Curriculum Highlight: The King Louis Trial
Highlighting an Eighth grade tradition
What if learning history meant stepping right into it? At The Oaks Academy, students don’t just read about the past; they experience it through hands-on, immersive learning that sparks curiosity and creates lasting memories.
One example is a beloved Middle School tradition: the King Louis Trial, hosted by our eighth-grade students. As they study the French Revolution, students spend weeks exploring this pivotal moment before concluding the unit with a reenactment of the Trial of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.
Preparing for the trial takes weeks of collaboration. Eighth-grade students are assigned roles and prepare arguments defending or prosecuting the accused royalty. In the weeks leading up to the trial, they also designed propaganda posters supporting their side, reflecting the messaging used during the French Revolution to influence public opinion.
Sixth-grade students attend as the jury, voting on whether the king and queen are guilty or innocent. In preparation, they learn how to evaluate evidence and deliberate thoughtfully as jurors. Parents and families are also invited to watch the performances.
This tradition reflects the way learning happens at The Oaks. The experience goes beyond the classroom and brings multiple grade levels into the curriculum, allowing younger students to participate in a tradition they will one day lead themselves. Parents and families are also invited to watch the performances.
To begin the trial, students sing the French national anthem before presenting arguments and testimonies surrounding four charges: grand larceny, negligent homicide, first-degree murder, and treason. Witnesses include the king and queen, their children, servants from the royal household, and revolutionaries speaking for the people of France.
After hearing the testimonies, the sixth-grade jury deliberates and determines the king’s fate. If convicted, the student portraying King Louis XVI is led to the guillotine.
This year, the prosecution team won across the classes, with five out of six juries sending the royalty to the guillotine. Bringing the past to life, this reenactment is one of the many traditions Oaks students remember for years to come and a memorable example of how The Oaks cultivates a love of learning.
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