Students debate the pros and cons of police searching the trash of suspected drug dealers. Students collect background information, and students interview city officials and garbage collectors. Students develop a strategic plan for...

Students research the background of websites, MySpace and FaceBook. In groups, they interview local experts about Internet crimes. They investigate what their school's policy is and write a news feature how local schools are disciplining...

Students investigate the purpose and function of the police uniform. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to focus upon the history and hold relevant class discussions. Students explain why...

Students investigate facts about the war in Korea in the 1950's and attempt to classify American foreign policy as a triumph or a failure. Why the U.S. became involved and the unpopularity of the war in America forms the focus of this...

"Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;. . ." Why is this guarantee of free speech and a free press the First Amendment to the US Constitution? Why are these rights so essential to a...

Students investigate the issues of police brutality, use of excessive force, and the underlying issues by participating in a round-table discussion. They compare how these issues are explored differently in different types of...

Students research Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), interview school officials to see how FERPA is interpreted in local schools, speak with community journalists to find out if they have ever had a hard time getting...

Black berets, black leather jackets, raised black fists, chants of "Power to the People!" These are the images that many associate with the Black Panther Party. Often forgotten are the programs the party created during the Civil Rights...

Share their opinions on the use of DNA databases in criminal investigations. After reading an article, they evaluate the pros and cons of the databases and work in groups to answer discussion questions. They write a letter to a state...

Students investigate the crash of a bus carrying an Ohio baseball team to a tournament at a site where 82 other accidents had occured previously. They interview local police and insurance agents about sites in their own locales where...

Critically Evaluating Alarming News students use a guided reading strategy to explore news articles about the Washington-area sniper attacks, and conduct a roundtable discussion to investigate public reaction to the case. October 17, 200

Learners, in a juvenile correctional facility, study the meaning of the Fourth Constitutional Amendment. They study definitions and complete worksheets to investigate the implications of the amendment.

Learners write an opinion piece, including facts of this situation and any other statistics about helping others during a fight. Students offer suggestions about how to break up a fight, or when not to try (based on what national experts...

To some people, protesting is as American as apple pie, but the factors that lead to protests can be as confusing to veteran activists as to today's youth. Revolution '67 explores the riots in Newark, New Jersey as a case study. ...

The deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, and the protests that followed the 2014 shootings, are the focus of a current-events activity that asks class members to brainstorm and research possible strategies to address the...

Students investigate the debate whether schools should regulate the amount or type of food and drink students consume. They write and present position papers after reading an online NY Times article.

Learners read and discuss the Enemy Alien Evacuation Order. They perform research by reading newspaper articles from February 1942 as well as investigating available information on the Internet. Students work in groups to create a...

Students investigate the credibility of WikiLeaks.  In this history lesson plan, students read three WikiLeak articles, then answer questions that relate to each article.

How did the Voting Rights Act affect the daily lives of American citizens? A document-based lesson developed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating committee (SNCC) presents a case study of the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on...

Young scholars analyze the relationship between religion an politics. In this Supreme Court activity, students examine the results of the 2004 presidential election and explore how the results impacted George W. Bush and his Supreme...

Students investigate Justice Week in Britain. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites related to law and order in the U.K. Students may create their own anti-social art as a culminating activity.

Students examine push and pull factors at work in China. In this modern China lesson, students research primary and secondary sources in electronic and print formats to investigate the plight of migrant workers in China today. Students...

Students investigate the history, people, and the economy of Argentina. They complete a Webquest, explore various websites, answer discussion questions, and identify and read newspaper articles about local businesses that export goods to...

Students investigate the concept of stereotyping and how it done in our society. They use the example of a drug dealer and how one is identified using characteristics of stereotyping. They watch a commercial about drug use and answer...