Lesson Plans by Edward P. Mulvihill

Grade: High School

Lesson Plan #1

Objective: The objective of this lesson is to familiarize students with the core subjects of Justice and Law Administration. This will give students a chance to receive general knowledge in many different areas of Justice and Law Administration which may spark interest into specific fields of study.

Materials: Computer, LCD Projector Paper, Legal Pads, Various Text Book (for teacher to provide handouts) Photo Copier, Various Miscellaneous material for exercises.

Procedure: The class will be given an introduction in the basic fields of Justice and Law Administration in such areas as Criminology, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Forensics, Juvenile Delinquency, Law Enforcement Policies, Corrections, and Rehabilitation. Students will be shown Power Point presentations and related videos gathered from motion pictures and The Connecticut State Police.

The schedule for the lesson will require a minimum of two classes each of approximately two hours each class. A total minimum of forty-two hours will be required for this lesson plan.

Closure / Evaluation: Two styles of evaluation can be used for this lesson plan. The first is standard reading assignments followed by quizzes and a final exam. This lesson plan may have more closure for the students and the teachers if on hands exercises and case briefs. This will also help the students remained motivated and interested in the field as they will be able to use what they have learned to reach a tangible outcome.

Lesson Plan #2

Objective: The objective of this lesson is to familiarize students with the specific application of the previous studies from the previous lesson plan. Specific area application will be used by the teacher to inform the students in regards to procedures, policies, and practical application techniques.

Materials: Computer, LCD Projector Paper, Legal Pads, Various Text Book (for teacher to provide handouts) Photo Copier, Various Miscellaneous material for exercises.

Procedure: Textbooks may be required for this course as the information is extensive and students will need to verify and search for information throughout the plan. Power Point presentations and hands on exercises will be used to enforce procedure, policy, and techniques as well as the practical application of course material and other related fields.

The schedule for this plan is much more extensive than the previous plan as this lesson plan is more detailed and specific. Each category; Criminology, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Forensics, Juvenile Delinquency, Law Enforcement Policies, Corrections, and Rehabilitation, will require a class period of one hour to one and a half hours each period, and maintain those course periods for at least 50 periods each.

Closure / Evaluation: Again, two styles of evaluation can be used for this lesson plan. The first is standard reading assignments followed by quizzes and a final exam. This lesson plan may have more closure for the students and the teachers if on hands exercises and case briefs. This will also help the students remained motivated and interested in the field as they will be able to use what they have learned to reach a tangible outcome. After each practical application, the results of the exercise should be recorded. A mid-term and a final examination should be incorporated with the exercises to provide practical experience and administrative experience. An average of the grades will determine the students final grade.

Web-Related Resources can be found at the following sites. It would be beneficial for students and teachers to incorporate these sites and software applications into the lesson plan.

http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/cj.html
 
 

http://www.ncjrs.org/

http://www.fbi.gov/

http://www.usdoj.gov/
 
 

http://www.forensic-science-society.org.uk/
 
 

http://www.segag.org/
 

Political Cartoons lesson developed by John Stavens

Time:  82 minutes

Grade Level:   9-12

Materials:  colored pencils, drawing paper, computer, scanner, printer, access to internet

Objective:  The students will use the internet to search for a desired set of sites and print political cartoons pertaining to the Second Industrial Revolution.  The students will evaluate both the reliability of the sites and the impact of the cartoons on the public of the day.  The students will create their own political cartoons concerning a current event topic and scan them onto the computer.  The students will evaluate their classmates’ cartoons based on creativity, desired audience effectiveness, and the accurate portrayal of the event.

Initiation:  Discuss the various ways in which art is used as propaganda.  Review how propaganda and bias can change the way the public, or desired audience, view an event or person.

Procedure:  Given the topic The Second Industrial Revolution; each student will search the internet for a site that has examples of political cartoons.  The students will try to pick a site or two that offers the most examples of multiple artists and many examples of the artist’s work.  An excellent site for political cartoons is www.nara.gov/education.    Each student will e-mail their site or sites of choice to the teacher in order to create a master list.
 The students will then pick three or four cartoons that each relate to the others and evaluate each cartoon based on it’s public impact and creativity.  Each student will also draw their own political cartoon and scan it onto a disk.  The student will attach their cartoon to an e-mail and send it to the teach in order for the teacher to create a student art gallery on the school website.

Closure:  Discuss a few of the students’ cartoons and have the students offer ways in which the cartoons can be used to influence a desired audience.

LESSON PLAN, POLITICAL JOURNALISM, 327

  OBJECTIVE:  STUDENTS WILL ATTEMPT TO USE VARIOUS FORMS OF THE MEDIA TO DEFEND POLITICAL POINTS OF VIEW,
THAT THEY WILL BE ASSIGNED. MEDIA FORMS MAY INCLUDE, PRINT,T.V.,RADIO AND PERSONIAL APPEARENCES.  STUDENTS
WILL NOT BE GROUPED, BUT MAY SHARE INFORMATION AMONG THEMESELVES,USING ANY TECHNOLOGICAL MEANS
AVAILABLE. .

     PROJECT 1:  GAINING ACESS TO SUNDAY MORNING TALK SHOWS,IE,                25%

            1.MEET THE PRESS.
            2.FACE THE NATION.
            3.FOX NEWS SUNDAY.
            4.SAM AND COAKIE.

     PROJECT2:  RADIO EXPOSURE DURING WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE    15%

     PROJECT3:  PUBLISH OP-ED STORY IN MAJOR NEWS PAPER,IE,                            25%

            1.NEW YORK TIMES.
            2.CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
            3.WASHINGTON POST.
            4.MIAMI HEARALD.
            5.ST. LOUIS DISTPATCH

    PROJECT4:   APPEAR AS GUEST COMMENTATOR ON THREE CABLE NETWORK SHOWS IN 24 HOUR PERIOD  10%

    PROJECT 5:  APPEAR ON TODAY SHOW ,GIVE IMPASSIONED INTERVIEW ON CLASS ASSIGNMENT.
20%

    ASSIGNMENT:  DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL DEFENSE, OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CURRENT SCANDALS, BY
USING THE MEDIA TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT.