The document presents a hypothetical Halloween scenario where three teenagers are committing pranks on Halloween night. One kicks a pumpkin at a home and the homeowner shoots from the front door, killing one of the teenagers. The document then provides discussion questions about the scenario and whether the homeowner has a right to protect their property, if the teenagers were at fault, and if the shooter should be punished. Students are instructed to research the issues, take notes, and write an essay arguing whether the shooter should be punished and what the penalty should be.

1. DISASTER ON HALLOWEEN
A REAL WORLD PROBLEM
BY: DEAN BERRY, ED. D.
1

2. THE PROBLEM
ITS 9:30 PM ON HALLOWEEN AND THREE TEENAGERS ARE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTING HARMLESS PRANKS. THEY ARE
DRESSED IN DARK CLOTHING AND LOOK LIKE BUMS AND BEASTS.
AS THEY COME UP THE DRIVEWAY TO A HOME, ONE OF THEM
KICKS A PUMPKIN AND BREAKS IT. THE HOMEOWNER POKES A
RIFLE OUT THE FRONT DOOR AND FIRES. ONE OF THE YOUNG
TEENAGERS IS STRUCK IN THE HEAD AND DIES BEFORE HELP
ARRIVES. THE MAN WITH THE GUN FEELS TERRIBLE BUT IT’S TOO
LATE.
2

3. PAIR SHARE
MEET IN PAIRS
OR SMALL
GROUPS AND
DISCUSS THE 3

4. THINK&DISCUSS
• DOES A HOMEOWNER HAVE A
RIGHT TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY
AND PROPERTY?
• WERE THE TEENAGERS AT FAULT
FOR ANY OF THEIR BEHAVIOR?
• WHEN SOMEONE SHOOTS A GUN
ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
RESULT?
• SHOULD THE SHOOTER BE
PUNISHED?
4

5. REPORT BACK TO CLASS
SHARE YOUR IDEAS
.
1. LET’S SUMMARIZE POSSIBLE
ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS.
2. INCLUDE THESE IDEAS IN YOUR
NOTES.
3. YOU MAY CHOOSE TO USE A
GRAPHIC ORGANIZER.
5

6. PREPARE TO RESEARCH THE ISSUES
•NOW IT IS TIME TO RESEARCH VARIOUS
POINTS OF VIEW AND LEGAL POSITIONS.
INCLUDE ANY COURT CASES OR RULINGS
THAT MAY LEND SUPPORT TO YOUR
POSITION.

7. QUESTIONS TO GUIDE RESEARCH
• 1. UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS CAN YOU
LEGALLY SHOOT SOMEONE?
• 2. CAN A HOMEOWNER SHOOT ANYONE WHO IS
TRESPASSING ON THEIR PROPERTY?
• CAN YOU CITE PRIOR CASES THAT PROVIDE
GOOD EXAMPLES OF HOW THE LAW WAS
APPLIED?
• WOULD YOU HAVE SHOT IN THE SAME
SITUATION? WHY?
• IF IT WAS YOUR BROTHER WHO WAS KILLED
WHEN THE BOYS WERE TRICK OR TREATING,
WOULD YOU FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT
SHOOTING A TRESPASSER?

8. USE THE FOLLOWING INTERNET SOURCES TO
GATHER INFORMATION ON YOUR RESEARCH
TOPIC.
SEE THE
POWERPOINT
VERSION OF THIS
UNIT IN ORDER TO
QUICKLY ACCESS

9. WOMEN SEEKING HELP SHOT A KILLED ON
THE PORCH BY HOMEOWNER WHO IS
ARRESTED
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=UHV1AZK1LTG

10. HOMEOWNER SHOOTS SUSPECT THIEF AND
NEIGHBORS COME TO HIS DEFENSE 3 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=W1-Z4JI8EUA

11. 92 YEAR OLD KILLS INTRUDER 3 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=RMWVZNZF9KE

12. HOMEOWNER CONVICTED OF SHOOTING
BURGLARS
2 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=AITB-VGMUSI

13. THREE SCARY HALLOWEEN STORIES
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT
CH?V=TQD2NVGOE5O

14. POLICE ENTERS WRONG HOME SHOOTS ONE
OF THEIR OWN OFFICERS 2 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=W3PJNCXLVBE

15. POLICE SHOOT HUSBAND AT HOME IN HIS
OWN HOUSE DURING ILLEGAL RAID 3 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/W
ATCH?V=RNGF2KS3DHS

