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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates — Springboard to the White House

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates saw two primary political candidates debating seven different times about one of the most important social movements in United States history. Middle and high schoolers read an article that describes the...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Cyberbullying—Alternate Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech, class...
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Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Rivers and the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Damming rivers has been a case of necessity versus negative environmental impact since the process began. Kids take on the role of a stakeholder in the proposed damming of the Danube River. They begin by reading arguments for and against...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Debating Ethics with Literature

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Use group discussions, analysis, and ethical dilemmas to build critical thinking and an empathetic perspective.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Globalization Comes to the Table

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners, in groups, research the issues surrounding one of several controversies involving food and globalization. Then they debate their position and show a PowerPoint presentation at a mock summit meeting.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stage a Debate: A Primer for Teachers (Lincoln-Douglas Debate Format)

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
For a comprehensive overview of debate styles and formats, look at this resource. It details the Lincoln-Douglas debate format (one-to-one debate with specific, timed rounds of points, cross-examination, and rebuttals). You can also find...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Noteworthy?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Why do we have CliffsNotes? SparkNotes? Middle and high schoolers examine arguments for and against the recent influx of book notes, or study guides. They stage a debate in which they represent Advocates For or Critics Against the use of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whose Rite Is It?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The class explores and debates, from multiple perspectives, a petition to allow Hopi Indians to take golden eagle hatchlings from a federal wildlife sanctuary for use in a religious ceremony. Pupils defend their personal views on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debating the Issues: Ralph Bunche and Civil Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Synthesizing information from a PBS documentary Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey, its companion website, and several other resources (links to which are provided), high schoolers evaluate whether Bunche did all he could to advance the...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Diving into Iceland's Genetic Pool

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Investigate ethical issues surrounding the Decode project in Iceland. Middle and high schoolers take the positions of the Icelandic government, scientific researchers, and citizens and defend or refute the Decode project in a Reykjavik...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Role Play Debate

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Suggested topics for a role play debate include school uniforms and culpability for drunk driving, but any issue of interest to your class will work. What are the hot issues in your community or on the news right now? Class members...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debates on Persuasive Language That Extend Outside of Class

For Teachers 9th - 12th
There is no better sight to see than a classroom full of eager young adults, hands raised high, eager to jump into a class discussion. Get your class identifying and discussing rhetorical strategies and then debating long into the night...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Testing: Road Map or Crystal Ball?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
After looking at the many aspects of the issues behind genetic testing, students are exposed to the pros and cons and must take a stand by writing a position paper. They will view the "Who Gets to Know?" video and/or reading case studies...
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PPT
Curated OER

Wild Horses

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What a terrific resource! This presentation focuses on wild horses and what should be done about them. While the questions found in the presentation focus on grammar and comprehension, this set of slides could do so much more. Learners...
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Lesson Plan
K20 Learn

(Mis)Reported and (Mis)Remembered: The Vietnam War

For Teachers 11th Standards
What are the complicated legacies of the Vietnam War? Learners consider the question as they examine videos and primary sources from the conflict. After examining footage and documents such as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and an op-ed...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Presenting with Confidence: Speech and Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Stage fright? Class members learn strategies to overcome stage fright and develop confidence when giving speeches and engaging in debates.
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Lesson Plan
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K20 LEARN

Trigger Warnings - Intellectual Rights and Responsibilities: Banned Books, Censorship Part 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Warning: Conducting this lesson may be harmful." Such statements, called "Trigger Warnings," are the focus of a two-part lesson that looks at censorship, especially the pros and cons of trigger warnings. Class members read two articles,...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Introduction to Arguing Effectively: Argument Writing

For Teachers 10th - 11th Standards
Which is better—Chick-fil-A or MacDonalds? High schoolers learn how to craft an argument essay by beginning an opinion statement. They state a claim, back up their claim with evidence, and consider counter calms. Scholars then create a...
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Lesson Plan
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Anti-Defamation League

Sixty Years Later

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Has any progress been made in desegregating schools since 1954's Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education? To find out, class members examine charts and graphs representing U.S. schools' racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Exploring Conflict And Theme: Engaging With "The Necklace"

For Teachers 9th Standards
Teach young scholars how to determine the theme of a story, an insight the author wants to share with readers, with a lesson that uses Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" as an anchor text. Learners examine the internal and external...
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Lesson Plan
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Overcoming Obstacles

Expressing Opinions Constructively

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Everyone has opinions. The trick is to learn how to disagree in a way that doesn't cause problems. The activities in the final lesson in the Communication Module focuses on learning how to express opinions constructively. Middle...
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Activity
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Facing History and Ourselves

Take a Stand

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Whole-heartedly agree! I sort of agree. Disagree! Class members indicate their stance on a controversial statement by participating in a Barometer activity.
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Lesson Plan
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Overcoming Obstacles

Communicating Constructively

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Some conversations are easy and enjoyable, while others are horrific! To begin a lesson on communicating constructively, class members list examples of conversations that are easy, average, and those that are difficult and identify what...