Criminal Mock Trial for the Tell-Tale Heart by Poe (Evaluating Arguments)

Mock Trial Description

In this assignment, the students explore the standards on arguments, rhetoric and/or persuasive techniques depending on the grade level. After learning and practicing the standards, the students will participate in an annotation of the text Tell-Tale heart, research on mental illnesses, research on roles in criminal trials, pretrial preparation, and a full class mock trial. The students are analyzing the passage to determine whether or not the protagonist/defendant in the text "Tell-Tale Heart" is guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity. You will find the following in the packet:

1. Overview of the process

2. The sequence of Events Sheet for the text with an answer key

3. Sample view of the annotated text

4. Questioning Techniques

5. Mental Illness Research Sheet

6. A description of each of the court roles for selection

7. Individual Court Role Research Sheets

8. Individual Pretrial Sheets

9. Sample Questions for the Attorneys for each of the witnesses.

10. Criminal Mock Trial Script

Learning Goals

The learning goal for all assignments created by English Language Labs is to provide assignments that are rigorous and based on best practices. The focus is on implementing the following methods in the assignments:

1. Nuance Study
2. Annotation of Text
3. Synthesis
4. Analogizing
5. Long Observations
6. Analysis
7. Recognizing Patterns
8. Imaging
9. Multi-Step Design
10. Varied Perspectives
11. Multiple Disciplines

Additional Resources

If you enjoyed this resource, you may also be interested in the following assignments.

1. Evaluating Perspective, Bias, and Validity in Primary and Secondary Sources
2. Connotation and Euphemisms in Newspaper Headlines
3. Rigorous Test Bank