Challenge B Mock Trial
How To Guide
Note to Challenge B Directors
YOU prayed, GOD led, YOU accepted! We have all been in these shoes and now all of you find yourself as an amazing Challenge B Director! Weather you have 1 student or 12, you are now tasked with the important role of leading a group of 13-14 year olds (and their parents!) through the one of the greatest learning tasks in the Classical Conversations Challenge program. Now, I may be biased, but Mock Trial is my absolute favorite. It leads the students down a path to teach them so many wonderful skills they will take with them for years to come. It is our job as the Director/Lead Learner to stay one step ahead and lead them well. This task is not a hard task, but it is very detailed. Please do not let this deter you from it, rather let it intrigue you on what is to come. My prayer is that you will lean into this and learn to love it as I have. Below is a step by step guide on how I handled Mock Trial in the past. I hope this brings you some comfort in the process to come!
Jessica Wells
Classical Conversations - Training & Support
#1 - Download and Print this document for yourself
#2 - Tutor Planning Checklist
#3- Getting teams together to compete
#4 - How to select Dates
Each Director will be hosting one competition and attending one competition. This means that you are responsible securing one of the dates with a local courthouse.
- Contact the Director you are hosting and look at your calendar (it is best for the mock trials to take place between week 13-15).
- Get some dates that may work for both groups.
- Contact the local courthouse to see what dates are available. Give them the dates you would like. Sometimes this works out, but sometimes you have to find some new dates.
- By the end of the date selections you should have 2 mock trials on your calendar.
Couthouses to Contact
Clay County Teen Court, Green Cove Springs
Stacey Smith - Coordinator
904-529-3602
- There are 14 Challenge B's in the North Florida area. The Clay County Teen Court will not be able to accommodate all of them. The 2 Challenge B classes in Clay County will be able to reserve first and what is left will be opened to other areas. She said that the courthouse is only available on Mondays in April for 1 trial a day.
- You can also contact the Duval County courthouse to see what their availability is.
- You can also use a local church if needed too!
#4 - Find an Administrator
This person should be familiar with the Classical Conversations Mock Trial rules. He or she must be impartial and agreed upon by both team’s tutors. Try to ask moms who have been through Challenge B before, Upcoming Challenge B Director, or a Support Representative.
#5 - Securing a Judge
#6 - Securing Jury Members
#7 - Printing all the things
As the host of the mock trial it is your responsibility to have the following on the day of the trial. These can all be found on CC Connected and printed at Office Depot. Remember you do 2 rounds in 1 day so be prepared for that.
- Copies of all evidence (you need multiple of each)
- Use an accordion style binder to organize all of these.
- Judges Score Sheet (2 copies)
- Jury Score Sheet (1 for each round/each jury member)
The only thing not on CC Connected is a program for the trial .This is a document that you hand out to the people attending., It has the students names in it, a little about the trial, and a schedule for the day. I have attached a sample one below that I have used in the past. I printed it double sided and folded them.
Final Words
Jessica Wells
Classical Conversations - Training & Support
Email: jwells@classicalconversations.com
Website: classicalconversations.com
Phone: 904-759-8080