16. MAN SHOOT AND KILLS BURGLAR IN HIS
HOUSE
ACCOMPLICES CHARGED WITH MURDER 2
MIN
•
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT
CH?V=FB1CPEWVPLI

17. HOME OWNER ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING
INTRUDER
1 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT
CH?V=PQSUAL_72C8

18. HORRIBLE HALLOWEEN DEATHS
10 MIN
•HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WAT
CH?V=IF9YTT00FTG

19. RESEARCH NOTES
• COLLECT A MINIMUM OF 2-3 PAGES OF NOTES
• GATHER INFORMATION THAT WILL ENABLE YOU
TO WRITE A SHORT TWO PAGE ESSAY

20. DOOR TO DOOR SALESMAN SHOT
DEAD
•HTTP://RT.COM/USA/FLORIDA-
DOOR-TO-DOOR-HOUSE-ROOP-
265/

21. HALLOWEEN PARTY GOER SHOT DEAD FOR
TRESPASSING
•HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/DE
ATH_OF_YOSHIHIRO_HATTORI

22. DRUNK LADY SHOT FOR WANDERING INTO
THE WRONG HOUSE
•HTTP://ARTICLES.LATIMES.COM/
2012/MAY/26/NATION/LA-NA-
NN-COLORADO-TRESPASSER-
SHOT-20120526

23. LAWS: WHEN CAN YOU LEGALLY SHOOT
SOMENE
•HTTP://WWW.HPE.COM/X143569
7162/WHEN-CAN-YOU-SHOOT-
POLICE-CHIEF-SHEDS-LIGHT-
ON-SOMETIMES-CONFUSING-
SELF-DEFENSE-LAW

24. SHOT AND KILLED WHILE TRICK OR
TREATING
•HTTP://USATODAY30.USATODAY
.COM/NEWS/NATION/2008-11-
03-HALLOWEEN-SLAYING_N.HTM

25. CASTLE LAW: WHEN TO SHOOT
LEGALLY
•HTTP://WWW.MSNEWSNOW.COM
/STORY/7841201/CASTLE-LAW-
SHOOT-OR-DONT-SHOOT

26. MAY I SHOOT AN INTRUDER?
•HTTP://CRIMINAL.FINDLAW.COM
/CRIMINAL-CHARGES/MAY-I-
SHOOT-AN-INTRUDER.HTML

27. 12 YEAR OLD SHOT WHILE TRICK OR
TREATING
•HTTP://WWW.FOXNEWS.COM/STORY
/2008/11/01/SOUTH-CAROLINA-
BOY-SHOT-KILLED-WHILE-TRICK-
OR-TREATING-SUSPECT-FEARED-
ROBBERY/

28. COMMON CORE STANDARDS
AS YOU CONDUCT YOUR
RESEARCH, USE THE FOLLOWING
TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE YOUR
SOURCES.

29. EVALUATE AND VERIFY
RESEARCH SOURCES
• INTERNET SOURCES WILL VARY GREATLY IN ACCURACY AND
RELIABILITY
• CONSIDER THE EXPERTISE AND REPUTATION OF EACH WEBSITE
• COMPARE FACTS AND INFORMATION OF DIFFERENT INTERNET
SOURCES
• SELECT INFORMATION THAT IS SUPPORTED ON SEVERAL
RELIABLE WEBSITES
• QUESTION OR REFUTE INFORMATION THAT LACKS CONSISTENT
SUPPORT

30. REVIEW YOUR RESEARCH NOTES
WRITE AN ESSAY
ON THE TOPIC

31. PREPARE TO WRITE
•WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO
A PROPERTY OWNER WHO
ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTS AN
INTRUDER?
•WHAT SHOULD THE
PENALTY BE?
•EXPLAIN YOUR ARGUMENT
BY GIVING REASONS WITH
31

32. ORGANIZE
• REVIEW ALL OF YOUR NOTES
FROM THE GROUP DISCUSSION
AND RESEARCH.
• SELECT THE MOST IMPORTANT
IDEAS.
• CHOOSE FACTS AND EXAMPLES
TO SUPPORT EACH IMPORTANT
32

33. DEVELOP A WRITING
PLAN
• DETERMINE WHAT YOUR MAIN POINT
WILL BE, AND WRITE A TOPIC
SENTENCE THAT PROVIDES FOCUS FOR
YOUR ESSAY.
• CHOOSE SEVERAL MAIN IDEAS THAT
SUPPORT YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE.
• SORT YOUR INFORMATION INTO
SUPPORTING DETAILS WITH FACTS AND
EXAMPLES. 33

