Curated OER
Considering U.S. Policy
Students explore policies regarding environmental issues. In this global issues lesson, students research the linked Internet sources to investigate governmental policies to decrease environmental issues.
Curated OER
Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy
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...
Curated OER
Nuclear Weapons: What Should Our Policy Be?
Students investigate nuclear weapons policies. In this global issues lesson plan, students research policies that the United States could institute to control nuclear weapon production. Students participate in a simulation to determine...
Curated OER
The Affect of Music on Visual Images
Eighth graders consider cross-curricular connections between social studies, singing, and current events. They listen to the song, "I Can't Cry Hard Enough." view scenes from September 11, then create presentations using images, a...
Curated OER
When Art Conveys Political and Social Conflict
Twelfth graders consider art as a medium to convey information and opinions on social conflict and issues. They analyze images from the Crocker Art Museum, discuss their effectiveness in raising awareness of an issue, and create a...
Curated OER
"Zebra" by Chaim Potok
Combine art and literature to teach greater themes and symbolic meaning. Using the plan outlined in this resource, expose your class to the story "Zebra" by Chaim Potok, conduct discussions about social issues and nicknames, and ask...
Curated OER
Staying Informed
Young scholars identify the various ways the American public can stay informed on the news. In groups, they brainstorm reasons why the public should not stick to one source for their news. They use this information to examine their own...
Curated OER
Internet and Right-to-Privacy Issues
High schoolers explore the role of the Internet in people's daily lives. In this Internet ethics lesson, students examine right-to-privacy issues as they research privacy policies on popular websites. High schoolers also discuss Internet...
Media Smarts
Media Awareness Network: Hate or Debate?
Discuss the difference between legitimate debate on a political issue and arguments that are based on hate through a science-fiction scenario that shows how a controversial issue can be discussed in both ways. Then learn how purveyors of...
Curated OER
Presidential Election Year: Major Issues
Whether or not it's a presidential election year, this debate activity will spark research on current political issues. Split your government scholars into 4 groups and assign each a political party. One person will be the "candidate"...
Media Smarts
The Citizen Reporter
Ripped from the headlines! Discuss topical social issues like racism, discrimination, and diversity while exploring the concept of citizen journalism. Begin with a professional-looking presentation on the history of citizen journalism....
Virginia Department of Education
Biotechnological Issues and Bioethics
Culminate a bioethics unit with the implementation of a lesson plan that incorporates the Socratic method to encourage class feedback and participation. Pupils participate in a discussion on bioethics and morality, complete a writing...
Kenan Fellows
Letter Writing to Politicians on Environmental Issues
Let your voices be heard! Pupils research local and national environmental concerns using the Internet. Class members determine an issue they deem important and draft a letter to a local politician expressing their concern about the...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights in Current Events
Divided the class into pairs, each group is assigned one of the amendments. They use the internet to research current cases and issues involving their amendment. They are then lead into the introduction to some of the basic concepts of...
Curated OER
Refugees at Center Stage
What is an advocate? Help high schoolers understand the issues forcing refugees to leave their home country. After gaining some information on the subject, high schoolers create a dynamic presentation and persuasive essay encouraging...
Media Smarts
Thinking like a Citizen
Explore the influence social activism can have on important issues, and create a class full of young citizen activists. This plan calls for learners to participate in a whole class discussion and brainstorm about ways to effectively...
Curated OER
Global Issues
Pupils explore the ways that local, national, and global events are interconnected. They identify current issues at a local and global level, identify organizations that seek to improve conditions in other countries, and examine the role...
Curated OER
Political Issues Survey
Fifth graders develop and conduct a survey regarding issues in a current political campaign. They distribute and collect the surveys, input the data using a spreadsheet program, and compare/contrast the recorded results.
Curated OER
Current Events Research
Students look for news stories on the Web that highlight some of the prominent issues in modern American history they outlined in Lesson One. They see the connection between historical issues and current events.
Curated OER
Current Events Research
Young scholars monitor current events using on-line and traditional resources. They explore issues such as what trends they see developing in specific news issues over time and how different news stories might be interrelated.
Curated OER
A Big Issue
Students examine the issue of childhood obesity. In this current events lesson, students explore the personal health issue as they discuss balanced diets, food diaries, and the 2012 London Olympics. Suggestions for classroom activities...
Curated OER
What is Your Issue?
Students discuss and debate critical political and social issues facing the United States today.
Curated OER
5 Themes Awareness of Current Event Issues
Students identify the 5 themes of geography as being location, place, human-environmental interaction, movement and region. They explain a current event from the perspective of each theme and their interrelationship..
Curated OER
Teaching a Current Event
Students discuss current events. In this decision making lesson, students work to solve how an issue in their classroom should be solved by using a six-step discussion procedure. They work as a class to come up with a fair way to solve a...