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Week 17: Run a Tiny Trial (Mock Trial)

Solving Disagreements Fairly - Phase 3

This week, the learner uses the whole system they have been building.

The goal is not to win a dramatic argument. The goal is to run a fair process from beginning to end.

Coping Skill Moment

A trial gets competitive, and it's easy to want to interrupt or talk over the other side. Pause before arguing: one breath, then make your point calmly. If you cut someone off, a quick repair — "Sorry, please finish" — keeps the process fair. (More on the Coping Skills for Rules, Conflict, and Consequences page.)

Kid Hook​

Imagine a tiny court case called The Case of the Missing Markers.

People disagree about what happened. There are clues, questions, and a rule that might matter. How do you settle it fairly?

Today's Mission​

Run a low-stakes fictional trial where both sides get heard, evidence gets checked, and a fair decision gets made.

You'll Make / You'll Try​

  • role cards for the tiny trial
  • a written decision at the end

Materials​

Quick 20-Minute Version​

  1. Use a fictional case like The Case of the Missing Markers.
  2. Assign simple roles.
  3. Answer 4 questions: What happened? What rule matters? What evidence do we have? What is a fair answer?

Main Activity​

Problem Solving Moment

In a trial, separate evidence from assumption. Ask "What can we actually show, and what information is still missing?" A case built on facts holds up; one built on guesses falls apart. (More on the Problem Solving Skills page.)

Use a fictional low-stakes case to practice a full fair hearing with roles, evidence, and a written decision.

Safety and Suitability Protocol

Use low-stakes disputes only. Do not use bullying, abuse, trauma, humiliation, family secrets, money pressure, romantic conflict, police questioning, immigration status, or intense emotional history. If a scenario starts feeling too real or too hot, pause and switch to a fictional version immediately.

Facilitator Snapshot
  • This is not about winning. It is about running the process correctly.
  • Use a default fictional packet if needed so nobody has to bring a real conflict.
  • Good defaults: The Case of the Missing Markers, The Case of the Shared Snack, The Case of the Broken Game Controller.
  • End with a brief, low-pressure debrief about whether both sides were heard and whether the process felt fair.

Week at a Glance​

Prep time~15 minutes
MaterialsMock trial packet, role cards, paper, Case Notes
Core vocabularyjudge, evidence, witness, decision, fair
DifficultyModerate to Advanced

Facilitator Preparation​

Before You Begin
  • Choose a fictional case.
  • Prepare role cards such as:
    • Judge
    • Person bringing the case
    • Person responding
    • Witness
    • Evidence keeper
  • If needed, print the Mock Trial Packet.
Facilitation Mindset

Keep the procedure calm and structured. A well-run trial where the learner does not get the result they wanted is still a strong lesson.

Younger Learner Adaptation (Ages 8-9)​

For Younger Learners

Simple idea: A tiny trial is a fair way to hear both sides and make a decision.

Concrete substitutions:

  • Skip formal openings and closings.
  • Use the 4 simple questions:
    • What happened?
    • What rule matters?
    • What evidence do we have?
    • What is a fair answer?
  • Use stuffed animals or fictional club members if that feels easier.

What success looks like: The learner can help run a calm, fair process on a fictional case.

Older Learner Extension (Ages 10-12)​

For Older Learners
  • After the child-friendly version is clear, introduce formal labels in parentheses:
    • person bringing the case (plaintiff or complainant, depending on the model)
    • person responding (defendant or respondent)
  • Older learners can use the Written Ruling Template more formally.
  • IRAC can be mentioned here as an optional reasoning structure, not as required child-facing language.

Ages 8-9: Guided foundation​

  • help run a calm, low-stakes fictional hearing
  • identify the rule, the evidence, and the fair answer in simple language

Ages 10-12: Core path​

  • separate claims from evidence
  • explain why both sides should be heard before a decision
  • write or say a reasoned answer using the rule and the evidence

Ages 11-13: Optional extension​

  • connect the hearing to burden of proof, written rulings, and appeal questions with adult guidance
  • use more detailed procedure language only in guided fictional or public examples

Fair Process​

Fair process means there should be reasonable steps before serious consequences happen. A fair process usually includes listening, asking what happened, looking for evidence, giving people a chance to explain, and choosing a response that fits the situation.

