12
Title of Unit Criminal Law Grade Level
Law 30 14 lessons
Subject Time Frame
Kassidy MacPherson
Developed By
Building Lifelong Learners - Throughout the course of this unit on criminal law students will ideally be intrigued by some of the concepts, case studies,
or laws that arise in our studies. In showing them that it can be rewarding, fun, and interesting to learn about these such concepts students may be
prompted to continue their studies in these areas or areas branching off of the concepts covered in this unit. This unit will also equip students with
strategies to critically analyze information surrounding criminal law as they encounter it in the media/news over the course of their lives.
Building a Sense of Self and Community- Through understanding the criminal laws students will become more aware of the social implications and
values that hold us together in society. In gaining an increased understanding of social values, morals, and protective goals students will be able to
more thoroughly appreciate, recognize, and perpetuate these same values in their own communities.
Building Engaged Citizens- Given the social activist nature of the content of the criminal law unit students will get a practical look at the systems that
govern our society. Through case studies, field trips, and evaluations of laws students will be able to tangibly experience the influence they can have in
these systems. By understanding these systems students will be challenged to reflect on changes they would make and to recognize the reasoning
behind our laws and models of justice.
Developing Identity and Interdependence- Through a number of individual research assignments and inquiry-based opportunities students will be
encouraged to focus their time and attention on issues and content that are of specific interest to them. This focus on individualized interest will help
build a sense of independence and identity.
Develop Literacy- Students will be given ample opportunity to advance their literacy relating to technology and inquiry-based study, as well as their
literacy of social structures and societal values. In incorporating case studies, controversial issues, and current events students' media literacy and
literacy in critical synthesizing real-world information will be furthered.
Developing Social Responsibility- Students will develop their social responsibility as they realize that their opinions and voices can have implications in
their communities. As their understandings of their own societies increase they will be better equipped to critically and respectfully engage with social
issues around them.
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)
*outcomes are annotated as curriculum outlines great detail in objectives. Annotations are directly from curriculum and summarize
objective outcomes (direct copy-paste of objectives was many pages long)
Concepts and Knowledge Objectives
- Crime
- Non-criminality
- The Criminal Code
- Quasi-Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Due Process
- Legal Rights (including charter of Rights and Freedoms)
- The Adversarial System
- Models and Philosophies
- Demographics and Values
- Actus Reus, Mens Rea and Habeas Corpus
- Liability and Due Diligence
- Offences against people, property, morality, involving automobiles, and drug offences
- Arrests and Charges
- Presumption of Innocence
- Prosecution
- Summary Conviction Offences, Hybrid or Dual Offences, and Indictable Offences
- Defences
- Independence of the Judiciary
- Alternative Sentencing
- Parole
- Morality- know that morality is based on a number of principles
Skills/Abilities Objectives
- Develop and apply criteria as a basis for making value judgements
- Apply skills of dialectical evaluation
- Compare and contrast the adversarial system to other systems
- Apply the moral tests of role exchange, universal consequences, and new cases
- Apply Inquiry Skills
- Gather information from statistical data
- apply writing skills to develop a position paper
- Use effective reading skills to analyze data
- Differentiate between levels of intent
Values Objectives
- Appreciate that variance of opinion exists regarding the purposes of the criminal justice system
- Appreciate that the criminal justice system is a tool of social policy
- Appreciate that models are simplified representations of reality
- Contemplate various theories regarding causes of crime
- Clarify personal viewpoints regarding causes of crime
- Appreciate the three fundamental principles of the criminal justice system include presumption of innocence, fair and open trial, and burden of proof
beyond a reasonable doubt
- Identify the moral values portrayed through criminal law
- Appreciate that criminal laws reflect the moral values of society in context of time and place
Enduring Understandings Essential Questions
What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you want What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content? (open-
students to understand & be able to use several years from now) ended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry linked to the content
What misunderstandings are predictable? of the enduring understanding)
Knowledge: Skills
What knowledge will student acquire as a result of this unit? This content What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List the skills
knowledge may come from the indicators, or might also address pre- and/or behaviours that students will be able to exhibit as a result of their
requisite knowledge that students will need for this unit. work in this unit. These will come from the indicators.
