Rowan McCloskey VCE Legal Units 1 & 2

Lesson Plan
Topic: Legal Studies, Civil law in action
Year Level: VCE Units 1 & 2
Aims: Civil law in action, methods of dispute resolutions and when to
apply them.
Outcomes:
-

A knowledge of dispute resolutions and when to use them.

Improve research and presentation skills
Have a knowledge of institutions that help to resolve disputes.

Preparation:
-

Cut up the names of the dispute resolutions and legal resources. As

well as the case studies.

Resources:
-

Internet
Legal Maze text book

Procedure:
-

Brief introduction about how this ties in to their homework i.e. the
effort to minimise court proceeding if possible dispute resolution
activity.
Divide the class into 5 groups depending on numbers. Put the types
of dispute resolutions and the institutions into a hat and get each
group to choose one.
Tell the class to use the textbook and the internet to research each
issue and present their findings to the class.
Methods of Dispute Resolutions: Mediation, Conciliation,
Arbitration, Negotiation, Collaborative Law
Institutions: Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Dispute
Settlement Centre of Justice, VCAT, Institute of Arbitrators
and Mediators, Equal Opportunity and Human Rights
Commission.
Write the scaffolding on the board about what to report on: What
type of dispute is served by the method, the strengths and
weaknesses of the method. The same for the institutions.
When each group reports their findings, have a brief discussion
about the merits of each.
For the case study: What option from above should the wronged
person choose; the difficulties faced by the wronged person in
resolving the dispute; what are the chances of it ending up in court
anyway.

Rowan McCloskey VCE Legal Units 1 & 2

Give students a good amount of time to research them.

Bring the class back together and get each group to talk about their
research.
Have discussion about which is most effective or any other ideas
about what structures could be put in place.
Will finish off with the class completing revision activities at the end
of the chapter: p. 308, q. 1-11.
While this happens will present the options for the upcoming in
focus section. See if any students have a particular interest or
desire to learn about an area of law: Contract law, Consumer
protection law, Wills and inheritance, Sport and the law, Tenancy
law.

Assessment:
-

Ability to research an aspect of law.

Applying understanding to and practical application of a theory.
See if homework has been completed