An instructor's manual for the Grand Rapids Bar Association's 3Rs Program, a civics education initiative for high school students at Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The program focuses on Rights, Responsibilities and Realities through a curriculum based on the U.S. Constitution. It covers topics such as Freedom of Expression, the Fourth Amendment, the Right to Vote, and Equal…
This document is the Instructor's Manual for the Grand Rapids Bar Association's 3Rs Program (Rights, Responsibilities & Realities). It is designed for volunteer attorneys and law students who will teach civics to high school students at Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The program runs eight sessions between October and May, using small group discussions and a real-world curriculum based on the U.S. Constitution.
The manual opens with a program overview and goals: improving understanding of the rule of law, increasing interest in civic issues, providing career counseling, and improving the pipeline of students of color into legal careers. It lists sponsors (Justice Foundation of West Michigan and Grand Rapids Public Schools) and contact information for the Grand Rapids Bar Association.
A user's manual section explains how to prepare for classroom visits. It describes the structure of each lesson: a lesson outline with suggested script, a corresponding student worksheet, and optional student activities. It encourages volunteers to adjust lessons to their group's needs and to research current events that illustrate constitutional principles.
Lesson 1 is included in the given text. It covers an introduction to the 3Rs, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the concept of precedent. The lesson plan includes a team leader introduction, a video, and small group discussions where students share their interests and career goals. The manual provides sample questions for attorneys to use when getting to know students.