PBS
An Attack on Syria- What Would You Do?
Has United States military intervention in the conflicts of other countries always been warranted? After reviewing a brief background on contemporary US conflicts and reading articles describing the civil war in Syria, your learners...
Curated OER
Whose History Is It Anyway? Patterns in History
Read and examine primary source material in order to analyze, synthesize, and debate information about the Great Depression. Critical analysts research various source materials related to the Great Depression. They work in teams to...
C-SPAN
Student Symposium and Resulting Action
Your class may not be able to vote yet, but that doesn't mean they can't feel like they're part of the presidential election! The resource creates a symposium where pupils debate about a selected topic in current events during an...
Curated OER
Organization of Nations Project
Students research the priorities and needs of an assigned country. They come together and debate current events from the point of view of the country they are representing.
Curated OER
The Great Scientific Debate
Fourth graders examine scientific issues that affect the public by debating their classmates. They also write brief essays that show they have learned how to express their reasons for their pros and cons of a particular topic.
Curated OER
Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Curated OER
Naturalized Citizens and the Presidency
High schoolers consider the presidential requirements. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students participate in a role play that requires them to act as senators and debate an amendment to allow naturalized citizens to run for the...
Curated OER
Journalists Under Fire
High schoolers research current events in relation to the United States military. In this current event lesson, students find out what is going on in the war and use what they find to explain and debate their stance on current events.
Curated OER
How Women Got the Vote: The Story of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt
Students participate in a simulation and compare and contrast the arguments for and against womens' right to vote. In this civil rights lesson, students simulate disenfranchisement of women by allowing only half of the class to vote on a...
Curated OER
Democracy and the Canadian Parliamentary Process
Twelfth graders organize in groups representing a dictatorship, a triumvirate, and a democracy, and defend their position on current topics facilitated by the teacher.
Curated OER
The Federalist Papers
Students identify the Articles of Confederation and explain why it failed. They explain the argument over the need for a bill of rights in the Constitution and James Madison's role in securing its adoption by first Congress. Finally,...
Curated OER
Walk in My Shoes
Students discover how culture, geography and history affect how someone views an area of the world. They role play the role of a Palestinian, Jew or Briton and examine how they felt about Israel during its formation. To end the lesson...
Curated OER
Human Rights Violations
Students explore how human rights are different in each part of the world. In this freedome lesson, students define human rights, research how human rights in one country ultimately affect other countries, and share their findings...
Curated OER
Senate Judiciary Committee Confirmation Simulation
Students research the Supreme Court judicial selection process while role playing. They examine the political nature of the process and discuss merits of Supreme Court nominees.