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Intolerable Acts
Students examine the implications of North Korea's nuclear testing. They develop a K-W-L chart, read an article, write questions, conduct research on their self-generated questions, and create an exhibit of their findings.
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Opinions, Please!
Students discuss the meaning and purposes of polls and surveys. After reading an article, they analyze the results of a poll given to residents of New York City. They create a survey of their own and analyze the data to write a written...
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Diplomatic Relations
Young scholars discuss the Phillipines and its political history with the United States. Then, after careful examination of a 2004 hostage situation in Iraq, they write papers analyzing the decision made by then Filipino President Gloria...
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A New NATO?
Students read and interpret NATO's mission statement. After reading an article, they discover incidents in which NATO has deviated from their original purpose. In groups, they research the opinions of the countries of NATO. They write...
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In Good Company
Students research and write a radio or television news special on some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies. For homework, they write lead-ins commenting on new developments and reactions to them.
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For Richer or for Poorer
Students read about one cross-class marriage and create scenes to dramatize interactions among the family members and consider how class shapes relationships. They imagine the issues faced by cross-class couples by writing a short story.
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All the News That's Fit to Blog
Learners critique three Web logs, each of which offers first-hand accounts, but reflect different points-of-view, on the war in Iraq; students write a response to one of the entries and analyze what they learned about the war from the...
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Where Were You?
Students examine various New York Times readers' reflections on the life and death of President John F. Kennedy, by reading and discussing "Readers Reflect on President John F. Kennedy." Students then write their own personal...
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Public vs. Private
Students watch two commericals from previous presidential elections on the topic of healthcare. After reading an article, they identify the position of the various candidates for the 2008 election. In groups, they brainstorm their own...
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The Good, the Bad, And the Ethicist
Learners explore their own code of ethics by writing and talking about ethical dilemmas from their own lives. They examine how a professional ethicist addresses ethical dilemmas by reading and discussing "The Ethicist: No Edit."...
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True Admissions
Students examine affirmative action and study the diversity of their own classrooms and communities, then of a particular college or university. They write essays examining how colleges should increase the diversity of their student bodies.
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Performance Poppers
Students examine the controversies surrounding the use of performance-enhancing supplements in sports by interviewing athletes and writing feature articles that compare the skills required to compete in different sports.
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Online and Off the Record
Students evaluate how effectively teen Web sites abide by privacy protections of the studenT Online Privacy Protection Act. They write letters to the Webmasters offering recommendations for improving the privacy and appeal of the sites...
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FOREST GRUMP: Examining How Deforestation Affects Plants and Animals of the Canadian Boreal
Students consider definition of an ecosystem as it relates to the Canadian boreal, discover how deforestation affects this forest and recreate ecosystems. They write persuasive letters urging politicians or business people to help save...
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Liberty, Equality, Uniformity?
Students examine the French draft law to ban religious symbols from public schools. They research "secularist" and "pluralist" positions regarding this ban, debate the topic in class, and draft a position paper on the ban.
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The Rules of the Game
Students debate whether college athletes should be held to a higher behavioral standard than non-athletes. Students determine whether behavior outside of school should be punishable by university administration, then write letters to the...
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Dedication to Douglass
Students study the controversy surrounding the proposed Frederick Douglass Circle monument in Central Park. They review the notion of historical inaccuracy by reading and discussing the article, "In Douglass Tribute, Slave Folklore and...
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A Hard Sell on Stem Cells?
Students examine their prior knowledge of cell regeneration and therapeutic use of stem cells. After reading an article, they discover new techniques for deriving embryonic stem cells. In groups, they research on the different types of...
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Maven Makeover?
Students reflect on the role of prisons and discuss how they believe sentencing should be handed down. After reading an article, they discover the experiences Martha Stewart went through while in prison. In groups, they share their...
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Mending the Rift
Learners determine what factors identify a country's political borders. After reading an article, they investigate questions surrounding the Great Rift Valley. On a map, they trace the valley from Asia through Africa and research the...
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The Science of Aging
Students reflect on the lives of older people they know, then research and debate the key issues surrounding scientific experimentation in anti-aging. They write a short story that reflects their own philosophical beliefs on aging and...
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Home Cooking
Students explore the link between home and food in a writing exercise. They study and discuss how some Hispanic immigrants keep in touch with their culinary origins. They develop a recipe that represents their ethnic origin. They...
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Homegrown Terror
Students investigate history of domestic terrorism in six European countries; they analyze and write about differences between terrorist acts planned and committed by a country's citizens and those planned by groups or individuals...
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Sparking History
Learners create exhibits about patriotic symbols for a living museum. They write reflective essays exploring the themes and symbols of independence and their influences on social responsibility.