Student Outline - CLU3M: Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11
This course explores legal issues that directly affect students’ lives. Students will acquire a practical knowledge of Canada’s legal system and they will learn how to analyse legal issues. They will also be given opportunities to develop informed opinions on legal issues and to defend those opinions and communicate legal knowledge in a variety of ways and settings, including legal research projects, mock trials, and debates.
Outline of the Course Content (Units of Study Listed in Sequential Order)
Unit 1: Studying the Law
Getting Started
Skills for Understanding Law
The Importance of Studying Law
Unit 2: Our Legal Heritage
Sub-Unit 2.1: Law and Society
Law in Our Lives
Historical Roots of Law
Influences on Canadian Law
Sub-Unit 2.2: Classifying Law
Sources of Law in Canada
Categories of Law
Sub-Unit 2.3: Government and Statute Law
Canada’s Constitution
Patriating the Constitution
Government and Law-Making
Unit 3: Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities
Sub-Unit 3.1: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Recognizing Rights and Freedoms
Jurisdiction, Enforcement, and Guarantee
The Fundamental Freedoms
Democratic and Mobility Rights
Legal and Equality Status
Language and General Rights
Sub-Unit 3.2: Human Rights
Human Rights Legislation
Administering Human Rights Legislation
Grounds of Discrimination
Unit 4: Criminal Law
Sub-Unit 4.1: The Nature of Crime
Defining Crime and Criminal Offences
The Elements of a Crime
Involvement in a Crime
Sub-Unit 4.2: The Criminal Court System
The Criminal Court Structure
The Participants
The Role of the Jury
The Criminal Trial Process
Sub-Unit 4.3: Investigation and Arrest
Levels of Policing in Canada
Starting a Police Investigation
Identifying and Collecting Physical Evidence
Arrest and Detention
Pre-Trial Release
Sub-Unit 4.4: Criminal Offences
Levels of Offences
Offences Against the Person
Offences Against Property
Other Criminal Code Offences
Drug Offences
Sub-Unit 4.5: Defences For the Accused
Mental States
Justifications
Other Defences
Sub-Unit 4.6: Sentencing and the Correctional System
Goals of Sentencing
Sentencing Procedures
Types of Traditional Sentences
Restorative Justice Programmes
The Correctional System
Paroles and Pardons
Sub-Unit 4.7: Criminal Law and Young People
Youth and Crime
Legal Rights of Young People
Youth Criminal Justice System
The Juvenile Delinquents' Act (1908)
The Young Offenders' Act (1984)
The Youth Criminal Justice Act (2003)
Sentencing Options
Extra-Judicial Measures
Extra-Judicial Sanctions
Unit 5: Civil Law and Dispute Resolution
Sub-Unit 5.1 Understanding Civil Procedures
Private Law Procedures
Civil Courts
Civil Remedies
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Sub-Unit 5.2: Negligence and Unintentional Torts
Torts
Negligence
Duty of Care
Malfeasance, Misfeasance, Nonfeasance
Special Types of Liability
Defences to Negligence
Sub-Unit 5.3: Intentional Torts
Intentional Torts
Intentional Interference with the Person
Intentional Interference with Property
Defences to Intentional Interference
Defamation of Character
Sub-Unit 5.4: Marriage: A Changing Tradition
Entering Marriage
Domestic Contracts (Pre-Nuptial Agreements)
Families Today
Ending a Marriage
Sub-Unit 5.5: Family Matters
Issues in Ending a Marriage
Other Family Issues
Spousal Support
Family Assets
Evaluation
Term work will account for 70% of the final mark with 30% assigned to the June Examination. This examination will cover material presented throughout the duration of the course.
The 70 % (of the final mark) term work will be determined in the following manner:
Category of Work / PercentageTests / 20%
Assignments / 30%
Sub-Unit Evaluations / 20%
Within each of the aforementioned Categories of Work, student achievement will be evaluated in a balanced and appropriate manner with respect to the four Ministry of Education Categories of Achievement.