Students will know… Students will be able to…
- The components involved in Canada's judicial system - Evaluate laws and controversial issues in a critical manner
- The values and morals instilled in Canadian society that guide our laws and - Understand the foundations of Canadian law and judicial system
the way we deal with criminal activity - Defend their beliefs and opinions regarding criminal offences and
- Specific systems and demographics relating to crime and judicial systems current events
in Saskatchewan and Canada - Apply their knowledge of Canada’s Criminal Code of Law and judicial
- How to evaluate laws and controversial situations in a professional and systems to real-life situations
critical manner - Utilize inquiry based learning strategies to further their understandings
- About specific laws and reasoning behind these laws that are pertinent to of specific laws and cases
Canadian society - Translate their knowledge of Canadian law to social issues that they
- About inequities within crime rates and demographics regarding First have power to create change in
Nations populations - fluently incorporate technological strategies into their everyday lives
- That Canadian law emphasizes different ideologies and values than the following practice with said technology throughout the course
systems in place in other countries/cultures
- Student will understand how to better read media and technology sources
(such as online news articles, news clips, social media postings and
comments, and online statistics)
- How to use online resources to work collaboratively
- How to effectively post, share, and access online resources within the class
and beyond
Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills? (describes the learning activity
in “story” form. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate their
understanding in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
G – Goal Students will gain information and strategies throughout the term that will enable them to recognize, critique,
What should students accomplish by and justify their beliefs regarding Canadian Criminal Law. Given the practice available to students throughout
completing this task? the unit via case studies, application assignments, and field trip(s), students will be required to analyze a real-
life case relevant in recent Canadian law. Students will take a critical omniscient perspective in critiquing a case
the unit via case studies, application assignments, and field trip(s), students will be required to analyze a real-
life case relevant in recent Canadian law. Students will take a critical omniscient perspective in critiquing a case
R – Role from Canadian law and justifying the outcome and defence strategy that they would take if they were to try the
What role (perspective) will your students
case. All students in the class who have demonstrated genuine understanding of the content and who have
be taking?
participated in case studies and field trips will be able to take what they have learned and apply it to this
A – Audience particular assignment and to other relevant cases that may appear in the media or news. Ultimately this will
Who is the relevant audience? help students demonstrate and practice an ability to integrate and apply their learned information into the
controversy of relevant current events and case studies.
S – Situation
The context or challenge provided to the
student.
P – Product, Performance
What product/performance will the
student
create?
A rubric for the summative assessment itself can be included, however this performance task will emphasize
S – Standards & Criteria for Success students’ ability to translate their knowledge to make informed opinions and judgement about real-life cases
Create the rubric for the Performance Task
and controversies surrounding criminal law.
A summative assessment assignment will have students compose a Students will self-assess through quick writes and reflective pieces
defence strategy for a Canadian case, and will have them justify their throughout the unit on their personal blogs and in other formats
choices using course content. Smaller assignments such as assignments, throughout. They will also be challenged to address their own beliefs and
written components, and case studies will help students learn how to possible biases in the opinions they hold. This will allow students to be
complete this process and to recognize why it is important. Throughout the cognizant of their learning and will encourage them to recognize the
unit formative assessments such as quick writes, class polls, and group practicality of what they are learning.
discussions will assess students progression to an ability to make these
critical translations of content to real life scenarios.
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
• achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
• equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the learners been
part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
I expect that many of the students in my class (most likely grade 11’s and 12’s) will have had little formal education surrounding criminal law despite the
opinions they may hold coming into the course. I do expect and hope that many students will have a natural interest in the area of criminal law and
crime, as it is a hot-topic and one of high interest for much of the population, but they will most likely be under-educated thus far as to why they think
what they think, why Canada and Saskatchewan’s justice system and laws operate the way they do, and why it is so important that we develop
understandings in these areas concerning criminal law. To make sure students understand what we will be learning and what the ultimate goals for their
learning are I will include brief yet informative roadmaps at the beginning of each lesson as well as an explanation/discussion about the relevance of
each topic. I believe that linking the concepts of the criminal law unit to real-life examples and applications for my students will allow them to more
naturally absorb the information to be learned and will more likely serve as a catalyst for further interest and social action in these systems. My students
will almost undoubtedly have experienced news clips, Facebook articles, and many debates about highly debated criminal cases and happenings- for
example the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, or the recent and relevant case of Colten Boushie that has recently been source for heated debate
and personal connection for many individuals. What they are less likely to bring to the unit, however, is a coherent understanding of the reasoning
behind differing laws, systems, and judgements and an ability to justify their beliefs around such topics. This unit will explore the basic concepts and
systems surrounding Canadian and Saskatchewan criminal law and will equip students with methods of critical analysis that will allow them to be more
confident and informed when dealing with real-life situations relating to criminal law. The unit will also incorporate many case studies to amplify the
connections and application of knowledge that students will make. I anticipate that the best learning for this unit will come through a combination of
academic learning of concepts and structures, inquiry-based applications involving case studies to put this knowledge to practical use, and also the
incorporation of place-based pedagogy in incorporating advise from experts (whether local or via documentary), and a field trip the local courthouse to
see some of their learned concepts in action. I believe that the combination of these different presentations of information and experience will best
serve the variety of learner that is expected in any classroom.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)
I will begin this unit by playing a 5 minute youtube video on The Innocence Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgg35eNBllA) to grab
students’ attention and pull them into the concepts surrounding criminal law. By showing a video on the innocence project (which aims to overturn
wrongful convictions) I will not only highlight why criminal law is important (at protecting our societies but also in protecting those involved in- or
presumed to be involved in- crimes) but also to touch on some of the main concepts that will be explored in the unit (ex innocent until proven guilty,
demographics of crimes, sentencing process, differences in offences, etc).
