Civic knowledge and participation are low among all students, but this pattern is even more pronounced for those who are poor, belong to a racial or ethnic minority group, or reside in a disadvantaged community. One remedy for this resulting "civic empowerment gap" is a call for teaching more effective civics classes in urban public…

The article analyzes the experience of patriotic education and civic consciousness of youth in the United States. The author shares his experience of training under the programme "Civic consciousness development of youth in the context of educational reforms" of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). It has been found that…

Law-related topics arise in the school curricula of both developed and developing countries. Civics/citizenship education and social studies tend to be the curricular mediums into which law topics are inserted. This paper details law education at school level in Australia (State of Victoria) and Pakistan. The main challenge facing the…

This article provides an example of a social studies lesson from Turkish educational context in order to facilitate comparison with examples of social studies lessons from other parts of the world. This lesson was recorded in a 7th grade class at a middle school in one of the metropolitan neighborhoods in Istanbul. According to the current…

Provides a brief rationale for teaching about torts and describes 5 activities designed to help teach them. The activities help students (1) define what torts are and identify different types of acts which may result in a tort, (2) differentiate crimes from intentional torts and unintentional torts, and (3) explore defenses commonly used in tort…

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…

Provides an annotated bibliography of law-related education materials for grades K through 12. The annotations are divided into the following categories: (1) elementary law-related education, (2) juries, (3) opposing viewpoints, (4) practical law, and (5) supplementing law-related education. (JDH)

This material provides students with information to prepare for a mock trial. The defendant in this case has been accused of the crime of driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages causing severe bodily injury. Case materials include stipulated facts, jury instructions, depositions, and other related materials. (EH)

This handbook presents a description of the New York City Mentor program. It is designed to provide guidelines for the participating schools and law firms as well as an explanation of the program for potential participants. The program pairs law firms, solo practitioners, and corporate legal departments with public high schools. Lawyers visit…

This paper discusses civil society as a central idea in the recent global resurgence of democracy. Recent developments represent a turning away from state-centered conceptions of government, and a renewal of voluntary, community-based, non-governmental organizations as a means of renewing democracy. As civil society has surged globally, it has…

This pamphlet is designed to aid law students as they participate in the "Street Law" seminar that pairs law students and educators in the high school classroom. The clinical program places future lawyers in the classroom to help instruct in areas such as how the law affects daily lives, the meaning of the Constitution, dispute…

This brochure describes the varied programs of the American Bar Association's Public Education Division. The Division offers communities throughout the country Law-Related Education (LRE) and civic education programs for all age groups. The brochure describes how the Public Education Division can provide people with information about the law,…

There has long been a discussion on the place of law in citizenship education, but the implementation of law-related materials into civics education in a manner which examines law's role in the social order has been lacking. While educators and lay persons alike seem to agree that the goal of citizenship education is to provide students with the…

Presents findings of a survey concerned with the civic education preparation of future teachers. Concludes that a large percentage of students in teaching credential programs have insufficient knowledge of subject matter connected with civic education and Constitutionalism. Includes data charts, a sample survey, and suggested actions to remedy the…