per class
Mock Trial Basics: Mastering Cross-Examination in the Courtroom
Completed by 2 learners
Ages 9-14
Live One-Time Class
Live video meetings
Meets once
4-16 learners per class
55 min
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursMastery Evaluation
Your learner's mastery of section 2 will be evaluated via the Gimkit review game. Their mastery of Sections 2 & 3 will be evaluated via the cross-examination strategy they collaborated to design and then performed in questioning the witness in the case.Certificate of Completion
1 after class completionClass Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
What will be taught in this course? This course will teach the basics of mock trial, which is a competitive academic extracurricular that many students enjoy and it's also a fun format for teaching about laws and the legal system, public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork. What topics will we cover? In this single meeting, we will cover some key legal concepts: elements of the crime, burden of proof, and what it means for evidence to be "relevant." We will also cover some important skills: when and how to ask leading questions versus open-ended questions; how to comprehend and critically analyze a witness' affidavit; and how to effectively cross-examine witnesses, including asking good follow-up questions. How is this class structured? After brief introductions in the beginning, the class will proceed in 3 sections, with each section being divided between a short lecture to introduce something new and then an activity for students to practice applying their knowledge: Section 1 - Learning the legal basics: - Presumption of innocence for the defendant and the Prosecution's burden of proof - The legal significance of "elements of the crime" and - What it means for evidence to be legally "relevant" Section 2 - Analyzing the evidence & devising a strategy - Analyze the affidavit of a witness being called to testify for the other side; identify relevant information, including details that could help prove your side of the case - Construct a cross-examination strategy by outlining the information you want to get the witness to testify about Section 3 - practice: cross-examining the witness - Using the outline you created during section 2, you'll actually practice cross-examining the witness, including asking follow-up questions and catching any mistakes or lies in their answers How will I teach and how will learners interact with me and each other? Class is purposefully designed to create many different opportunities for the student to be actively engaged in their own learning and to interact with me and their classmates; this ensures multiple checks-for-understanding are embedded in the lesson and that each learner is receiving feedback from me and their teammates: During the brief lectures, students will be called upon to ask me questions and/or to answer questions that I pose to them. Most of the class, however, is not lecture-based. Instead, students will participate in several activities that allow them to actively engage in their learning and that allow me to assess their progress and to provide impactful feedback/re-direction. For example, in Section 1 students will review and assess their learning by playing a review game on Gimkit. During Section 2, students will collaborate in small groups, with me monitoring their conversations, answering their questions, and giving constructive feedback/help as needed. During Section 3, students will receive feedback from me based on their cross-examination of the witness. Students may even cross-examine me, as I roleplay as the witness in the case. What is my teaching style? I love to mix in a lot of humor and excitement when I teach; I often make jokes about myself and teach with a lot of joy and even a bit of silliness. I love asking questions to learners, both to make sure learners understand before we move on and because Socratic-style teaching can be very effective at driving students to deeply learn complex information and to master critical thinking. I love learning, and that includes learning from my students.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the principles of criminal law, including the importance of the burden of proof, elements of the crime, and rules regarding relevant evidence.
Students will learn how to use their logical thinking and reading comprehension skills to critically analyze an affidavit/witness fact statement and identify relevant information that is helpful to proving the lawyer's side of the case.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Because our mock trial is a criminal case, some class material and discussions will contain references to and/or broad descriptions of violence. (ex: A witness's affidavit might say something like, "After I heard the wolf's howl, I ran back to where I had seen Red Ridding Hood, but I was too late. All that was left was the little basket she'd been carrying to grandma's house."). Exhibits may also include abstract representations of violence. (ex: An exhibit, like a medical examiner report, might have the rough outline of a body and a mark on the outline's leg indicating where the person had been wounded.)
However, no detailed images of violence - real or imaginary - will be used, nor will there be any gory details used in class materials.
Pre-Requisites
Students should be aware that there are courts, criminal laws, and trials for those accused of violating the laws. Student should be able to converse in English over common subjects. There are no additional prerequisites.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
We will refer to the US criminal code and federal rules of evidence at various times in this course.
Meet the teacher
Teacher expertise and credentials
3 Teaching Certificates
Texas Teaching Certificate in English to Speakers of Other Languages
Texas Teaching Certificate
Texas Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
2 Degrees
Master's Degree from University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from University of Texas at Austin
For seven years, I have coached high school mock trial teams, who compete in tournaments hosted by the Dallas Bar Association and YMCA's Youth & Government.
As a full-time classroom teacher, I have also taught mock trial to students in US grades 6th-8th as part of my middle school speech & debate classes.
I also taught law and government courses, including a curriculum that focused on the court systems and criminal law, as part of a law-focused and nationally ranked magnet school in Texas.
In addition to my BA in Government, I completed a law school course in earning my MA degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Reviews
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