I will then offer students a brief roadmap of the unit ahead: that we will learn what crime is, how Canada defines and handles crime, different types of
offences and defences, who is most commonly involved in crime, and how Saskatchewan handles the processes involved with criminal law.
After this brief explanation of the unit on Criminal Law students will ideally be intrigued and excited to learn about criminal law (as it is a hot topic) and
will be briefed on where we are headed and why it is important that we learn about these concepts/systems.
What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will
you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
PGP 1.3 a commitment to social justice and the capacity to nurture an inclusive
and equitable environment for the empowerment of all learners;
2.1 knowledge of Canadian History, especially in reference to Saskatchewan and
Western Canada;
2.3 knowledge of First Nations, Metis and Inuit Culture and History (e.g., Treaties,
Residential School, Scrip, and Worldview);
6 1. Reasons for Crime (40 minutes)
- This lesson will open with a News clip on statistics in Canada that highlights the disparity
between homicide rates in general populations and that of Indigenous populations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkTtyrtB4UM
- discussion/lecture on current research and theories on criminal activity will be explored. A
multidisciplinary approach will be taken as research from the fields of psychology, criminology,
sociology and more are compiled to try to explain why crime occurs.
- We will discuss 6 theories of criminology (classical, biological, phsychobiological, psychological,
sociological, and interactionist theories)- students will be provided with a chart to fill in details
on the 6 different theories
2. Demographics (15 minutes) Innocence
- We will then examine the demographics of Canadian crime statistics on the following website. Project
- https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects/crime_and_justice website for
- We can explore and discuss this website as a class as discussion leads. review
- We will also identify any obvious patterns and relationships between conviction rates, homicide
Who Are the DII, DL,
rates, and different social factors (ex poverty, race, education level, area of residence etc). Index Cards
Criminals? DSR
- Ask students to think about whether these statistics remind them of any of the theories we just
learned about. chart/sheet
3. Wrongful Conviction (40 minutes) for 6
- Students will be asked to rely on the knowledge they learned during the lesson on the theories of
Presumption of Innocence to explore wrongful conviction as it intersects with demographics. A criminology
class discussion and exploration of the Innocence Project website will take place in class time.
- students will be required to complete some research to gain a comprehensive understanding of
crime statistics in Canada. Following a work period to compile what information they feel is
prevalent, we will compile what we have learned through our individual research in an index-
card-bulletin board. Everyone will contribute a minimum of 3 index cards of information related
to crime statistics. This way students are able to gain skills in individual research yet they can
learn from the shared wealth of knowledge that they have learned as a class.
PGP 1.3 a commitment to social justice and the capacity to nurture an inclusive and
equitable environment for the empowerment of all learners;
4.2 the ability to incorporate First Nations, Metis, and Inuit knowledge, content and
perspective into all teaching areas
7 1. Demographics of FNIM populations in Canada (30 minutes)
Class will open with a youtube video on missing and murdered indigenous women (link below) to
begin a dialogue regarding the current situation of FNIM populations and crime in Canada. (https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqpsoEuQEjU) Following this video, prompt the students to think about
First Nations populations in Canada. Ask the following questions to get a critical discussion flowing
(prompts further detailed in extensive lesson plan).
- We will begin by reviewing the current climate of FNIM relations with Canadian government to
ensure that all students are up to speed with these issues. Discuss any current events surrounding
First Nations populations and the law.
- Review events of the Colten Boushie/Gerald Stanley case outlined in the following CBC Article
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/what-happened-stanley-farm-boushie-shot-witnesses-
colten-gerald-1.4520214
- This portion of lecture and class discussion should emphasize that First Nations populations in
Canada are misrepresented in media as aggressors instead of victims of systemic racism and crime
statistics.
2. FNIM Crime Rates (30 minutes)
- discuss the imbalance of FNIM crime rates in Canada.
