Subject: American Legal System
1. Topic-
Collaborating on writing a Direct examination as a part of Mock Trial Preparation
 
2. Content-
Direct Examination Techniques
Non-Leading Questions
Leading Questions
Affidavit
Themes
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1.Pairs of students (witness and attorney) will collaborate on writing a direct examination
2.Each pair of students will produce a series of direct exam questions based on information from the affidavit
3.The examination will have the team's themes contained within it
 
4. Objectives-
Students will work together to write a direct examination
 
5. Materials and Aids-
Google Drive
Laptop Computers
Mock Trial Case Materials
Affidavit
Projection System
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

1.As a class we will have already read the mock trial and the students have been broken into two teams
2.Each team will have already generated a list of team themes based on the affidavits
3.Each member of the team has a list of team themes
4. Each member of the team is assigned a part, lawyer or witness, direct and cross examination for each.
5. Students are instructed to take out their mock trial materials and to move themselves into their two teams
6. Students are asked to spend five minutes generating a list of their team themes (which have been previously determined)
 

B. Development-

1.Teacher will give a brief lesson on effective direct examination techniques
2. Teacher will play a brief video illustrating effective direct examination techniques
3. Teacher will provide a brief introduction to Google Drive
 

C. Practice-

1.With the laptops, each pair of students (witness and lawyer) will get started using Google Drive to collaborate on writing their direct examinations
2. Teacher will circulate to ensure all pairs have logged in to Google Drive and have started a Direct Examination Document.
 

D. Independent Practice-

For homework, using Google Drive, students will collaborate to complete their direct examinations.
 

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

1.Some students might have difficulty with the collaboration at home. If necessary, provide class time the next day for students to work together if they had trouble completing the work at home.
2. Some students may not be able to write the direct examination and may only be able to read the completed script in the classroom mock trial, put these students in a group of three rather than two and encourage the other two members of the group to complete the writing
 

F. Checking for understanding-

The next class day, students read their direct examinations to their teams to ensure that the team's themes are present while the teacher circulates to listen and provide correction when necessary
 

G. Closure-

1. The final closure will happen when the class performs the Mock Trial, which might be several weeks away from the starting date.
2.The direct examinations on Google Drive are a work in progress and students are to continue to refine them together as part of their homework assignment over a series of nights.
 
7. Evaluation-
1. Students submit their final examination drafts to the teacher prior to the Mock Trial date
2. A Mock Trial is held in class at a predetermined date
 
8. Teacher Reflection-
I hope that Google Drive works as an effective collaboration tool for this assignment
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)