Curated OER
Weighing the War
Study opposing viewpoints with this lesson, which examines President Bush's September 2004 address at the United Nations. Middle schoolers study the text of the address, and then stage formal debates arguing for or against the reasons to...
Curated OER
Deep Impact
How can acknowledging opposing viewpoints reinforce one's argument? Use this New York Times lesson to study consumerism and the environmental impact of new products. After reading the article "Whether a Hummer or a Hybrid, the Big...
Curated OER
Heeding Advice
Compare and contrast various foreign perspectives on the George W. Bush administration's plans for military action. Middle schoolers read the article "Blair and Chirac Head to U.S. to Talks and a Show of Unity." Then, they analyze...
Curated OER
Seeing Both Sides of an Issue
Students examine global issues from different perspectives. In this communication skills lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to take stances on issues and then consider the support of other...
Curated OER
Why A Bill of Rights?
Examine conflicting viewpoints in this lesson plan, in which middle schoolers write their own proposal for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. As a class, they discover how the Bill of Rights was not a planned document to be...
Curated OER
Persuasive Writing - Anticipating Opposing Views
Persuasion, when used effectively, is a powerful and effective tool. In groups, young writers develop a persuasive letter about something that they would like their parents to allow them to do. Then, independently, they use proper...
Newseum
Weighing the Arguments
To understand how personal perspectives can affect policy and politics, scholars examine the woman suffrage media map and historical artifacts to analyze arguments for and against women's suffrage. Class members then take on the role of...
Curated OER
Was the Stamp Act Fair?
Elementary and middle schoolers examine and evaluate different perspectives concerning events leading to the American Revolution. In this case, they hone in on the Stamp Act. They research controversial bills, laws, or events of the time...
Curated OER
Arti-Factual Evidence
Practice responding to controversial information with the New York Times lesson provided here. Middle schoolers watch a video interview with the director of The Lost Tomb of Jesus. After reading a companion article, they identify the...
Curated OER
Perspectives in Writing
Students consider various perspectives in writing and write a short story. They view a painting and discuss its theme and the idea of personification as perspective. Choosing three different viewpoints, they write a story about the...
Curated OER
What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?
Students complete inquiry projects. For this historical perspectives lesson, students conduct their own research on topical historical questions their instructors suggest. Students then locate historical evidence and analyze it to learn...
Curated OER
Telling Our Stories of Giving - Writing to Persuade
After identifying the parts of a persuasive piece of writing, young writers explore different prewriting activities for the persuasive essay. They have the option to write a news article, personal narrative, or persuasive essay to...
Curated OER
Opposing Views on the Vietnam War
Students analyze the feelings of Americans regarding the Vietnam War. For this Vietnam War lesson, students collaborate to research Internet and print sources regarding the perspectives on U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
Curated OER
Higher (Priced) Education
Students explore the proposed Affordability in Higher Education Act. They synthesize their knowledge by acting as lobbyists representing different special interest groups with opposing perspectives on the proposed bill.
Curated OER
Issues and Opposing Views: Cloning
Learners complete analysis activities to compare and contrast an opposing view point in writing and orally. In this opposing views lesson, students complete research about cloning. Learners make presentations for their view points on the...
Curated OER
Friday Forum
Middle schoolers research a variety of controversial articles to gain knowledge. They form an opinion and defend their position with supporting data. They evaluate opposing arguments and present their viewpoint both verbally and in the...
Curated OER
Unauthorized Immigration and the U.S. Economy
Students examine unauthorized immigration in the United States. In this current issues lesson plan, students examine 4 letters written to the editor regarding unauthorized immigration. Students act as editors and analyze the letters...
Curated OER
American Civil War: Conflicting Newspaper Reports
Learners examine the happenings at the Battle of Antietam from all sides. In this American Civil War activity, students analyze newspapers accounts from different perspectives regarding the battle and then write their own accounts of the...
ProCon
Death Penalty
Should the United States continue the practice of capital punishment? Scholars set out to answer the question in preparation for a class debate or discussion about the death penalty. They watch videos, analyze charts about death penalty...
Curated OER
Science as a Source of Social Controversy
High schoolers research the two opposing views and biographical information about Ptolemy and Copernicus in order to be familiar with the societal viewpoints that influenced the thinking of these two scientists. Students role-play...
Curated OER
Religion and Globalization
High schoolers consider the influence of religious values in global perspectives. In this global issues lesson, students research noted articles and documents about globalization, discuss the implications of living in a global society,...
Curated OER
In the Global Ballpark
Students examine reasons for and against American baseball teams playing in international exhibition games by debating pros and cons of the issue from the perspectives of designated personas.
Curated OER
Should Fitness Be Mandatory?
Students examine a website for viewpoints on fitness as a legal issue. They form positions on communal responsibility vs. personal freedoms and present to the class their positions.
Los Angeles Unified School District
Capitalism and Socialism
Capitalism, socialism, communism ... these may seem like a whole bunch of isms to your scholars. High schoolers won't confuse them after completing an informative resource. Your class masters how to use primary sources to critically...