This mock trial should stay low-stakes and fictional. It should never feel like punishment, interrogation, or pressure to disclose private experiences.

  • What is the claim?
  • What evidence is shown?
  • What details are agreed on, and what details still need checking?
  • Is a screenshot, clip, quote, or image missing context?
  • Could any part be edited or AI-generated?
  • What should we ask a trusted adult before treating this as settled fact?

Civil Discussion Moves​

  • "Can you explain what you mean by...?"
  • "What evidence supports that?"
  • "What rule matters here?"
  • "Did both sides get heard?"
  • "I need a moment before I answer."

Guided Session 1​

Prepare the Tiny Trial​

Learning Goal​

By the end of this session, the student can:

  • explain the fictional case clearly
  • assign roles
  • gather the rule and the evidence

Activities​

1. Choose the case

Use one of these defaults if needed:

  • The Case of the Missing Markers
  • The Case of the Shared Snack
  • The Case of the Broken Game Controller

2. Assign the roles

Use role cards:

  • Judge
  • Person bringing the case
  • Person responding
  • Witness
  • Evidence keeper

If you have fewer people, one person may hold more than one role, or you can use the packet in solo mode.

Set up the room so everyone knows where to sit — a real courtroom looks like this:

Courtroom layout seen from above: judge's bench at the front with the witness stand and clerk beside it, jury box on the side, tables for each side facing the bench, and seats for everyone else at the back

3. Gather the pieces

Ask:

  • What rule matters?
  • What facts are agreed on?
  • What evidence do we have?
  • What does each side want the answer to be?

Guided Session 2​

Communication Moment

A mock trial runs on evidence-based speaking and careful listening. Build your point on facts: "The evidence shows ___, which means ___." Then listen closely to the other side so you can respond to what they actually said — that's how a fair argument works. (More on the Communication Skills page.)

Run the Trial​

Learning Goal​

By the end of this session, the student can:

  • run a fair hearing in order
  • separate claims from evidence
  • write or explain a reasoned decision

Activities​

1. Follow the simple order

Use this child-friendly hearing order:

  1. What happened?
  2. What rule matters?
  3. What evidence do we have?
  4. What does each side say?
  5. What is the fair answer?

2. Keep the judge focused

The judge should ask:

  • What evidence supports that?
  • Which rule applies here?
  • Did both sides get heard?

3. Make the written decision

Use a short ruling structure:

The decision:

What facts seemed most important:

What rule mattered most:

Why this answer felt fair:

Independent Practice​

Goal​

Reflect on whether the trial was fair and understandable.

Activities​

1. Emotional debrief

Ask:

  • Did both sides get heard?
  • Was anything confusing?
  • Did the process feel fair?

2. Spot one charter gap

If the trial exposed a fuzzy part of the charter, write it down for Week 18.

Case Notes​

Add this to Case Notes:

Date:

The fictional case was:

The rule that mattered:

The evidence that mattered most:

The decision:

Did the process feel fair? Why or why not?

One charter gap I noticed:

Sentence starters for younger learners:

  • "The rule was ___."
  • "The evidence was ___."
  • "The fair answer was ___."

Check for Understanding​

Learning Moment

Feedback improves how clearly you explain a case. Ask for one specific change: "Which part was hard to follow?" Then practice that part before the next round. (More on the Learning How to Learn page.)

After this week, check whether the learner can:

  1. Name the key parts: "What happened, what rule mattered, and what evidence mattered?"
  2. Describe the process: "Did both sides get heard?"
  3. State the decision: "What was the fair answer, and why?"

If the learner can do at least 2 of these, they are ready for Week 18.

Pause and Notice​

What Matters Here

The trial teaches that fair procedure changes what an argument becomes.

Instead of louder and louder disagreement, the group gets a structure for listening, checking evidence, and making a reasoned decision.

This week's takeaway: A tiny trial is not about drama. It is about using a fair process to reach a reasoned answer.

Preview of Next Week​

Next week, the learner looks at the decision, the possibility of a second look, and the final updates to the charter.