Social Studies: Case Study

Grade 9 Social Studies 50 min

Stage 1: Desired Results
Lesson This lesson is designed to have students explore a case study involving youths here in Canada
Overview: who were tried under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Students will explore the outcome of the
case and use their findings to answer questions regarding how youth are treated differently in
the Canadian justice system
GLEs: 9.1 Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how Canada’s political
processes impact citizenship and identity in an attempt to meet the needs of all Canadians.
SLEs: Students will:
● 9.1.5 analyze the role that citizens and organizations play in Canada’s justice system by
exploring and reflecting upon the following questions and issues:
○ What is the intention of the Youth Criminal Justice Act?
Learning Students will:
Objectives ● discuss the criteria the justice system uses to determine appropriate punishments by
brainstorming as a class
● explore the consequences involved in the YCJA and its impact on youth crime by
exploring and reporting on a case study involving a youth criminal case here in Alberta.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Formative ● Question sheet returned for Summative
Assessment formative feedback Assessment

Stage 3: Learning Experience

Prior to Resources:
● Chromebooks
Lesson: ● Book Orange Chrome
books and grab them over ● Powerpoint
lunch
● Gather up all necessary ● Lined paper
materials
● Check technology ● Playing cards

Time: Differentiations/
Assessments:
Introduction:
5min Introduction:
● Review the differences between Canada’s two criminal codes: the
YCJA and the Canadian Criminal Code
○ Ages applicable
○ Consequences
○ Trials as an adult
○ Intention of the consequences
○ Criminal Records
 ○ Privacy
Textbooks will be handed out onto each students desk prior to class.

Body:
5 min Read the Case study with the kids
This will be used as a hook to draw the students in. This can be found in the
Youth Case Study PPT

● Go over the case of Shane Rolston with the students

● Explain the ages of the 5 accused and go over the story

10 min Consequences Lecture

To help students with the activity they will perform later, give the students a
brief lecture about how we go about determining the severity of a crime and
the criteria judges and prosectuors look at when handing out sentencing.
● Start by asking the students what makes certain crimes worse than
others. Remind the students of the crime ranking activity we performed
earlier in the year.
● Next, ask students what kinds of factors judges and prosecutors take
into consideration when handing out punishments to youth
● Finally, have the students open up their textbooks to page 68 and go
over it together.

Place students into groups using the playing cards placed onto each students desk before hand.
20 min Case Study Response
● Students are placed into groups using playing cards (Kings with Kings
etc)
● One student is given a chrome book to be used to read an article related
to this incident. (The link to this will be on the students Google
Classroom page)
● Students will begin by reading the article together and gathering some
facts.
● Next will use the information gathered to answer a series of questions.
Each question will need to be answered in complete sentences and with
detail. The Questions are:
○ How would the 17 year olds experience with the justice system
be different than the other accused?
○ Do you think the punishment the 18 year olds received was fair
and equitable? Why or why not?
○ How does the victim’s family feel about the charges? Why?
○ If you were the judge deciding the 17 year olds consequences,
knowing what you know now, what consequence do you think
would be likely under the YCJA? Explain why you would
make this ruling.

Consolidation:
5 min Close

Students will be shown a political cartoon relating to youth criminal justice.

Students will try and interpret the cartoon and answer what the author is trying
to discuss.