- Have students use their own devices or a class set of ipads, computers, or laptops where devices to
needed to have students explore the Stats Canada website. Have them search First Nations access
statistics within the Stats Canada site using whatever search words they choose. Having student
students search through the Stats Canada website on their own using the search words of their blogs, link to
FNIM Crime choice will increase their familiarity with this reliable website, to begin with, but will also online
DL, DSR,
Rates in contribute to their developing literacy of online resources. They will be able to use trial and resource
DII
Canada error and any preexisting knowledge of effective online search practices to better their regarding
efficiency in this phase of individual research. FNIM crime
- Students should add research to the stormboard we started at the beginning of this lesson. stats,
- Class discussion will again be prompted regarding whether these rates are different than those youtube
of broader Canada. video
3. Student Reflection on Blogs (10 minutes)
- Students will be prompted to reflect on the reasoning they believe is behind this imbalance in
their personal blogs.
- Begin a think-pair-share on the following prompt: ask them to consider what problems this
could pose in their communities. What does this say about our society? What might we be able
to do to create change?
4. Collaborative Learning Structured Assignment
- To focus on problem solving and collaborative learning, teacher will break class into groups and
assign them each an area of law in which there are racial inequities. Students will have to work
together to identify areas in the media in which this area of law is mentioned, represented, or
alluded to. Encourage them to look for bias in news articles, youtube clips, Facebook postings
and comments, tweets, etc.
- There will be a class wide google docs (hyperlink will be written out on the board in the
classroom for students to type in to their devices) on which students will briefly share their
findings. The google docs will have a section for each of the 6 assigned areas of crime. Groups
will share their overall findings along with specific examples they found within the media.
8 1. Intent (20 minutes)
- Definitions of Intent and Liability will open the class as I will explain what we will be learning in
the upcoming lesson.
- Discussion and lecture will explore the different types of offences as they pertain to level of
intent and Liability: we will discuss Non-intent offences, strict liability offences (primarily quasi-
criminal offences) which are concerned with the safety of the public as opposed to prosecution
of an offender, where, and absolute liability offences (regulatory offences) which are more
concerned with offenders and offer no defence (ex failing to stop at a stop sign).
- Will then discuss Due Diligence in a brief lecture portion
2. Types of Offences (30 minutes)
Intent and handout
- We will go over different types of offences that are outlined in the Criminal Code of Canada
Types of DT, DL regarding
- These include offences against people, against property, against morality, involving automobiles,
Offences intent levels
and being party to an offence.
- A jigsaw activity will be used for students to brainstorm examples of offences that would fall
under their assigned category. Groups will be made either alphabetically or by desk row- then
students will share the examples they came up with.
3. Classifications of Offences (15 minutes)
- We will discuss the three classifications of offences: Summary conviction offences, hybrid/dual
offences, and indictable offences. Criteria for each classification and examples of each will be
discussed in class.
PGP 4.3 the capacity to engage in program planning to shape ‘lived curriculum’ that
brings learner needs, subject matter, and contextual variables together in
developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive and meaningful ways
10 1. Introduction and Definition to Defences (15 minutes)
- We will discuss that a defence is any denial or answer to a charge against an accused person. A
defence is a legally recognized excuse for criminal conduct.
- After this brief introduction to defences, students will fill in the “K” portion of their KWL charts
to show what they believe they already know about defence from movies, the news, personal
experience, and/or the media
- We will watch several excerpts from movies and news clips about clips from juries, law suits,
and criminal defences.
2. Fourteen Defences to Criminal Charges (30 minutes)
- We will then delve into the many different type of defences recognized under Canadian law and
provide brief examples for each type of defence. Students will fill out a handout that outlines
each type of offence
- The defences to be discussed are as follows: no criminal state of mind, automatism, alibi, self-
KWL Charts
Defences to defence, defence of property, duress, provocation, mistake of fact, mistake of law, mental
Criminal disorders, necessity, intoxication, special pleas, and entrapment and abuse of process. DT, DL
defences
Charges - After they have heard the different defences under Canadian criminal law, students will fill in
handout
the "W" portion of their KWL charts with any questions they have or things they hope to learn
- Students will be required to complete individual research in class (and then take home what
they have not finished) and find an example case from Canada in the past 10 years that falls
into one of these categories. They will need to come prepared to share their findings with the
class in a discussion circle the next day
3. Socratic Circle (30 minutes)
- A socratic circle will take place for students to share the cases they found which fall under the
categories of defence
- Following the discussion circle students will complete their KWL chart by filling in the "L"
column.
