*MON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Summer Session 2002

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EDUC 448 - 4 ?

Ruth Yates

Law in the Curriculum

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Office: TBA

Phone: 291-3395

Monday, Wednesday & Friday ?

D01.00

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E-mail: ryates©sfu.ca

8:30-11:50 in EDB 8651/2

PREREQUISITE

60 credit hours

DESCRIPTION

Legal themes, concepts and skills are embedded in the formal and informal curricula of schools,

kindergarten through grade 12. Course such as social studies, language arts, science, consumer

education, and CAPP all include substantial law content. As well, school policies and practices

convey legal messages that impact on students' understanding and appreciation of law.

This course is designed to help teachers present legal concepts, deal with law-related issues and

cultivate citizenship skills in their classrooms. It focuses on the resources, methods and strategies

teachers might use to help their students become knowledgeable about legal principles; think

critically about legal issues and become responsible and active citizens. Course materials include

resources for elementary, middle school and senior grade levels and students will examine existing

resources, develop new ones and learn how to implement law-related learning strategies in the

classroom.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to:

• describe the goals of law-related education and its connection with responsible,

participatory citizenship

• identify where law-related education fits in the formal curriculum of the school

• consider the relationship between law and the informal curriculum of the school

• integrate critical thinking practices in the development of classroom resources

• discover and explore online, community-based and print law-related resources

• develop and implement new learning strategies

• evaluate students law-related learning

REQUIREMENTS

Students will complete the following course assignments:

• Participate in and evaluate a field study project - 15%

• Do a critical analysis and assessment of selected learning resource - 15%

• Develop and demonstrate a law-related learning strategy - 30%

• Create a learning plan for classroom use - 30%

• Participation - self and peer evaluation - 10%

REQUIRED READINGS

Wanda Cassidy and Ruth Yates (eds.)

Let's Talk About Law in Elementary

School.

Calgary: Detselig

Enterprises, 1998.

Course Readings will be provided from a variety of print and on-line resources at the cost of

copying.