Making Decisions by Group: The Jury System
OBJECTIVE
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Students will learn how to work cooperatively within a group and communicate their ideas clearly in order to reach an agreement. They will summarize their experience in writing.
MATERIALS
Deciding by Group: You Are the Jury (PDF) Student Reproducible-1; pen or pencil
REPRODUCIBLES
DIRECTIONS
- Explain that students will hand down a verdict of guilt or innocence based on the evidence presented. Students will first review the handout and decide on a verdict by themselves.
- Distribute copies of Deciding by Group: You Are the Jury (PDF) Student Reproducible 1. Have students read Part 1, then answer the questions in Part 2 without discussing the case with anyone else.
- When each student has completed Parts 1 and 2, divide the class into groups of 12. Have each group work together to come up with a unanimous verdict based on the evidence offered and through discussion among the group members. After each group has come to a unanimous decision, have students complete Part 3 of the reproducible.
- On a separate sheet of paper, have students write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the experience of working individually and in a group. As they write, have them answer the following questions:
- What challenges did you face while working individually? In a group?
- What were the advantages and disadvantages of working individually? In a group?
Teacher Resources:
National Standards and Benchmarks Chart
Make Your Case Trial Simulation
LESSON EXTENSION
Have volunteers share their reactions to the activity. Ask students whether working individually or in groups better helped them to reach a decision. Finally, ask students, if they were on trial, whether they would prefer being judged by a single person or a group of people.