PGP 3.2 the ability to use a wide variety of responsive instructional strategies and
methodologies to accommodate learning styles of individual learners and support their
growth as social, intellectual, physical and spiritual beings.
11 1. Saskatchewan’s Levels of Criminal Court (20 minutes)
- We will discuss the three levels in SK- the Provincial Court, the court of Queen's Bench, and the
Court of Appeal
- I will lecture on the progression through the levels of court- should a case require multiple
levels.
- We will also take time to explore the four divisions of SK Provincial Court (criminal ,youth,
family, and small claims)
- The process of election and preliminary inquiry will also be discussed, as accused individuals
may choose to be tried by a judge and jury or to go straight to the Provincial or Queen’s Bench
Court. Why would someone choose this alternative? Students will be asked to brainstorm as a
class in a think-pair-share.
2. Supreme Court of Canada (25 minutes)
- We will discuss when the Supreme Court comes into play, who is involved in the decisions at
this level, and what a case must consist of in order to reach this level of court system. handout 2.13
- We will then examine the validity of oral storytelling in supreme court cases, as past cases have on the Court
Levels of
paved the way for orality to be viewed as admissible in some courts of law just as written DII, DL, System in
Criminal Court
documentation has always been. DT Canada
in SK
- Discussion of Sparrow Case and the Sparrow system
- Students will then be given a handout summarizing these levels of court in SK and Canada
3. International Comparison (15 minutes)
- We will discuss the differences between nations’ judicial and court systems and specifically
evaluate the differences between Canada and America in the process of enacting judges. In
Canada judges are appointed whereas in America they are elected. We will discuss the
reasoning and implications of this difference
- Students will be encouraged to draw on other cultures’ ways of dealing with criminal cases
whether they know of these cultural differences through personal experience, news stories, or
media.
PGP 2.3 knowledge of First Nations, Metis and Inuit Culture and History (e.g., Treaties,
Residential School, Scrip, and Worldview);
14 1. Reintegration into Society (20 minutes)
- I will give students a working definition of parole and the reasoning behind it. This introductory
concept will lean back onto the restorative and rehabilitation models that Canadian Criminal
Code of Law emphasizes
- Students will be prompted to think about what sort of offenders should be allowed to be
reintegrated into society- is there a cut off level where they should not be allowed parole?
- We will then cross reference their ideas with online Canadian parole laws.
2. Values of the Parole System (15 minutes)
- Students will be asked to create a reflective paragraph to assess the underlying principles of
Canada's parole system (i.e. protection of public, protection of community, etc) and add this prompt/
reflection to their ongoing personal blogs. DT, DSR, handout for
Parole
- Why does Canada value the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society? What DL reflective
purpose does that serve to our country's values and morals? paragraph
3. Perspective Shift (15-20 minutes)
- Students will be given the remainder of class time to research a culture of their choosing that
might handle post-incarceration process differently than Canada.
- They will be asked to record their findings and explain whether their chosen country/culture
incorporates a parole system (and how id is different or similar to Canada's), or whether they
uphold an entirely different approach/outlook. This writeup will be added to an ongoing google
docs for the class.
If one is available, I will use a mic and speaker system for students who may benefit
from this sort of system (those with hearing impairments, behavioural issues, etc).
These students will be challenged to apply their skills more readily in more case
studies and will be encouraged to more often incorporate examples from current
events and relevant media.
They may also be asked to take on the role of more components involved in the
criminal justice system in reflective writing pieces.
Finally, they will be given opportunity to write to members of the judicial system to
share their thoughts and opinions on current events.
Instructional Approaches: I believe that I included a variety of instructional methods that will work to engage
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student students in all aspects of learning. While a lecture style of instruction is used often
centered instructional approaches? throughout the lesson plans, group discussion will be regularly incorporated to allow
students to relate to their learning and engage more directly with content. Lessons
regularly require students to engage with their peers, relate course content to media
and current events, and reflect on the concepts they have been learning.
Further reflection and revision have led to an increase in variety in instructional
methods throughout the unit plan. I have modified some of my original instructional
approaches and added in some new ones all together to create a more student-centred
and culturally responsive approach.
Resource Based Learning: Students will have access to nearly infinite online resources and as their literacy in
Do the students have access to various resources on recognizing reputable sources increases through this unit (and other courses) they will
an ongoing basis? be able to explore what information most interests them.
The resources and handouts I provide to students throughout the unit will also provide
a stable basis of information for students to refer to.
I will also try my best to offer holistic understandings to students relating to course
material, but will emphasize my reliance on experts and reliable sources, thus
emphasizing the importance of being a lifelong learner.
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (pbk)