MINI-COURT TEACHER'S GUIDE

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• Introduction
• Mock Trial Exercise for Grades K-1
• Mock Trial Exercise for Grade 2
  • Mock Trial Roles in "The Case of the Missing Puppy
  • Fact Sheet
  • Script
• Glossary of Legal Terms
• Activities
• Resources

Recently the Foundation produced a "Mini-Court Videotape" to be used as a teaching tool with this guide. In the 11-minute videotape, second-graders from the Cochran Academy in East Orange, N.J., enact "The Case of the Missing Puppy" found later in this document. The videotape is available for loan from the Foundation's Video Loan Library. To find out how to borrow this and other videotapes, see the "Resources" section of this document.

The Foundation gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the following attorneys and educators who helped to prepare this booklet: John J. Henschel, Esq., Laura M. Le Winn, Esq., Andrea Boseman, Deborah Harvest, Marie Kenney, Lindsay Kielly, Joanne Pipala, Cynthia Schwartz, and Sherry Woodruff.

Mini-Court is sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and is made possible by funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey. Questions about Mini-Court should be directed to Law-Related Education Coordinator Sheila Boro at 732-937-7519.

The Foundation provides a variety of free, law-related education services to the public. Our seminars, publications and video loan library offer information on many legal topics. The Foundation's Speakers Bureau fills requests for attorneys to speak to school and community groups. The Foundation also sponsors the Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition; Law Fair Competition for grades 3 to 6; and its middle-school counterpart, Law Adventure for grades 7 and 8.

For more information, call the New Jersey State Bar Foundation toll-free at 1-800-FREE LAW.

Copyright 1999 New Jersey State Bar Foundation. Permission is granted to teachers to photocopy pages from this booklet for classroom use.

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1. Demonstrate understanding and use of vocabulary within the process.
2. Introduce simple legal concepts.
3. Identify roles within the process.

1. Was a crime committed?
2. Who committed the crime? Did Goldilocks do anything wrong? Did the Three Bears do anything wrong?
3. What if the state took Goldilocks to court?

1. What is a trial?
2. Who takes part in a trial?
3. What kinds of rules must be followed in a trial?

As a group, brainstorm questions to ask Goldilocks and one of the Three Bears about the incident.

DAY 4

The Trial
Conduct a simple trial with two witnesses: Goldilocks and one of the Three Bears. The teacher will pose the questions developed on Day 3 to Goldilocks and the Bear. After the questioning of the witnesses is over, the class will be the jury. The students must decide if Goldilocks is guilty or not guilty of breaking and entering, stealing and vandalism. If the members of the jury decide that she is guilty, they must decide what her sentence is, i.e., how can she make this up to the Three Bears?

DAY 5
Summary
Debrief students on the legal process as they experienced it over the last four days. Discuss applications to other stories and to real-life experiences.

Explain basic concepts such as:

1. doing the right thing;
2. being responsible for your actions;
3. asking forgiveness for doing the wrong thing;
4. making amends; and
5. accepting consequences for your actions.

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1. Students will demonstrate understanding and use of vocabulary associated with the legal process.
2. Students will be introduced to simple legal concepts.
3. Students will identify roles within the process by performing a mock trial.

1. Who is accused of being at fault?
2. What is she accused of doing?
3. Who has accused Amanda and what do they want her to do to make up for it?
4. Who is most at fault? Students may list on a chart what Amanda did right or wrong. Then list what the Greens did right or wrong.

• plaintiff
• plaintiff's lawyer
• defendant
• defense lawyer
• witnesses
• judge
• jury
• court clerk
• sheriff's officer

1. In what ways is Amanda to blame? (Should have noticed that the rope wasn't strong, should have closed the fence gate, should have kept the dog inside, shouldn't have let the four children into the house....)

1. In what ways are the Greens to blame? (Provided weak rope, asked too much responsibility from a 13-year-old, didn't bother to check references....)
2. In what ways was Amanda a responsible girl? (Careful with Mrs. Castle's dog, gave her first priority to the child, followed the Greens' instructions....)

1. Choose the participants.
2. Distribute:
   • participants' role sheets (may be glued on back of cards);
   • courtroom diagram; and
   • case scripts.
3. Rehearse.

