Standards and Curriculum Fit

Some students may have had personal, family, or community interactions with the justice system, either as victims, witnesses, or as individuals involved in criminal conduct. Provide students with an option to step away or opt out of parts of the…

Current events fit naturally into a law elective, as students learn to apply laws and the Constitution to real-world issues. Strategies include:

Many schools offer just one law elective, but some—such as law academies or magnet schools—offer multiple courses to create a pathway program. Often, a lower grade “Introduction to Law” or “Foundations of Law” course serves as a prerequisite for more…

For a one-semester “Introduction to Law” course, we suggest selecting 4-5 topical units from the following: See Steps for Starting a Law Elective / Course Structure

Whether certain topics should be avoided depends on your state, district, and school policies. Consult relevant regulations and law regarding controversial topics, and review your plans with school administration. Be sure to follow parental notification requirements and consider proactively sharing…

Law electives offer freedom and flexibility in topic selection, so there are no strict “must-have” requirements. Start by defining the focus of your course (e.g., constitutional law, criminal law, or a general overview), surveying students for their interests, and considering…

State standards vary. To determine if or show how your law elective aligns with your state standards, search your state’s social studies standards using content-related search terms such as: You can also search using pedagogical terms like: Law electives can…