NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT
CURRICULUM MAP
Course Name: Business Law I
Grading Period
First/Third
Nine Weeks
Course Number: BUS180
CONTENT
Unit of Study: “Foundations of the Legal System”
Section 1. General Legal Terminology
Legal Analysis Writings
The Role of Law in Society
Law (define)
Law vs. Policy
Reason(s) for Studying Law
Business Law (define)
Court of Law
Criminal Law vs. Civil Law
Appellate Courts
Common Law
Section 2. Law in the Courtroom
Role of Jury
Role of Judge
Jury Qualifications
Precedent
Doctrine of Stare Decisis
Overturning Precedent
Case Law
Court Opinion
Jury Trials vs. Bench Trials
Historical methods of dispute settlement
Due Process of Law
Amendment 6 vs. Amendment 7
The Jury Selection Process
The Jury/Bench Trial Process
Section 3. Ethics and the Law
Morality
Ethics
Ethical Decision-Making Principles
Ethical Character Traits
Ethics and Law Relationship
Length of Course: Semester
SKILLS
Students will be able to:
Section 1. General Legal Terminology
Prepare a “Legal Analysis Writing” by stating
the Informational Findings, Opinion &
Rationale, and Amending the Law
Explain the “Role of Law in Society” as a
body of rules, a process, economics, values,
and public opinion
Define “Law” and list various groups that have
the right to enforce the law as it relates to
one’s rights & responsibilities
Demonstrate the similarities & differences
between Law and Policy
State reasons as to why all citizens should
study Law
Define “Business Law” and list the 3 forms of
business organizations
Define a “Court of Law”
Compare and Contrast “Civil Law” and
“Criminal Law”
Define an “Appellate Court” and explain the 4
general steps of the appeals process
Understand the concept of “Common Law”
and state some historical background facts
Section 2. Law in the Courtroom
Understand the qualifications for Jury Service
State the basic role of a jury in a court of law
State several specific roles of a jury in a court
of law
State the basic role of a judge in both jury
trials and bench trials
State several specific roles of a judge in both
jury trials and bench trials
Define “Precedent”
Define the “Doctrine of Stare Decisis” and
state various importance’s of this doctrine with
Grading Period
CONTENT
SKILLS
Students will be able to:
regards to our legal system
Section 4. The 5 Sources of Law
Constitutional Law
English Common Law
Statutory Law
Case Law
Administrative Law
Understand when a court is permitted to
overturn an existing precedent
Define “Case Law” and state the 3
components contained in a “Court Opinion”
Compare and Contrast Jury Trials and Bench
Trials
Identify the historical methods of dispute
resolution – Trial by Combat, Trial by Ordeal,
Trial by Oath
Explain the concept of “Due Process of Law”
Understand the contents of Amendments 6 & 7
of the U.S. Constitution as they directly relate
to jury trials in both criminal and civil law
Organize all steps in the “Jury Selection
Process” (Voir Dire) from start to finish, and
explain the various steps in the entire process
Organize all steps in the “Jury and/or Bench
Trial Process” from start to finish, and explain
the various steps in the process
Explain various pro’s and con’s of Cameras in
the Courtroom
Understand the function of a Grand Jury in our
legal system
Section 3. Ethics and the Law
Define Morality and state examples of moral
vs. immoral behavior in society and business
settings
Define Ethics and state examples of ethical vs.
unethical behavior in society and business
settings
Compare and contrast Ethics and Morality
Identify the 3 Ethical Decision-Making
Principles used in society
1. Feelings/Opinions
2. Greatest Good
3. Golden Rule
Understand the relationship between and
Ethics and Law
Understand why Law is necessary
Identify various Ethical and Legal Conflicts
that arise in today’s business society
List the 4 Ethical Character Traits and define
Grading Period
CONTENT
SKILLS
Students will be able to:
each (Honesty, Fairness, Compassion,
Integrity)
Identify various people in our history who
have led exemplary lives (Ethical Character
Traits commonalities)
Section 4. The 5 Sources of Law
Compare and contrast the U.S. Constitution
and State Constitutions
Understand how the constitution is used in a
court of law
Identify and apply Amendment 14 –
“Limitation on State Action”
Explain the effects of the evolution of English
Common Law in today’s legal system
Explain the concept of how Statutory Law is
passed at the Federal, State, and Local levels
of government
List and interpret various Federal, State, and
Local statutes
Define Case Law and identify various
historical cases that have shaped our U.S.
Legal System
Identify the elements of a Court Opinion
Explain the role of the courts in judicial
decision making for interpretation of unclear
statutes at both state and federal levels
Explain the concept of Administrative Law
List various Administrative Agencies at both
the Federal and State levels
Explain the general powers of an
administrative agency
Grading Period
Second/Fourth
Nine Weeks
CONTENT
Unit 2: The Court System
Dual Court System
Trial Procedures
Unit 3: Criminal Law
Defining Crimes
Particular Crimes
Unit 4: Contract Law
How Contracts Arise
- Contracts
- Offer and Acceptance
Genuine Agreement
- Fraud and Misrepresentation
- Mistake, Duress, and Undue Influence
Benchmark Final Assessment Project
SKILLS
Students will be able to:
Section 2.1. A Dual Court System
Understand and apply the term “jurisdiction”
Explain the structure of the federal court
system
Explain the role of the United States Supreme
Court
Explain the structure of the state court system
Describe the difference between a juvenile
who is unruly and one who is delinquent
Section 2.2. Trial Procedures
Understand the various alternatives to
litigation
Differentiate between civil and criminal cases
Explain the steps in a civil lawsuit
Understand how one would exercise their
rights if arrested
Explain the steps in a criminal prosecution
Understand the application of court
procedures to juvenile cases
Section 3.1. What is a Crime?
Differentiate between serious crimes and less
serious crimes
Explain the difference between state and
federal criminal law issues
List and explain the elements of a crime
Define the various defenses to criminal
liability
Section 3.2. Particular Crimes
Define major crimes against people
Define major crimes against property
Define major crimes that involve controlled
substances
Define major crimes that involve computers
and technology
Section 5.1. Contracts
Explain the elements of legal contracts
Identify valid, void, voidable, and
unenforceable contracts
Distinguish between express and implied
contracts
Identify unilateral and bilateral contracts
Distinguish between oral and written contracts
Grading Period
CONTENT
SKILLS
Students will be able to:
Section 5.2. Offer and Acceptance
Recognize the requirements of an offer
Distinguish between an offer and an invitation
to negotiate
Recognize the requirements of an acceptance
Distinguish between an acceptance and a
counteroffer
Understand and recognize when an offer has
been terminated
Section 6.1. Fraud and Misrepresentation
Identify the elements of fraud
Distinguish between Fraud and Concealment
Distinguish between Fraud and Innocent
Misrepresentation
Distinguish between the remedy available for
Fraud and the remedy for Misrepresentation
Section 6.2. Mistake, Duress, and Undue
Influence
Distinguish between Unilateral and Bilateral
Mistakes
Recognize the types of mistakes that will allow
rescission of a contract
Recognize the requirements of economic
duress
Recognize the requirements of Undue
Influence
Benchmark
Culmination of all performance objectives
mastered during the course of the semester -Research “Fact Sheet” Project (Legal Topic) w/
2 Written Case Briefs