Lesson: Law & Order

Teacher: Greg Thomas

Subject: 6th Grade Social Studies

Unit 1: Toward Civilization

Purpose: To create an understanding of the importance of laws and their role in a

developing society.

Learning Objective: Students will recognize the significance of knowing the laws
of the land and their rights as citizens.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 - Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Hawaii Content & Performance Standards:

Benchmark SS.6.2.2 - Explain the past on its own terms; not judging it solely by
present-day norms and values.
Benchmark SS.6.3.1 Examine written and physical evidence from ancient societies in
Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus River Valley, and the Yellow River Valley.

Introduction Activity: So far we have covered two very influential law codes,
Hammurabis Code and the Ten Commandments. Imagine you and your group are the
leaders of a new colony of people. As a group you must create a law code which
includes the laws and their punishment. You must create 6 laws and punishments, 4 of
which must be original (not in Hammurabis Code or the Ten Commandments).

Anything outside of these laws will be legal in your new colony so choose your laws
wisely.

Engagement Activity:
Activity: As class is ending on the first day of group work, the groups will be assigned a
number. Each group will be given 10 minutes to make up 1 class law which can be
anything, as long as it:
1) Does not break a class rule
2) Is not a generality of the majority of the class (ex. It is illegal to wear shoes or it is
illegal to write with a pencil).
The goal is to eliminate your fellow groups by creating secret laws you think they will be
guilty of. Each group will write down a law and turn it in to me. Next time the class
meets these laws will go into effect. Each group will be able to break 3 laws, once they
break 3 they lose, however I will not tell them the laws. Throughout the days group work
I will monitor the students, putting a strike next to each law-breaking individuals group
number. Whichever group can last the whole class period without getting 3 strikes wins.
As a reward they would get the ability to choose what order their group would do their
presentation.

Visual Aid: As a group you will produce a creative, eye-catching, and organized
visual aid to display the law code your group created. This visual aid will contain all 6
laws and their corresponding punishments.

Presentation: Each group will present their law codes to the class using their visual
aid to assist them. The group will explain why they chose. Presentations must be
rehearsed and be completed within 3-5 minutes.

Materials: Anything that can be used to create a visual aid (ex. Computer/PowerPoint,
Poster Board, Markers, etc.)

Time: 3 hours of class time (about 6 class periods) Time outside of class may be
required.

Reflection Paper: Each student will write a minimum 3 page (Double Spaced)
reflection. Reflect on the experience of creating laws and punishments with your group
and any other notable experiences throughout the lesson. Included in this reflection,
answer the required questions and at least 3 of these questions.

Required Questions: Why is important to know the laws of the place in which you
are a resident?
Why is it important to be able to have a say, either through voting or selecting a
representative, in the creation of laws?

1) Were there any laws in your code you didnt agree with? If so, explain what you
would have replaced it with and why.
2) Were there any punishments you did not agree with? If so, explain why and what you
would have replaced it with and why.
3) Pick one law in the Ten Commandments and one from Hammurabis code that you
did not feel was necessary. Why do you think it is not necessary? Why do you think it
was important enough to include?
4) Did you find that it was easy or difficult for your group to agree on the laws and
punishments? Why do you think this is?
5) Do you believe in an eye for and eye punishment? Why or why not? Be specific
and site an example to explain your reasoning.
6) How did you feel when your group was given a strike for breaking a law when you
didnt know what law you broke? What does this say about the significance the abilities
to read and write in regards to laws?

Accommodation: If there is a student who has special needs and is not yet capable
of writing a reflection (an ELL student or a student with a learning disability) I will
evaluate them verbally. If I feel that the student is capable of writing the reflection, but
will struggle, I will adjust the length of the reflection for this student.

Lesson Rubric:
Lesson
Rubric

Exceeds
(6 pts.)

Meets
(4 pts.)

Performance
Skills

The group was able to

very effectively
communicate their ideas
and their reasoning to
support them.

The groups presentation
was well rehearsed and
there were no noticeable
pauses. The presentation
finished within their 3-5
minute time allotment.

The groups effectively
used their visual aid
throughout their
presentation.

All group members
participated.

The group was able to

effectively communicate
most of their ideas and
the reasoning to support
them.

The groups performance
seemed rehearsed but
there were several
noticeable pauses. The
presentation finished
within their 3-5 minute
time allotment.

The student effectively
used their visual aid
through most of their
presentation.

All group members
participated.

Visual Aid

Reflection
Paper

Needs Improvement (2
pts.)

The group was not able

to effectively
communicate the
majority of the reasoning
to support them.

The group clearly did not
rehearse their
presentation as there
were many noticeable
pauses. The
presentation did not
finish within the 3-5
minute time allotment.

The student did not
effectively use their
visual aid during their
presentation.

Not all group members
participated.
The groups visual aid was The groups visual aid was The groups visual aid
very creative, organized
organized and was visually was not organized,
and eye-catching.
pleasing.
creative, or eye-catching.



The Presentation included The presentation included The presentation did not
all 6 laws and
all 6 of the laws and
include all of the 6 laws
punishments.
punishments.
and punishments.
Reflection was very clear
The argument is
The argument is not clear
and insightful and stays on somewhat clear and it
or does not stay on point.
point.
mostly stays on point.



Connections are not
There is a strong
Connections are made
made between reasons
connection made
between ideas and
and evidence.
between ideas and their
reasoning.

reasoning.

Paper is not 3 pages,

Paper is at least 3 pages,
double spaced.
Paper is at least 3 pages,
double spaced.

double spaced.

Less than 3 of the

At least 3 of the questions questions are answered.
At least 3 of the questions are answered.
are thoroughly answered.