Instructor Materials - Module 1
Timeline of Events
Using this Module
This module is intended to provide students with a starting point for the mock trial exercise. Students should be assigned reading of Harr's book "A Civil Action" as well as view the Touchstone Pictures movie by the same name. Following the reading and viewing, students should prepare an exercise that allows them to put the chronology of events together to help them better understand the sequence of activities related to the trial as well as the characters who were involved in these activities.
Module Design
Some students may have read the book or viewed the movie. The purpose of this module is to get all students familiar with the storyline and familiarize them with the general issues involved in the trial. The purpose of the exercise is to get students to explore the time frame in which the trial occurred and to appreciate the characters involved in the original trial. An appreciation of the societal issues, history of events, and personalities are good starting points for discussions on the purpose and outcome of the trial.