Language and Logic printable kit

Classic Characters on Trial

Reusable 30-minute literary courtroom game for spoken argument and textual evidence.

Audience

Grades 7-9, teams of 3-5

Format

Role cards, evidence, objections, jury vote

Demo case

Is kindness a personal choice or a social responsibility?

Goal

Make a fair argument using evidence, not just opinion.

Part 1

Facilitator Guide

Opening script

Today we are turning a literature question into a courtroom. Each side will use evidence cards to argue one interpretation. The jury does not vote for the side they like better. The jury votes for the side that uses evidence more clearly and answers objections more fairly.

Time	Activity	Facilitator move
0-3 min	Case question	Read the case and assign roles.
3-8 min	Read packet	Teams mark useful evidence cards.
8-15 min	Prepare arguments	Each side chooses two evidence cards.
15-22 min	Trial round	Allow objections only when tied to evidence.
22-27 min	Closing statements	Each side gives a 30-second conclusion.
27-30 min	Jury vote	Jury explains which side argued better.

Part 2

Case Packet

Demo case

A character helps another person even when it costs time, comfort, or reputation. The court must decide: does this show that kindness is mainly a personal choice, or does it show that people have a responsibility to care for one another?

Prosecution position: Kindness is a social responsibility. People are connected, so refusing to help can harm the whole community.

Defense position: Kindness is a personal choice. It matters because it is freely chosen, not forced by a rule.

Part 3

Role Cards

Judge

Keep time. Ask: Which evidence proves that?

Prosecution

Argue that kindness is a social responsibility.

Defense

Argue that kindness is meaningful because it is a personal choice.

Jury

Vote for stronger reasoning, not personal preference.

Reporter

Write the meeting trace: one quote, one objection, one reflection.

Clerk

Read evidence cards when the judge calls for them.

Part 4

Evidence and Objection Cards

Evidence A

The character notices someone else's suffering before anyone asks for help.

Evidence B

The character loses comfort or status because of the choice to help.

Evidence C

Another person benefits, but the wider community does not immediately change.

Evidence D

The story suggests that silence or inaction would have made the harm worse.

Objection: Relevance

How does this evidence answer the case question?

Objection: Exaggeration

Does the speaker claim more than the evidence proves?

Objection: Missing Context

What part of the story is being left out?

Objection: Unfair Summary

Did the speaker describe the other side fairly?

Part 5

Closing Statement and Jury Slip

Closing statement

Our side argues that ________________________________.

The strongest evidence is ________________________________.

This evidence matters because ________________________________.

The other side might say ____________________, but ____________________.

Jury slip

Winning side	Evidence that decided the vote	One fair objection

Part 6

Debrief

Debrief line

A good literary argument does not only say what a character did. It explains what that action means, what it proves, and what a fair reader might still question.

Meeting trace prompt: The best moment in today's trial was __________________ because __________________.