Unit 5
​
Criminal Justice

reading and Writing Workshop

Forensic Science

Unit Plan

Criminal Law and Procedure

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 5
Essential Questions:

• What distinguishes criminal law from other forms of law?
• How are laws made, enforced, and challenged?

Overview:
This unit introduces students to the fundamental principles of criminal law in the United States. Through a combination of case study analysis, legal terminology exploration, and constitutional interpretation, students will examine how laws are created and challenged, the difference between crimes, and key procedural protections afforded by the Constitution.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Differentiate between criminal law and other types of law (e.g., civil law).
• Explain the sources of criminal law: statutes, case law, and constitutional law.
• Distinguish between felonies and misdemeanors and provide examples.
• Identify and explain common criminal defenses.
• Analyze the protections offered by the 4th and 5th Amendments, including the Miranda warning.
• Apply legal concepts to real-world scenarios and case studies.

Major Topics and LessonsWeek 9: Foundations of Criminal LawLesson 1: Introduction to Criminal Law and its Sources

• Content: Definitions; distinctions from civil law; overview of statutory law, case law, and constitutional law.
• Activity: Class discussion comparing civil and criminal law using real-life examples.
• Reading: Selected state criminal statutes and summary handouts.

Lesson 2: Types of Crimes: Felonies vs. Misdemeanors

• Content: Definitions and distinctions; consequences; examples by category.
• Activity: Classification challenge — students read short case scenarios and determine felony/misdemeanor.
• Formative Assessment: Exit ticket — define and give one example of each.

Lesson 3: Criminal Defenses

• Content: Overview of defenses (insanity, self-defense, duress, entrapment, etc.).
• Activity: Defense Match — small group activity matching scenarios with valid defenses.
• Worksheet: Apply the appropriate defense to given situations.
• Homework: Research one high-profile case and identify if a defense was used.

Week 10: Constitutional Protections and Case Law
Lesson 4: The 4th Amendment – Search and Seizure

• Content: Definition of "reasonable" search/seizure; warrants; exceptions.
• Activity: Interactive walkthrough of a hypothetical police search – students determine constitutionality.
• Reading: Brief summary of relevant 4th Amendment cases.

Lesson 5: The 5th Amendment and Miranda v. Arizona

• Content: Miranda rights; self-incrimination; due process.
• Reading: Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Full text
• Activity: Students watch/read an excerpt and role-play an arrest scenario with or without Miranda warning.
• Discussion: What happens when rights are violated?

Lesson 6: Case Study Review & Scenario Application

• Activity: Students receive a full criminal scenario.
  • Task 1: Identify whether the conduct is a felony/misdemeanor.
  • Task 2: Determine possible applicable defenses.
  • Task 3: Evaluate if any constitutional rights were violated.
• Assignment: Students complete a scenario-based worksheet using legal vocabulary.

Collaborative Discussions

• Socratic Circle: Debate whether the protections offered by the 4th and 5th Amendments go too far or not far enough.
• Small Group Case Briefs: Break into teams to summarize and present major points from Miranda v. Arizona.

Assessment
​Performance Task: Scenario-Based Worksheet

• Students are given a fictional criminal case.
• They must:
  • Identify type of crime (felony/misdemeanor).
  • Apply the correct legal defense.
  • Evaluate any 4th or 5th Amendment issues.

Rubric Criteria:

• Accuracy of law classification and application.
• Correct identification of relevant amendments.
• Quality of legal reasoning and explanation.
• Use of appropriate terminology.

Quiz: Crimes & Legal Terms

• Matching: terms (e.g., “duress,” “search warrant,” “probable cause”) to definitions.
• Multiple choice: scenarios testing understanding of felony vs. misdemeanor.
• Short response: explain one criminal defense and one constitutional protection.

Formative Assessments

• Daily exit tickets (e.g., “Which defense applies here?”).
• In-class classification practice.
• Peer reviews of case analysis drafts.

