There are so many reasons I love teaching with literature, but one of the biggest is that it can spark learning in so many ways. That’s what happened when I chose to use The Lemonade Crime with my kids’ book clubs a few years ago – a book that lends itself well to mock trials.
I created a few simple mock trial resources for my students to use so that they could practice what they had learned about the American legal system – and they went far beyond what I expected. I’m a huge fan of mock trials now, and here’s why I think you should be, too.
PS – The following is totally applicable if you’re a classroom teacher. With larger numbers, there are many ways you could hold your own mock trial! You don’t need a full class, though – I’ve done these with only a handful of kids, and they work beautifully.
- A mock trial is a simple PBL (project-based learning) assignment. Students are given a problem to solve (is so-and-so guilty or innocent?) and then they work to find an answer to that question. This is a real-life type of assignment, and students can see the point in it. PBLs are easy for teachers to use, because once you give the assignment and provide the basic motivation and materials, the students run with it. This leaves the teacher free to conference with students and to guide as necessary.
- Mock trials are interactive. A basic American courtroom trial involves two legal teams, a judge, a jury, and others. That means people who are working together, listening to each other, trying to refute arguments – teamwork! Kids typically like to work together – and a mock trial has enough roles for kids to be able to plan their parts individually or in small groups and then to use their natural strengths. Those students who usually have a hard time sitting still, taking notes, or just listening have a chance to shine! –> How does one have students work together during a pandemic? No worries! I created this digital mock trial so that students can still collaborate and host an online event. This version can be done together online or individually.
- A mock trial assignment is creative. It’s never the same twice, as no two students will think of the same reasons and rationales, and so a certain amount of thinking-on-your-feet is required. There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer. This allows students to piggyback off of each others’ work and can extend learning in new directions.
- Mock trials ask students to think from new perspectives. This inherently involves higher-order thinking and takes students deeper into the minds of characters and events than they may go otherwise. It also provides scaffolding for students who may have trouble doing this independently.
- Mock trials are engaging. Students are people and most people are competitive. We want to win! By ramping up the drama when you present the assignment, you create buy-in for the students – and they will automatically want their legal team to win. With that goal in mind, they’re engaged – and engaged, motivated students are more likely to learn – and to behave. It’s a double win!
I’ve created two mock trials to pair with fairy tales. These are stories that most kids know and can easily relate to – but directions are included for using these with a literature class.
The great thing, though? You can teach so many things with these mock trials: character traits, civics, teamwork, public speaking, and more. To that end, these mock trials can be used with a wide variety of purposes in mind – an equally diverse age range.
Here’s what other teachers had to say about these resources:
I created these resources using fairy tales that most American children know – but that doesn’t mean they should only be used by children! Older students are able to dig deeper into the nuances of the stories, and others can use them, too! These resources have been used with classroom teachers for literature and social studies work, but also with homeschoolers, scout troops – even a pre-law college class! The sky’s the limit for these open-ended, flexible plans.
Have you used a mock trial with your students? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
