Justice, Courage, and Human Rights:
Seven Trials That Help Explain the Twentieth Century
Every student in the class will have a role as a witness, defendant, attorney, or jury member. All witnesses were real historical people who will testify about actual historical events.
Each trial includes:
Teacher’s Guide and Notes for the Teacher provides teachers with information on the historical significance of the trial, what were the sources for the materials, suggestions for running the trial and
Student Background Information provides all students the historical context of the time, place, and circumstances in which the trial is situated. Students must analyze and understand the background information to prepare properly for their role in the trial and to understand the historical importance of the trial.
Key Terms and their definitions. These provide additional background information that helps illuminate important aspects of the trial.
Timeline of key events leading up to the trial.
Student Role Sheets provides individual students with information to which their character can testify. Every witness in every trial is a real historical person who will testify to actual events.
Hexagonal Thinking pretrial assignment for witnesses and jurors. Hexagonal Thinking fosters a true understanding of each witness’ importance in the bigger picture of the trial. Each witness will have nine to twelve hexagons that represent important events, terms, and people related to the trial.
Hexagons force students not to simply memorize their role sheet but to have a true understanding of how their historical character relates to the whole narrative.
Aftermath information provides students with the outcome and impact of the actual trial. This should be distributed and discussed after the class verdict has been determined.
Discussion Questions provide students with the opportunity to analyze and evaluate the ethical questions raised by the trial.
Guidelines for an Effective Student Attorney, Guidelines for an Effective Student Witness, and Guidelines for an Effective Student Juror provides students with guidelines for how to perform their roles in the trial.
Student Attorney Rubric, Student Witness, and Rubric Student Juror Rubric provides the teacher with guidelines for assessing each student's performance.