34. ORGANIZE
YOUR IDEAS
AND PREPARE
TO WRITE AN
ESSAY ABOUT
THE ISSUE.

35. DETAILS MUST
SUPPORT THE MAIN
IDEAS
PROVIDE SPECIFIC
FACTS, EXAMPLES, AND
REASONS FOR EACH
MAIN IDEA IN THE BODY
OF YOUR ESSAY

36. WRITE THE ROUGH
DRAFT
USE THE FIVE
PARAGRAPH FORMAT
THAT INCLUDES AN
INTRODUCTORY
PARAGRAPH, BODY,
AND CONCLUSION

37. 37
Five Paragraph Essay
Outline
Introduction
What is my topic
sentence?
Body-Main Ideas
With supporting
details
Conclusion
How can I summarize
my paragraph?
How can I rephrase my
topic sentence?

38. PREPARE TO WRITE
• WRITE A FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY ABOUT THE
ISSUE.
• AS YOU WRITE YOUR ROUGH DRAFT, IT WILL BE
VERY IMPORTANT TO USE SPECIAL WORDS
THAT ENABLE YOU TO TRANSITION SMOOTHLY
FROM ONE IDEA TO THE NEXT.
38

39. TRANSITION WORDS
AS YOU VIEW THESE
WORDS, SELECT THE
WORDS THAT HELP YOU
MAKE TRANSITIONS
SMOOTHLY FROM ONE
IDEA TO THE NEXT.
• AS A RESULT
• SUCH AS
• FOR EXAMPLE
• NEVERTHELESS
• FOR THAT
REASON
• FINALLY
• AT THIS TIME
• THEREFORE
• FURTHERMORE
• IN ADDITION
• IN CONCLUSION
• AS WELL AS
39

40. PAIR SHARE
EDITING
WORK IN PAIRS TO
EDIT AND IMPROVE
YOUR ESSAY. READ
EACH OTHER’S
ESSAYS “OUT
LOUD” AND OFFER
SPECIFIC
SUGGESTIONS FOR

41. REVIEW, EDIT, AND REWRITE
1. RE-READ YOUR ESSAY SEVERAL TIMES.
2. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR SENTENCES TO
COMMUNICATE MORE CLEARLY?
3. ARE YOUR MAIN IDEAS SUPPORTED BY EXAMPLES AND
DETAILS?
4. EXCHANGE PAPERS WITH ANOTHER STUDENT AND READ
EACH OTHER’S ESSAY OUT LOUD.
5. MAKE FINAL CORRECTIONS AND WRITE A FINAL DRAFT OF
YOUR POLISHED ESSAY.
41

42. FINAL
DRAFT
USE WHAT YOU
HAVE LEARNED
FROM YOUR REVIEW
PROCESS AND
WRITE YOUR FINAL
DRAFT.

43. BRING YOUR COMPLETED PAPER
TO THE NEXT CLASS SESSION.
THE NEXT STEP
WILL BE TO
PRESENT YOUR
IDEAS TO YOUR
SMALL GROUP FOR 43

44. MEET IN SMALL GROUPS TO CROSS EXAMINE STUDENTS AS THEY
PRESENT THEIR PAPERS
• ANALYZE SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE PRESENTED BY GROUP
MEMBERS.
• ASK CHALLENGING QUESTIONS WHEN GROUP MEMBERS PRESENT THEIR
POSITIONS. LOOK FOR EVIDENCE THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT
CLEAR, LOGICAL ARGUMENTS.
• ASK GROUP MEMBERS TO DEFEND THE CREDIBILITY AND
RELIABILITY OF THEIR SOURCES.

45. SHARE YOUR IDEAS
WITH THE GROUP
DURING THIS EVALUATION PHASE, CLASS
MEMBERS WILL SHARE IDEAS, ANALYZE
ARGUMENTS, AND REVIEW THE MAIN ISSUES OF
THE PROBLEM. STUDENTS WILL BE PREPARED TO
PARTICIPATE BY CONTRIBUTING THEIR IDEAS AND
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE. 45

46. DEFEND YOUR POSITION
AS YOU PRESENT YOUR PAPER TO YOUR GROUP,
CLEARLY STATE YOUR POSITION ON THE ISSUE
AND REVIEW THE MAIN POINTS OF YOUR
ARGUMENT. BE SURE TO CITE SPECIFIC FACTS
AND EXAMPLES THAT SUPPORT EACH POINT
YOU ARE MAKING. INCLUDE EVIDENCE THAT
SUBSTANTIATES ALL CLAIMS.
46