Legal Studies Stage 6 Year 12 – Part 1 – The Criminal Trial Process

Author: susankenastridge@gmail.com

Created: 2025-05-18 03:26pm

Edited: 2025-05-31 10:06pm

Keywords: Flipped classroom, peer feedback, small classroom teaching, learning management system, document-sharing tools like Padlet

Description:

The learning design is for the Criminal Trial Process unit (“Unit”) of Part 1 – Crime, HSC Legal Studies (Legal Studies Syllabus, p18) (“Syllabus”). Having considered the nature or crime (Unit 1 of Part 1) and the criminal investigation process (Unit 2 of Part 1), students turn their attention to that part of the criminal justice system that adjudicates guilt.

The unit has been broken down into 9 one-hour classes and the following design maps the process for each of those classes which should be used in conjunction with the detailed lesson plans for each class and topic area. Students will engage with the content by:

- pre-reading background materials to understand context and the learning objectives of the class
- an opening activity to check understanding of prior learning
- teacher led explicit instruction on the detail of the pre-reading
- small group and whole of class discussion
- post class exercises.

The summative task for the unit is a group based mock trial.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • H1 – identifies and applies legal concepts and terminology relevant to the criminal trial process.
  • H2 – describes and explains key features of the criminal trial process.
  • H4 – evaluates the effectiveness of the criminal trial process in addressing issues associate with crime.
  • H6 – assesses the nature of the interrelationship between the criminal trial process and society.
  • H7 – evaluates the effectiveness of the criminal trial process in achieving justice.
  • H9 – communicates legal information using well-structured and logical arguments.
Resources Tasks Supports

Pre-Unit Preparation - to be completed during the school holidays out of class

Movie (LMS)

During summer break - watch movie which deals with a number of learning objectives

Support

Auto - marked quiz (H5P0)

Complete on-line quiz on movie

Support

Pre-class preparation out of class

Topic pre reading (Cambridge Go)
Further reading links (LMS)

Complete topic reading

Online discussion board for questions and answers

Auto - marked quiz (H5P0)

Complete on-line quiz on pre-reading

Support

Welcome Task - During Class

Nominated Topic (LMS)
PowerPoint Presentation

Media Watch Discussion - student led discussion on nominated media report on relevant topic

Nominated student led discussion and peer reviewed feedback via Mentimeter
Teacher provides personalised feedback

Prior Learning Quiz - During Class

PowerPoint (LMS)
Student worksheet (Google docs)
Textbook (Cambridge Go)

Rapid recall questions with group discussion

Teacher led questions with small group discussion on correct answer.

Development of Topic - During Class

PowerPoint (LMS)
Textbook (including relevant video links) (Cambridge Go)

Teacher led explicit teaching of topic content

Teacher led + class discussions
Online discussion board for follow-up questions and extension questions raised by students

Worksheet (Google docs)

Formative assessment task by completing topic worksheet

Teacher provides personalised feedback

Exit Ticket - During Class

PowerPoint (LMS)

Heads & Tails Quiz

Teacher led group Q&A exercise to reinforce learning topic learning intentions

End of Unit Summative Exercise - During and outside of class hours

PowerPoint (LMS)
Video (Cambridge Go)

Teacher led scaffolding of mock trail

Teacher led explicit instruction.
Group work
Online discussion board

Group allocated facts (LMS)
Cambridge Go
Google docs

Preparation for mock trial

Group discussion through Google docs and discussion forums

Cambridge Go
Google docs

Participate in mock trial

Peer reviewed feedback via Mentimeter
Teacher provides personalised feedback ort

Additional information

The learning design is intended for use with:

- detailed lessons plans which cover the content of each topic;
- associated PowerPoint presentation which contain the necessary detail for the development section of each Topic and which should form the basis of students' notes;
- the detailed worksheet that will be edited in Google docs with Teacher access; and
- the use of a LMS and also the ability to use Camebridge Go interactive elements to be able to extract student data.

It sets out the sequence and the various data points available to teachers to check student engagement with material and their understanding of those materials.