Category of Achievement / Value Within Each Category of Work in this Course / Examples of Types of QuestionsKnowledge / 30 % / Factual Questions,
Fill-in the Blank Questions, Matching Questions
Thinking / 20% / Multiple Choice Questions, Short Answer, Legal/Historical Significance
Communication / 30% / Short Essays, Paragraphs, Speeches, Longer Essays, Presentations, Debates
Application / 20% / Bias Analysis, Point of View Analysis, What if? Questions, Mock Trials, Debates
June Report Term work 70%
Final Examination 30%
Additional Assessments (Non-Graded)
In addition to Tests, Assignments, Sub-Unit Evaluations and the Examination (all of which will be graded) records will be kept in FA Web on the following non-graded assessments: Text Book Checks (TBC), Home Work Checks (HWC) and On Task Assessments (OTA).
These non-graded assessments will provide information on learning skills such as Organization, Preparation for school and Attention during class time.
Resources
Required Textbook
Blair, Annice, William Costiniuk, Larry O'Malley and Alan Wasserman, Law In Action: Understanding Canadian Law. Toronto:
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2003. ISBN 0-13-040592-2
COURSE EXPECTATIONS (What you need to do to get the most out of this course.)
Keep up to date with the readings when they are assigned. If you know that you will be absent from some classes, for things such as music trips, sports, family activities, be proactive and read ahead in the books. Eventually it's all going to be assigned and it's your job to ensure that you do the readings and make notes on this material.
Throughout the course the readings, and other information, will be posted on the SSD conference for this course. Check the conference regularly, at least once a day.
Carry out periodic review of the material that has already been covered in the course.
Keep an organized and orderly set of notes. (If you think that you need additional guidance in this area, beyond the methods studied in class, please see me for extra assistance.)
Do not avoid writing sub-unit evaluations and tests. If you have a legitimate reason, and you are unable to write a sub-unit evaluation, or test, on the date that it is scheduled to happen, please provide me with a note from one of your parents, or guardians, explaining your absence from the sub-unit evaluation or test. If you miss a sub-unit evaluation and you have a legitimate reason for your absence, it will not count against your grade. If you do not have a legitimate reason you will receive a mark of zero. If you are absent when a test is first administered, you will write a different version of that test when you next come to class.
Participate actively, maturely and constructively in all discussions and activities. If you disagree with a classmate on a discussion point, do so in an agreeable fashion.
Bring your textbook (Blair) and notes with you to all classes.
Draft, edit, revise and carefully proofread all written assignments before handing them in for marking.
Additional Reference Material (Supplemental, not-required reference material)
Alexandrowicz, George, et. al. Dimensions of Law: Canadian and International Law in the 21st Century. Toronto:
Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 2004. ISBN 1-55239-087-X
Dickinson, Gregory and Steven Talos. Canadian Case Law Studies. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2004.
ISBN 0-07-095067-9
Dickinson, Gregory, Michael Liepner, Steven Talos and Donald Buckingham, Understanding the Law, Second Edition. Toronto:
McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1996. ISBN 0-07-551569-5
Garner, Bryan A., ed. Black's Law Dictionary, Eighth Edition, St. Paul, Minnesota: The West Group, 2004.
ISBN 0-314-15199-0
Gifis, Steven H. Dictionary of Legal Terms: A Simplified Guide to the Language of Law, Third Edition. Hauppauge, New York:
Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1998. ISBN 0-7641-0286-9
Golding, Martin P. Legal Reasoning. Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press Limited, 2001. ISBN 1-55111-422-4
Macklem, P., C.J. Rogerson, K.E. Swinton, L.E. Weinrib, R.C.B. Risk and J.D. Whyte. Canadian Constitutional Law, Second Edition.
Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 1997. ISBN 0-920722-92-X
Reiter, Barry J. and John Swan. Studies in Contract Law. Toronto: Butterworth and Company (Canada) Limited, 1980.
ISBN 0-409-86210-X
Rodrigues, Gary P. Pocket Criminal Code 2005. Toronto: Thomson Canada Limited, 2004. ISBN 0-459-27592-5
Schiff, Stanley A. Evidence in the Litigation Process, Volume 1. Toronto: The Carswell Company Limited, 1983.
ISBN 0-459-35650-X
______. Evidence in the Litigation Process, Volume 2. Toronto: The Carswell Company Limited, 1983.
ISBN 0-459-35650-X
Sworden, Philip. An Introduction to Canadian Law. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Limited, 2002.
ISBN 1-55239-069-1
Turabian, Kate L. Manual For Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 6th or later editions. ISBN 0-226-81627-3
Waddams, S.M. Introduction to the Study of Law. Toronto: The Carswell Company,1987. ISBN 0-459-30251-5
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