Seventh Grade Mock Trial Moves to BT

by Mr. John Stevens
Beth Tfiloh’s seventh grade government classes conducted our annual mock trials just before the end of the school year. Due to COVID, the trials were held at Beth Tfiloh.

The students did a wonderful job preparing for and conducting the trials. Each class was given a separate scenario for which they had to prepare a case. Students conducted the trials as lawyers, witnesses, judges, and bailiffs. The lawyers had to conduct discovery of each witness and prepare opening statements, direct and cross examination questions, and closing arguments. Each witness had to learn his or her part and be prepared to answer the questions of the lawyers. A student judge ran each separate trial. In addition, each class had a jury of their “peers” who were students from other classes that heard the evidence presented, deliberated, and rendered a verdict in each case.

The students ALL did a great job, and I am very proud of them for what they accomplished. A special thank you to Creative Arts Director Ms. Diane Smith for working with us to make sure that the trials went off so well, and to High School students Shira K. ‘22 and Maya T. ’22 who wrote two of the trials.

Government H Trial

Government M Trial

Government O&W Trial

Back

Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School

Learning together. For life.
Baltimore’s only Jewish independent preparatory school serving PreSchool through Grade 12.