Jenny Park                                                                               Bronx Leadership Academy

Introduction

 

The wonderful worlds of law and literature collide more often than not.  Up until now, these worlds have been handled in separate classes.  Now you and your team will have the challenge of identifying and discussing how a legal issue was raised and/or addressed in books with which you are already familiar.

 

Task

n     Each team will choose, from a list, a book upon which the project will be based. You and your team mates will be responsible for getting re-acquainted with the novel or play.

n     Identify key legal problems or issues that are posed by the reading. (There’s more than one per book). Narrow down the legal problems to one constitutional question.

n   Together, you and your team will create a case book about one key legal issue addressed in the literature of choice.

Process

1.     You and your team will choose one of the following familiar books/plays:

l   Of Mice and Men

l   To Kill a Mockingbird

l   “A Soldier’s Play”

l   “Inherit the Wind”

 

2.     One or two years may have passed since you read the book/play.  To help you get re-acquainted with the chosen piece of literature, use the Plot Diagram Worksheet:

 

 

 

Plot Diagram Worksheet

 

1.     Setting

2.     Main Characters

3.     Plot

4.     Conflict/Dilemma

5.     Rising Action

6.     Climax

7.     Resolution

 

 

3.     Next, identify one constitutional issue that may present itself from the reading (it’s quite possible that there are more than one):

 

n     Right to Due Process

n     Right to Expression

n     Right to Religious Freedom

n     Right to Fair Trial

n     Right to Counsel

n     Right against Unreasonable Searches

 

4.     Analyze and research the constitutional issue in the context of the book/play and draft the Case Brief.

 

 

 

Case Brief Format

 

1.What’s the constitutional violation?

2.What’s the case name?

3.Who are the parties to the case?

4.What is the “Statement of Facts”?

5.What is the Burden of Proof?

6.What is the Testimonial Evidence?

7.What are the Defense(s)?

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation

 

•        “How did it go?” 

 

As part of a self-evaluation, discuss two contributions you personally made to the project and discuss two personal  areas that need improvement. 

 

As part of a team evaluation, discuss two strengths and two weaknesses of your team.

 

•        Use the Grading Sheet to gauge how complete and thorough your casebook is to ensure that your team gets full credit for its efforts.

 

 

      Conclusion 

•      Hope you find more enjoyment in re-reading classics in literature with the critical lens of a legal scholar.

•      Good luck!

 

Case Books will be due on                                              .

 

 

 

This project is in compliance with the following New York State Standards:

English Language Arts (ELA):  E1c; E2b,c,d,e,f; E3b; E4a, b; E5a

Social Studies:  Standards 1 & 5