Legal Studies

In these lessons, secondary and middle school students learn about and discuss the legal aspects of cyberbullying. They review a variety of hypothetical scenarios and a case study, and consider the seriousness of the situations, who is legally responsi …

This mock trial is a practical lesson for intermediate/ middle school level students on how the law is relevant to them on a daily basis and how their behaviour is affected or governed by laws such as those regarding libel. Electronic media open many p …

The lesson studies the life, trial, and execution of Joan of Arc, and examines their relation to current legal processes, demonstrating changing notions of law and how legal categories of right and wrong (as well as broader public perceptions) change o …

Youth and Criminal Law features a collection of videos that teach young people about their legal rights and responsibilities in Canada. The videos introduce “K9”, a typical kid who describes a range of typical youth scenarios where legal issues arise. …

This Governmental agency website that has a Public Education section that includes a Speakers’ Kit, statistics, myths and realities, and a teacher’s guide with a lesson plan.

A site where teachers can learn to incorporate legal concepts and principles into their classroom teaching, and students can access information about the law. Includes lesson plans, legal updates, and a list of supplemental resources. Based in British …

Some cases have had the effect of changing not only the legal but also the social landscape of Canada. Here is a look at a few of them. This feature article appeared in LawNow magazine Vol. 38 Issue 6 which featured bench mark cases that changed the le …

Are you looking for resources suitable for teens or young adults? Below you will find selected resources created for young people about a variety of topics. Also you can see youth resources about specific topics in the following sub-sections: Bullying …

To complement the national tour of Magna Carta, the Education Committee of Magna Carta Canada has released a new resource guide for teachers hoping to integrate the Great Charter into their social science and Indigenous studies courses. The resource fe …

This resource provides background information for teachers and activities on human rights, the Charter, discrimination, bullying and harassment and applicable laws, suitable for secondary school students (Grades 7 to 12).  It may be used with The Respe …

This resource provides thorough background information on the duty to consult including relevant cases, historical information, consultation guidelines, and links to other sources. Below is a description from Bear Paw Education: “The principles of cons …

Pro Bono Law Alberta and the Alberta Branch of the Canadian Bar Association have produced a video explaining what to expect in court. This video offers tips and information that would be a helpful to students preparing for a mock trial. Additional vide …

Be Web Aware is a website by Media Smarts for parents and teachers. The website feature tips for a wide range of age groups and covers topics including cyber-bullying, excessive internet use, sexual risk and harm, privacy, marketing aimed at children, …

Steven Truscott was convicted of rape and murder in 1959 and in 2007 it was decided that this conviction was a miscarriage of justice. This document chronicles the series of events from the moment when Steven took Lynne Harper on his bicycle until he w …

This landmark case focuses on the medical treatment of blood transfusions for a 14 year old girl. The teenager and her parents refused the transfusion because they were Jehovah Witnesses. A.C. (the teenage girl) was then made a ward of the court and gi …

Through the study of this landmark case students will explore questions about what level of privacy Canadian citizens are entitled to and under what circumstances. R.v.Patrick, and the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2009 decision in regards to the case, is …

January 28, 2008 was the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark decision to legalize medical abortion in Canada. Dr. Morgantaler and two colleagues were charged in Ontario with performing legal abortions. When this case was put to t …

Frank, an 18 year old Aboriginal student breaks into a local grocery story and attacks  the owner leaving him with a broken arm and facial scars.  Research is done into Frank’s present situation as well as the  family background. There are discussion q …

This online video resource (which can be ordered for free) contains footage of some high school students being arrested under the “Youth Gathering Act”, a fictitious law which is used to demonstrate the concepts such as rule of law and how our judicial …

This activity guides students through the rules and regulations of beginning a small business they may run during the summer holidays. It focuses on the permits needed and how they vary from city to town as well as from province to territory. Questions …

In this mock trial, a student on the school basketball team slips on a puddle of water left on the gymnasium floor. His injuries cause him to lose his basketball scholarship , as well as his job. The student sued Ketkluane High School for negligence fo …

This mini research project helps students develop an understanding of what they need to know when returning home from travelling anywhere in the world. Using information provided by the Canadian Border Services Agency students will: describe the restri …

This site discusses a variety of landmark decisions from the Law Courts of Canada. They include issues dealing with Aboriginal Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to name a few. Each case is explained in detail using plain language a …

This 36 page magazine (in PDF format) contains valuable information for adolescents and young people beginning their first job. There is a wealth of information that everyone beginning a new job should be aware of. It includes important facts regarding …

Alberta Worker’s Health Centre has a section that focuses on young workers. On this site, under Work Plays you can invite a professional theatre group at no cost to come to your school to share with students about occupational health and safety issues …

It’s All in the Family is a series of activities focusing on different kinds of families.  Each section gives some background information on a topic such as parental custody, same sex couples, divorce and separation, etc.  This is followed by some inte …

This activity will help students taking CTS: Legal Studies (1020) to describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities; explore sources of protection of rights and freedoms; and discuss methods of protecting rights and responsibilities Grad …

This lesson is designed to introduce students in CTS Legal Studies to the Canadian judicial system, how it works, and the various ways in which students may be required to participate in the judicial system at some point in their lives. Students will w …

This interactive site offers students the opportunity to view and listen to 5 scenarios where the law has been broken. Students are required to make decisions based upon judicial principles, research, and the evidence; a “meter of justice” will tell st …

The Supreme Court of Canada has created an education kit for those who do not live in or near Ottawa. It contains factual information, a mock trial with suggestions for implementation and activity sheets such as crossword puzzles and word searches.

