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Handout
ProCon

Standardized Tests

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Does the use of standardized testing improve American education? Scholars dive into the issue as they prepare to discuss the debate topic with their classmates. After reviewing the pros and cons, they watch videos to help them arrive at...
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Lesson Plan
5
5
The New York Times

Collateral Damage? Researching a Connection Between Video Games and Violence

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Hook your class into an exploration of and discussion about violence in video games with a cute animal clip and a video game trailer. After a quick discussion about how media can affect mood, class members read a related article and...
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Handout
ProCon

Electoral College

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
The Electoral College's role in elections is sometimes confusing and controversial. Pupils use a debate topics website to research the pros and cons of the practice to debate whether the United States should still use the Electoral...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Role of the Judiciary

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The role of the judicial branch has far reaches into American life. Learners consider its uses with a reading on the branch and a structured conversation on the topic. Together, they work to root their contributions to the discussion in...
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Worksheet
Road to Grammar

Techonology

For Students 6th - 12th
Technology is a hot topic, so why not discuss it with your English language learners? There are three viewpoints from students included on this page, along with vocabulary words and ten tech-related questions to discuss.
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Worksheet
Road to Grammar

Fame

For Students 6th - 12th
Smile for the camera and find out how your English language learners feel about fame! Class members read three different points of view on fame and then discuss ten questions about the topic.
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Handout
Curated OER

College Education

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
What do Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? They're both billionaires, and neither one has a college degree! Using the website, scholars explore whether having a college education is truly worth the money it costs. They read...
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Handout
Curated OER

Corporal Punishment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Nineteen states legally permit school officials to physically punish children. Scholars learn more about the topic as they use the website to prepare for a class debate or discussion. Pupils read background information and discover the...
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Handout
ProCon

Daylight Savings Time

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
An entomologist named Geroge Vernon Hudson is credited with proposing Daylight Saving Time (DST) so he could better study his insects. Using the informative website, scholars read a brief introduction to the topic and then explore the...
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Handout
ProCon

Olympics

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Are the Olympic Games a benefit for their host countries and cities? Scholars decide for themselves in preparation for a class debate or discussion. After reading a brief background and overview of the topic, pupils read the top three...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impromptu Speeches

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners brainstorm their favorite summer activities and volunteers five impromptu speeches. They review the rubric for impromptu speeches and discuss possible topics for speeches. They give impromptu speeches and evaluate each other.
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Website
University of North Carolina

Should I Use “I”?

For Students 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Despite the formal nature of academic writing, personal pronouns frequently appear in high school and college papers. While your first instinct may be to cross them out, sometimes it's okay to use them, an idea covered in a handout that...
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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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Handout
ProCon

Penny

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Twenty-nine percent of Americans want to abolish the one-cent coin, which begs the question: Is a penny saved really a penny earned? Scholars read fascinating facts about the history of the penny in preparation for a class debate or...
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Handout
ProCon

Prescription Drug Ads

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Bayer Pharmaceuticals sold heroin as a cough medicine in the 1900s ... who knew? Scholars discover this, and other interesting facts, when they use the resource to prepare for a class discussion or debate. They browse videos, readers'...
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Handout
ProCon

Vaccines for Kids

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
All 50 US states require vaccinations for children entering public schools. Pupils set out to determine whether these requirements are fair with a thought-provoking resource. They read an interesting history of vaccines, watch pro and...
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Handout
ProCon

Student Loan Debt

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should college loan debt be easier to discharge in bankruptcy? Scholars sort through the top three pros and cons to decide for themselves in preparation for a class debate or discussion. Learners may also participate in an online poll to...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Pig Products

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How do you feel about cloning? This issue is highly debated, so educate your class before they participate in a similar debate! Read a New York Times article related to the use of cloned pig organs for human transplants. Groups develop...
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PPT
Curated OER

Asking Questions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Review the basics of forming questions with this resource. ESL learners can practice forming questions, answering yes and no inquiries, and asking how long something takes. This resource provides a comprehensive exploration of the topic.
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Lesson Plan
Perkins School for the Blind

Conversation Skills

For Teachers 1st - 12th
It is so important for learners with multiple disabilities to learn how to communicate for both social and functional reasons. Each child will choose a topic from the list and generate five questions related to that topic. They'll split...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...
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Lesson Plan
Carnegie Mellon University

Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Set your environmental studies class up to debate a current topic regarding your choice of six suggested statements about energy use in the United States. Teams read material that you have gathered and then form their arguments. The...
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Activity
Curated OER

Informative Speech Assignment

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Allow your pupils to take on the role of the instructor with an informative speech that covers a new topic related to your unit of study or new information on a subject your class has already studied. Pupils fill out the provided outline...
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Lesson Plan
Facing History and Ourselves

Fishbowl Discussion

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Filter young teenagers' opinions and perspectives with a classic fishbowl discussion. Given any topic relevant to your curriculum, a group of class members engage in discussion for their peers to observe.

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