Classroom Law Project

About

Classroom Law Project was founded on the belief that the way to preserve democracy is to teach democracy.

Mission

Classroom Law Project was founded on the belief that the way to preserve democracy is to teach democracy. And the best way to teach democracy is to incorporate the lessons and principles of democracy into the school curriculum. CLP promotes understanding of the law, democracy, and the role of the citizen.

Products

• The High School Mock Trial Competition, co-sponsored by the Oregon State Bar, brings together more than 500 attorneys acting as coaches, judges, and coordinators with 1500 students and teachers from approximately 60 schools.

Join our Mock Trial facebook group at:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147415755380&ref=ts#/group.php?gid=61299764634

• Project Citizen is a portfolio-based project for grades 5-8 and high school. It involves an entire class in a project where students identify a public policy issue and develop an action plan to address it. The work culminates with a class portfolio that can be part of a state and national showcase. Approx. 400 students participate.

• Law Day conference at Portland State University features 18 different workshops; approximately 500 high school students from Oregon and SW Washington attend.

• Teacher professional development on statewide inservice and other days brings information to teachers on We the People, Project Citizen, youth summits, and more.

• More than 3000 fifth through twelfth graders experience the law come alive in the Courthouse Experience Program. These enriching and valuable visits to the Multnomah County Courthouse are coordinated via CLP’s volunteer program.

• Exciting Youth Summits on topical legal issues provide unique opportunities for students to question adult experts in a congressional hearing-type setting. The last Summit focused on Oregon’s initiative system. Summit activities include workshops for teachers, meeting experts, the summit itself, and sharing important findings with parents, friends, and classmates. A Summit typically brings approximately 150 students (selected from 650 classmates) from 30 classes together with 20 civic leaders including judges, elected officials, and civic leaders.

• Law students from Lewis & Clark Law School have been teaching Street Law in local high schools for more than 25 years. This practical law course counts over 500 alumni-lawyers and 7200 student-citizens in its ranks.

• The acclaimed We the People competition brings together high schoolers from around the state where they are grilled in a congressional hearing-type setting on constitutional issues. In the 21-year history of this event, Oregon teams have never failed to bring home an award including 1st place three times. Programs are also available for grades 5 and 8. About 3500 students statewide use these materials with 360 participating in the high school competition.

Join our We the People facebook group at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/app_settings.php?id=55513654226&aid=2309869772#/group.php?gid=147415755380&ref=ts

• Consultations with educators and attorneys who wish to have lessons ranging from civics for kindergartners to the constitution for AP government students may be tailored to fit their needs.