If you are looking for work while you are going to school or during holidays, this site will give you information that young workers need to be aware of. Specific information on questions that can be asked at an interview, the rights and responsibiliti …

The great Code of Hammurabi, nearly 4,000 years old, was written in cuniform script in Akkadian, a language for much of the middle east and north Africa at the time.Thanks to the efforts of scholars at Cambridge, you can now hear what it might have sou …

This curricular resource, an 18 page PDF document, is applicable to students studying the rights of children and youth around the world. The objective of this resource is to educate others on the rights of children, the role of the Canadian Coalition f …

The development, roles, benefits and organization of unions is the topic of this website designed for high school students. It contains six lessons on unions that can be used individually or in sequence. The activities for students include small group …

This package of resources and articles was designed to introduce students to the major legal questions which must be considered when starting a small business. The information was designed to complement Legal Studies module 3050: Law and Small Business …

This site provides training for navigation through the site as well as guide students through the important aspects of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. There are 10 modules that give information as well as scenarios that reflect the topics presented. Ea …

You can set up your own mock trial with some tips from the Supreme Court of Canada.  An introduction focuses on how to set up a mock trial, a scenario is created that relates to students, and suggested questions are offered to the defence, crown and ju …

This resource provides excellent teacher background on the structure of the Canadian court system. It tells about the many kinds of courts there are in Canada and includes the organization, purpose and function of each court. Some examples of courts in …

This site provides general information for youth following an arrest. It gives answers to frequently asked questions and offers specific details regarding youth sentencing, records and pardons. It also gives the Youth Criminal Justice Act website if yo …

The Justice Education Society of British Columbia has updated their website to include support for many curriculum areas. A number of the resources on this site can be purchased for a nominal fee and used effectively in the classroom. Resources include …

This teacher resource offers background information on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. All aspects of the Charter are reviewed in plain language in both English and French. Each overview provides information and focus questions for before …

All of their educational resources are developed to supplement John Humphrey Centre projects.  The resources are designed for teachers to incorporate human rights lessons into the classroom, workplace or community. Some of their resources include: Comb …

Human rights is the focus of this downloadable 136 page PDF document that provides excellent background for teachers as well as a variety of activities for students in Social Studies and CTS: Legal Studies.    All lessons use the newspaper as a tool to …

This is a service in which justice professionals come out to schools and talk about law related topics that focus on the outcomes from the Alberta Social Studies Curriculum. Speakers are  available to talk about many justice-related topics and areas of …

Two recent decisions from the Supreme Court of Canada focus on section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure. One case takes place at a high school, the other at a C …

This kit has a huge number of book, media and website resources that link directly to the Alberta curriculum. Each entry states the specific outcomes in Social Studies, Language Arts and /or Health that match the resource. There is also a summary of ea …

The Law Topics section of The Children’s Legal & Educational Resource Centre (CLERC), a non-profit organization based in Calgary, provides legal advice, education, and referals to youth. Topics covered include: Adoption Independant Living Guardians …

Canadian Legal FAQs answers Frequently Asked Questions about the Law in Canada and Alberta. This website is an excellent research tool for students. All of the answers are written in accessible plain language and covers a wide range of topics.

This site offers valuable resources for students in CALM and CTS: Legal Studies about renting and accommodation. The site is divided into two parts, (a) Laws for Landlords, and (b) Laws for Tenants.  Links to appropriate acts (such as the Alberta Resid …

These teacher materials include a teaching guide and student handout for use with the publication Renting 101.  Renting 101 can be downloaded or a printed copy can be ordered here.   Students review questions can be downloaded here. The teacher re …

This activity helps students understand what mediation is by having them engage in the actual process. Students work in groups and follow a step-by-step mediation outline to resolve a conflict. By the end of the lesson students should be able to analyz …

Contracts are entered into every day by almost every person, so it is important to understand the central issues in contract law, as they apply to both adults and youth. This booklet is designed to provide students, particularly those in CTS Legal Stud …

MediaSmarts is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization for digital and media literacy. Their website features a wealth of classroom resources for youth to develop critical thinking skills to engage with media as active and informed digital ci …

Alberta Worker’s Health Centre has a section that focuses on young workers. On this site, under Work Plays you can invite a professional theatre group at no cost to come to your school to share with students about occupational health and safety issues …

Marshall, a First Nation man, was fishing for eels to sell to support his family. After he caught the eels, he was then charged with fishing without a license, selling eels without a license and fishing out of season.   When this case went to the Supre …

LawLessons.ca was created by the Justice Education Society of BC to host their resources in one easy to navigate location. This website offers lesson plans, unit plans, court education, teacher training, and other law related classroom resources.

The Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) has extensive mock trial resources for teachers in both English and French. OJEN has mock trial role preparation packages for both civil and criminal law. They also have a wide variety of cases and materials …

In this issue of The PLEA we look at how teachers and students can use mock trials in the classroom and what students can gain from them. From the teacher’s point of view, the appeal of the mock trial is that it teaches about the justice system while e …