Defining law-related education (LRE) as "education to equip nonlawyers with knowledge and skills pertaining to the law, the legal process, and the legal system, and the fundamental principles and values on which these are based, this Digest outlines four essential elements of LRE. These are: (1) subject matter and concepts; (2) instructional…

Explaining that interest in law magnet programs has grown substantially in the 1990s, this ERIC digest analyzes these programs on the basis of information provided by 24 mostly urban magnet schools. The digest places law magnet programs within the broader context of law-related education (LRE). The primary purpose of law magnet programs is to…

The core mission of the social studies curriculum is education for democratic citizenship. The middle school years are an important time frame in which to fulfill that core mission. Policymakers, educators, community members, and parents need to recognize that civic education at the middle level years is important. One effective method for…

A guide to the vast array of available resources for law-related education (LRE), this annotated bibliography is intended to assist any one concerned with the civic education of youth, especially teachers and other members of the K-12 educational community. It offers information about the law, innovative teaching methods, and guides to national…

A guide to the vast array of ERIC available resources for law-related education (LRE), this annotated bibliography is intended to assist anyone concerned with the civic education of U.S. youth, especially teachers and other members of the K-12 educational community. It offers information about the law, innovative teaching methods, and guides to…

Evidence from research/evaluation studies indicates that the principles underlying law-related education (LRE) programs address the factors that put youth at risk for delinquency. Although rigorous evaluations of LRE are limited, what evidence exists suggests that LRE has potential to prevent delinquency and problem behavior. This digest…

Although elections are an annual theme in many social studies classrooms, presidential election years prompt increased interest among students in the electoral process and offer an opportunity to teach about a national election as it happens. This ERIC Digest describes the legal requirements and traditions of U.S. presidential elections, processes…

This volume is a compilation of annotated bibliographies on four current popular trends in social studies education: (1) renewal of democratic purposes in social studies education; (2) service learning; (3) deliberation about public issues; and (4) character education. The bibliographies are drawn from the Educational Resources Information Center…

This digest discusses issues related to teaching about the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It begins by quoting the amendment that protects citizens of the United States against unreasonable searches and seizures, and goes on to discuss how the understanding and interpretation of the amendment have been influenced by historical events,…

A report by the National Commission on Civic Renewal has sounded alarms about the declining quantity and quality of citizen engagement in U.S. political and civic life. According to the Commission the overall civic condition is weaker than it was and in need of significant improvement. To renew the constructive engagement of citizens in political…

Teen courts have gained in popularity in the 1990s. These courts include youth courts, peer juries, peer courts, student courts, and other courts using juveniles to determine the sentences of juvenile offenders. The courts issue sentences that are carried out in a school or community setting and generally involve community service, jury duty,…

Fundamental constitutional and legal principles are central to effective instruction in the K-12 social studies curriculum. To become competent citizens, students need to develop an understanding of the principles on which their society and government are based. Few principles are as important in the social studies curriculum as due process of…

The youth summit, which engages adolescent students, public officials, and lawyers in discourse and deliberation about critical social problems and legal issues, is becoming a popular method of law-related education. This Digest discusses (1) the youth summit concept in law-related education; (2) examples of youth summits across the United States;…

This compilation of annotated bibliographies focuses on current popular and important topics in social studies education. The bibliographies, drawn from the ERIC database of education-related literature, include recent (mostly 1994-1998) citations with abstracts from the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)-published journals,…

This digest highlights the Constitutional and statutory foundations of the United States Supreme Court, discusses the changing role of the Supreme Court, and recommends online resources helpful in teaching and learning about the United States Supreme Court. The digest addresses general concerns of delegates at the Constitutional Convention,…