Homeschool Court - Crew Review

 

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I recently had the privilege to review the Homeschool Court Student Worktext, Teacher Manual and Case Summary materials from Homeschool Court. This course is an overview of the American judicial system and ends in a mock trial. It is written for high school students. I would say that the curriculum is teacher-intensive as there is a lot of discussion throughout the course. After we reading each chapter, we orally discussed the given questions about the American judicial system. Here is a breakdown of the nine chapters.

In chapter one, students learn why we have laws and some basic legal vocabulary. In chapter two, students understand the Biblical foundation upon which our country’s legal system was founded, apply Biblical principles to legal issues, and explore some important people and events in American legal history. In chapter three, students discover the participants in the court system and differences between various types of witnesses. In chapter four, students learn the difference between state and federal courts, trial and appellate courts, and civil and criminal courts – and how to decide in which jurisdiction to file a case. In chapter five, students explore the variety of the law while getting a taste of criminal, civil, and constitutional law. In chapter six, students distinguish between the step-by-step process involved in trials and appeals, as well as the physical set-up for each. In chapter seven, students practice their skills of persuasion while crafting witness questions, opening and closing statements, and a strong strategy for their trial or appellate case. In chapter eight, students use a team approach to prepare diligently for the mock trial. In chapter nine, students enjoy the fruits of their labor during the mock trial.

After reading through the Student Worktext, we were able to read through the Case Summary materials and let the debate begin. For this review, we were given the following Case Summary materials: Dog Bite at the Dog Show, Forging Mama’s Signature, and School Prayer. Each case provides a case summary, lower court decisions, and elements of the law.

After working through the course materials with our family, I think this would be a fun curriculum to incorporate in our co-op classes and I think it’s a great teaching tool for teaching high school students about the American judicial system. Visit the Crew Blog to read more reviews from the Homeschool Review Crew.