CROSS CURRICULAR APPROACHES TO TEACHING LAW AND CIVICS

Christina Ganev East York C.I.

Toronto District School Board Contact: [email protected]

Agenda

• Assessment • Enrichment • Practical teaching strategies and activities • Having fun and inspiring students!

LAW - ASSESSMENT

• Music and the Law • Newspaper Scrapbook assignment • CCLA Charter Essay Contest • Mock Trial – OJEN

LAW – ASSESSMENT

• Technology – Facebook assignment • Technology – follow news sources on Twitter and write weekly/monthly journals

LAW – ENRICHMENT

GUEST SPEAKERS • CCLA – guest speakers “That’s not fair” • Ontario Justice Education Network – adopt a lawyer program • Corrections Canada – guest speakers

LAW - ENRICHMENT

• Courthouse tours • Virtual courtroom tours at www.courtprep.ca

WORKPLACE LAW

• Organize a Career Day – careers in law requiring highschool or college diplomas • Book the computer lab once per week to complete a scavenger hunt on the law

CIVICS – ASSESSMENT

• Try these tips to reduce failure rates: – Reduce the number of tests/quizzes – Rewrite quiz until a mark of 70% is achieved – Offer choice with every assignment – Eliminate the exam – Have theme days – Use relevant technology whenever possible – Class project – Pair up senior students with Civics class – mock election, presentations, mentorship, peer tutors

CIVICS - ASSESSMENT

• Newspaper presentation assignment • Choice (differentiated instruction) • Straw tower activity • Simulations (mock election, trial, town hall meeting) • Four corners debate • Social media – Twitter and the news

CIVICS - ENRICHMENT

• Think Literacy (prep for OSSLT, graphic organizers) • Weekly News/Classroom Ready • What in the World • Metro (free) or Toronto Star or computer lab – once a week

CIVICS - ENRICHMENT

• Smart Ideas (concept mapping) • Toondoo.com (make your own comic strip) or Bitstrips (TDSB licensed) • City of Toronto website • Courtprep.ca – virtual tour of a courtroom

CIVICS – ENRICHMENT

GUEST SPEAKERS • Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) – speakers re. equality rights in the Charter (case studies) • Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) – speakers re. fairness of the law (case studies) • Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) – lawyers and law students • Fair Vote Canada – PR vs. FPTP lessons plans

CIVICS – ENRICHMENT

GUEST SPEAKERS • Newspapers – journalists • Local police station – police officers and parole officers • Invite a new immigrant • Holocaust survivors • War vets • City Councilor, MP, MPP – all at the same time!

Enrichment – Free Resources!

• Student Vote – full mock election packages , online tools, complete support to run a parallel election, resources in between elections • Elections Canada – posters, riding maps, visual aids for decorating the classroom • OERB – teaching resources by other teachers • Parliament of Canada – lots of free resources, class set of “Our Country, Our Parliament” • “Welcome to Canada” – free class set of books on immigration

Instructional Strategies

• Fold the line • Four corners • Graphic organizers (2 handouts) • Placemat • Graffiti • Pass it on • Snowball

Completion Chart

Fun!

(How to get them to come to class – and on time!) • Fun daily activities – Media Monday – Trivia Tuesday – Question Thursday – Funny Friday • Make up competitions weekly