R. v. Wyler Mock Trial Kit

From Perry Mason to Atticus Finch, the high drama of the courtroom is a favourite setting for playing out human conflict and illuminating social issues of the day. However, fictional court settings often skew the reality of the work of courts and the process of administering justice. With this in mind, PLEA has created R. v. Wyler: A Mock Trial Kit. This five-lesson unit provides the tools to conduct a mock criminal trial by Jury. It is suitable for upper-middle-years and high school students in the Social Sciences and even has cross-curricular application with Arts Education.

In addition to the student engagement that takes place through role-playing, R. v. Wyler provides a firsthand understanding of how trial procedures and courtroom personnel work to ensure a fair trial. Such learning will help students achieve the Interactions and Interdependence and Power and Authority aims and goals of Saskatchewan’s Social Studies curricula. As well, the role-playing aspect of R. v. Wyler can fulfill many drama-related outcomes of Saskatchewan’s Arts Education curriculum.

As with all learning resources from PLEA, R. v. Wyler was developed with the understanding that teachers are the professionals best-suited to facilitate student learning. While it can function well as a singular resource for implementing a mock trial, its lessons are meant to be a foundational framework for approaching trials and the justice system. Teachers are encouraged to adapt this resource and integrate other resources as they see best fit to meet the needs of their students.

Teacher feedback is what enables PLEA to create and improve our learning resources so that they continue to meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s classrooms. Feel free to contact us at plea@plea.org with any comments and suggestions regarding this or any other of our learning resources