plaintiff e. hung juryb. bail f. administrative lawc. bench trial g. bill of attainderd. summons h. grand jury

    ___ 40. punishes accused criminals without a trial of fair hearing in court

    ___ 41. deals with the creation and management of executive agencies

    ___ 42. optional appearance before a judge only, without a jury

    ___ 43. announces the defendant is being sued and sets a court date

    ___ 44. party that starts a lawsuit

    ___ 45. a payment made by the suspect as a promise to return to court for the trial

    ___ 46. cannot unanimously agree on a verdict, resulting in a mistrial

    ___ 47. decides if there is sufficient evidence to formally charge a suspect

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    hort Answer

    48. What are the four qualifications of a good law?

    49. What are two arguments against the death penalty?

    50. What are two of the four purposes of penalties for crimes?

    51. Describe the differences between larceny, robbery, and burglary.

    52. Give two ways in which juvenile court cases are different than adult court cases.

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    Evan

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    Evan

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    Elijah

    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Sam

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    Assessment:

    Evan

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    Evan

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    Elijah

    Elijah

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    Elijah

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    Sam

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    Sam

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    adding more deliberate instruction. I wanted to allow creativity and self-determination with the

    assignments, but for my students, it is more important to give them limits and clear instructions

    so that they know how to best perform. When given too much freedom, the students seemed to

    give up rather than embrace their freedom to chose the details of their assignments.

    Finally, throughout the assessments, I gained many ideas of assessments I would like to

    add to the unit, should I teach a similar unit again. For example, I would love to include a mock

    trial, given the students excitement over criminal trials and public speaking. I believe that

    adding a mock trial would provide a greater change of pace and more variety in the types of

    assessment. However, overall, I believe the unit had a good variety in assessment, and I washappy with the way many of the students responded to the lessons.