CROSS CURRICULAR APPROACHES TO

TEACHING LAW AND CIVICS

Christina GanevEast York C.I.

Toronto District School BoardContact: christina.ganev@tdsb.on.ca

Agenda

• Assessment

• Enrichment

• Practical teaching strategies and activities

• Having fun and inspiring students!

LAW - ASSESSMENT• Music and the Law

• Newspaper Scrapbook assignment

• CCLA Charter Essay Contest

• Mock Trial – OJEN

LAW – ASSESSMENT

• Technology – Facebook assignment

• Technology – follow news sources on Twitter and write weekly/monthly journals

LAW – ENRICHMENTGUEST SPEAKERS

•CCLA – guest speakers “That’s not fair”

•Ontario Justice Education Network – adopt a lawyer program

•Corrections Canada – guest speakers

LAW - ENRICHMENT

• Courthouse tours

• Virtual courtroom tours at www.courtprep.ca

WORKPLACE LAW

• Organize a Career Day – careers in law requiring highschool or college diplomas

• Book the computer lab once per week to complete a scavenger hunt on the law

CIVICS – ASSESSMENT• Try these tips to reduce failure rates:

– Reduce the number of tests/quizzes– Rewrite quiz until a mark of 70% is achieved– Offer choice with every assignment– Eliminate the exam – Have theme days – Use relevant technology whenever possible– Class project– Pair up senior students with Civics class – mock

election, presentations, mentorship, peer tutors

CIVICS - ASSESSMENT• Newspaper presentation assignment

• Choice (differentiated instruction)

• Straw tower activity

• Simulations (mock election, trial, town hall meeting)

• Four corners debate

• Social media – Twitter and the news

CIVICS - ENRICHMENT

• Think Literacy (prep for OSSLT, graphic organizers)

• Weekly News/Classroom Ready

• What in the World

• Metro (free) or Toronto Star or computer lab – once a week

CIVICS - ENRICHMENT

• Smart Ideas (concept mapping)

• Toondoo.com (make your own comic strip) or Bitstrips (TDSB licensed)

• City of Toronto website

• Courtprep.ca – virtual tour of a courtroom

CIVICS – ENRICHMENTGUEST SPEAKERS

• Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) – speakers re. equality rights in the Charter (case studies)

• Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) – speakers re. fairness of the law (case studies)

• Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) – lawyers and law students

• Fair Vote Canada – PR vs. FPTP lessons plans

CIVICS – ENRICHMENTGUEST SPEAKERS

• Newspapers – journalists

• Local police station – police officers and parole officers

• Invite a new immigrant

• Holocaust survivors

• War vets

• City Councilor, MP, MPP – all at the same time!

Enrichment – Free Resources!• Student Vote – full mock election packages , online tools, complete

support to run a parallel election, resources in between elections

• Elections Canada – posters, riding maps, visual aids for decorating the classroom

• OERB – teaching resources by other teachers

• Parliament of Canada – lots of free resources, class set of “Our Country, Our Parliament”

• “Welcome to Canada” – free class set of books on immigration

Instructional Strategies• Fold the line• Four corners• Graphic organizers (2 handouts)• Placemat• Graffiti• Pass it on• Snowball

Completion Chart

Fun! (How to get them to come to class

– and on time!)• Fun daily activities

– Media Monday– Trivia Tuesday– Question Thursday– Funny Friday

• Make up competitions weekly