1. Present trial.
2. Reach verdict.
3. Debrief students on the legal process.
4. Explain basic concepts such as:
   • doing the right thing;
   • being responsible for your actions;
   • asking forgiveness for doing the wrong thing;
   • making amends; and
   • accepting consequences for your actions.

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1. Was Amanda not acting responsibly? (Negligence.)
2. Do you believe that everyone has told the truth? (Credibility of witnesses.)
3. Are you more than half sure that your decision is right? (Preponderance of evidence)

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1. Are the Greens partly to blame for giving the baby-sitter a rope that wasn't sturdy enough?
2. Should Amanda have noticed that the rope wasn't in good condition and kept the dog indoors?
3. Did Amanda leave the fence gate open and does this make any difference?
4. Was Amanda's most important responsibility with the child or the pet?

1. Negligence (was Amanda not acting responsibly?).
2. Credibility of the witnesses (is everyone believable?).
3. Preponderance of evidence (more than half sure).

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1. Was Amanda not acting responsibly?
2. Do you believe that everyone has told the truth?
3. Are you more than half sure that your decision is right?

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    Activities

Following are additional classroom activities based on grade level:

Grades K - 1

• Stage a puppet show based on the "Goldilocks" trial. Instruct the children to color the pictures of Goldilocks and the Bears as provided. Cut out the figures and glue them to tongue depressors. The children may then use the puppets to act out the roles in the trial.
  
  
• Make "Wanted" posters for Goldilocks. Color the posters and write why she is wanted on them. This should be done before the trial.
  
  
• First-graders can also perform the "Goldilocks" trial as a class. Adapt the story and create your own script using the one in this booklet as a model. Students can play the roles of judge, lawyers, witnesses, court clerk, sheriff's officer and jurors. See the role sheets in this document.
  Grades K - 2

• Videotape your trial and lend the videotape to parents. Show the videotape to students at the end of the unit or in the second semester to reinforce concepts and vocabulary.
  
  
• Create a poster to use as a teaching tool about the "Goldilocks" trial or "The Case of the Missing Puppy." Draw and identify pictures of the witnesses, lawyers, judges or facts involved in the case.
• While it may not be suitable for young children to observe a real trial, teachers may wish to arrange a visit to a local courthouse to show the children what a courtroom looks like. Contact your county courthouse or local municipal court for a tour of an empty courtroom. Ask if a judge or other court personnel would be available to explain the layout of the courtroom and to answer questions. Study the courtroom diagram in this booklet before your visit.
  

• After the trial, distribute the word searches provided in this booklet to students.
  
  
• Write your own trials based on fairy tales such as "The Three Little Pigs," "The Ugly Duckling," "Chicken Little," "Cinderella" or "Pinocchio," among others.
  
  
• Consider preparing a trial script from a story or book that you are already using in class.
  
  
• Adapt a case from the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's free booklet, "Mock Trial Exercises for Grades 3 - 6." The booklet features winning, student-written mock trials from our Law Fair Competition for elementary school students. To order, call 1-800-FREE LAW.
  

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• "Mini-Court Videotape," an 11-minute video produced by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation featuring second-graders from the Cochran Academy in East Orange, N.J., performing "The Case of the Missing Puppy" from this "Mini-Court Teacher's Guide" (for students in grades K-2, to be used as a teaching tool with the guide);
  
  
• "Kids' Court," a one-hour broadcast sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and the New Jersey Network (recommended for teachers only in order to learn about the legal process);
  
  
• "Law Fair/Law Adventure Instructional Videotape," a 23-minute videotape produced by the New Jersey State Foundation featuring seventh-graders enacting an original mock trial case (for teachers' viewing only - not recommended for students in grades K-2);
  
  
• "The Girl Who Cried Wolf," a 17-minute videotape which deals with First Amendment issues (for elementary grades, includes teacher's guide);
  
  
• "We Can Work It Out! Conflict Resolution," a kit designed to help teachers introduce students to simple techniques to resolve conflicts (for grades K-2, includes a 14-minute video, a workbook, an audiotape with songs and a game); and
  
  
• "Stop Teasing Me!," which encourages children to develop greater respect for others and to learn how to cope with being teased (for grades K-2, includes a 13-minute videotape, a workbook and an audiotape).
  

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