The Judge Jimmy Game Story

"I was a bit apprehensive about this class at first, only because English classes make me nervous. I think they do this because I never felt I was sufficient enough in writing. And I was extremely nervous when I was informed that we would basically be giving in class presentations, or our �cases�. I have always been very shy and have never enjoyed getting up in front of the class. But after the dream trial I was not nervous at all."--Student

I saw a need to teach students critical thinking skills, so I used my legal training to create The Judge Jimmy Game. I researched actual legal cases that would be of special interest to my mostly teenage audience, and then I "fictionalized" the characters and settings to, as Sergeant Joe Friday used to say, "protect the innocent."

I first tested this game over the Internet with my online classes and then I did the same thing with my classroom students. As a result of this extensive field testing, The Judge Jimmy Game has been shown to be an excellent tool for educators to use when teaching critical thinking and writing skills.

The Home School Connection

Parents and home school teachers can use this game and accompanying text to teach students the skills they will need to succeed in university settings. Parents will also be able to create courtroom "family dramas" wherein controversial issues can be argued and discussed, ultimately giving the student a positive outlet for his or her naturally "rebellious" ideas. If morals and critical thinking skills begin at home, then The Judge Jimmy Game will set an excellent standard for your students. In addition, since most home-schooled students go on to public and/or private university, they must be aware of the controversial issues out there in the "real world." The Judge Jimmy Game allows you to supervise those controversies right at home, under the guidance of an experienced educator, Jim Musgrave. Always feel free to ask questions when you have them.

Here's what you get:

Argument Online interactive etext for students and teacher

Instructor's Manual (explains how to use the game with the Argument Online text and suggestions for witness bios, writing exercises, quizzes and other assignments)

Complete technical support for installation and teaching the game

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.