Extension/Enrichment

• Students draft a policy brief arguing for or against a proposed change to search/seizure or Miranda laws.
• Research a Supreme Court criminal law case and present it to the class (student choice or teacher-provided list).

Standards Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1: Cite strong textual evidence to support analysis.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1: Write arguments with valid reasoning and relevant evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate in effective collaborative discussions.

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​INDIVIDUAL AI-INTEGRATED ACTIVITIES
​Group AI-Integrated Activities
Activity 1: AI Case Analysis Drill (Individual)
Focus: Felony vs. Misdemeanor, Sources of Law
Objective: Use AI to summarize real criminal cases and classify them.
Instructions:

1. Students input a brief description of a real or hypothetical crime into an AI tool and ask for:
   • Whether it’s likely a felony or misdemeanor.
   • The relevant statute from a state penal code.
   • Case law that might apply (as examples, not legal advice).
2. Students write a 1-paragraph summary explaining:
   • The classification and reasoning.
   • The source of the law cited (statute, case, or constitutional).
3. Peer review in pairs and discuss variations in AI responses.

Deliverable: A written case summary and legal classification justification.

Activity 2: Criminal Defenses Chat Simulation (Group of 3–4)
Focus: Common Legal Defenses
Objective: Explore legal defenses through role-playing and AI questioning.
Instructions:

1. Each group chooses a criminal defense (e.g., insanity, duress).
2. Students prompt an AI chatbot to act as:
   • A defense attorney explaining how the defense works.
   • A prosecutor countering the defense.
3. Students simulate a mock exchange between prosecution and defense using AI responses, then script a 2-minute summary of the legal arguments.

Deliverable: Defense vs. Prosecution script excerpt and group presentation.

Activity 3: AI-assisted Constitutional Rights Analysis (Individual or Pair)
Focus: 4th and 5th Amendment Protections
Objective: Use AI to evaluate scenarios for constitutional violations.
Instructions:

1. Students are given or create a brief police-citizen encounter.
2. They prompt an AI tool with the situation, asking:
   • Were 4th or 5th Amendment rights violated?
   • Was the search or interrogation lawful?
   • Was Miranda properly given?
3. Students compare AI reasoning with their own analysis and annotate similarities or gaps.

Deliverable: Scenario summary, AI explanation, and a reflection paragraph comparing AI and student conclusions.

Activity 4: Supreme Court Decision Debate with AI Co-Counsel (Group of 4–5)
Focus: Miranda v. Arizona, Legal Argumentation
Objective: Prepare a debate using AI as a research assistant.
Instructions:

1. Split each group into “Pro-Miranda” and “Anti-Miranda” positions.
2. Use AI to gather:
   • Historical context of the ruling.
   • Arguments for and against the decision’s impact on law enforcement and rights.
3. Groups prepare a structured debate with opening statements, rebuttals, and closing arguments.

Deliverable: Group debate, supporting document with AI-generated citations or notes.

Activity 5: AI Law Lab – Create Your Own Criminal Code (Group of 3–4)
Focus: Statutory Interpretation and Legal Drafting
Objective: Use AI to draft sample criminal laws.
Instructions:

1. Students choose a type of crime (e.g., theft, cybercrime, vandalism).
2. With AI assistance, they draft:
   • A statute definition.
   • Examples of aggravating/mitigating circumstances.
   • Penalties for misdemeanor vs. felony versions.
3. Present to the class for critique: is the statute clear, fair, enforceable?

Deliverable: Drafted criminal code section with rationale.

Optional Enrichment: AI in Criminal Justice Mini-Research Project (Individual)
​Objective: Investigate how AI is used in modern law enforcement or courts.
Instructions:

1. Students prompt an AI to explain how predictive policing, facial recognition, or AI-assisted sentencing works.
2. Research accompanying concerns (e.g., racial bias, due process violations).
3. Write a 1–2 page position paper: Should AI be used in this way?

Deliverable: Position paper with at least one AI-cited source and one peer-reviewed or news source.