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Executive Decisions
Students examine the reasons behind key presidential decisions throughout American history and, by debating the pros and cons of these decisions in retrospect, students consider how these decisions affect us still today.
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On the Air
Students explore the issue of race in television since the 1950's, focusing specifically on African-American entertainers. After researching important issues, events, and television personalities of specific decades, students create TV...
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Keeping A Watchful Eye
Students explore the use of satellite surveillance systems to track criminals. They consider how the use of this technology in law enforcement might affect them and write opinions on whether or not such a system should be adopted by...
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Life, Camera, Action
Learners investigate the history, politics and culture of Somalia. They analyze media coverage and portrayal of the country. They focus on the role of media in reporting on Somalia and the current debate over the film Black Hawk Down.
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Fire Escape
Students explore the effects of the volcanic eruption of Nyiragongo in Congo as a springboard to exploring past examples of volcanic eruptions and their respective relief efforts.
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Know Your Rites
Students examine ceremonies in cultures around the world that celebrate young peoples' entry into adulthood.
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Making The Holidays Special
Young scholars examine ways in which holiday television specials reflect some of the religious, historic and cultural themes of the holidays on which they focus. They create their own holiday television specials in groups, each focusing...
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Hearing The Warning Bells
Explore hearing loss and ways in which technology can help the hearing impaired by experiencing a simulation of hearing impairment and by researching in order to present related topics. Learners will also investigate and evaluate dangers...
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And Justice For All
Students compare three justice systems currently in place in the United States: the civilian criminal justice system, the military criminal justice system (courts-martial) and the secret wartime tribunals that President Bush has proposed...
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Mummies Unwrapped
Students investigate various methods of mummification practiced in cultures around the world and present their findings in 'televised' news reports.
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Spacing Out
Students explore environmental and geological conditions on other planets in our solar system, comparing their findings to information about Earth. They propose technologies that might assist in supporting human life on those planets.
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A Whale of a Problem
Students evaluate the possible causes contributing to the decline of the killer whale population from a number of differing perspectives. They present their findings in a talk show format and in letters of advocacy regarding
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Troubled Times
Students address their questions, anxieties and other feelings about the changes in American society since the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 and the subsequent reactions around the world.
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Public I or Private I
Students explore the topic of national identity cards in the United States as a starting point in determining what types of information should be publicly accessible to the government and private industry about specific individuals.
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Undercurrents Of Currency
Learners investigate the currencies used by different countries, and explore the principles of currency trading by exchanging currencies at current market rates. They, in groups, access websites which give them current rates.
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Pestilence and Plague
Students investigate various disease epidemics that have devastated the world population at different points in history and examine the diseases' effects on the countries they impacted.
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Too Free, Or Not Too Free?
Students create a survey that examines what level of electronic surveillance might be acceptable to members of the school and community. They poll the community, and analyze the results in the form of graphs and a written news article.
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The Power Of Words
Young scholars respond, in writing and in discussions, to statements of various world leaders about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. They keep quotation scrapbooks, responding to various quotations about the...
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On the Attack
Learners explore how government restrictions and over fishing impact the ecosystems of sharks and contribute to or curb their danger to humans. They synthesize their understanding of the issues by creating board games in groups.
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Vision Of The Future
Students investigate ways in which new vision tests and technologies can be used to help detect and correct vision problems. They begin by reading the Times article, Software May Replace the Eye Chart on the Wall. They stage a medical...
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What a Cosmic Web We Weave
Students explore, using journals and discussion in small groups, how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution.
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Delegating Authorities
Students compare and contrast democracies around the world after reading a New York Times article. They create posters and participate in a "democracy roundtable" in which they discuss two democracies.
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Beating the Odds
Students act as medical researchers and investigate the development of artificial heart, heart assist devices and other advancements in cardiology. They report their findings, both orally and visually, to their 'colleagues' at a conference.
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Special Treatment
Students determine the role of the FDA in approving new drugs. They investigate some of these new drugs and consider the pros and cons of taking part in a clinical study.