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Revisiting Roe v. Wade
Young scholars explore the American anti-abortion movement's "incremental" approach to legislation; they then evaluate key decisions, regulations, and legislation from the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, to the present.
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Shades of Meaning
Learners use words with similar meanings to analyze implied meanings. In this word connotation activity, the teacher introduces the activity by asking students whether a new product should be advertised as "newfangled" or...
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Electoral College
Eleventh graders discover how the Electoral College works. For this presidential elections lesson, 11th graders compare and contrast the Electoral College and popular vote as they participate in a classroom simulation. Students also...
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Reality Check
Students evaluate different types of reality television programming in "focus groups" and then submit their opinions on this type of programming to a television network.
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Under the Collar
Learners first examine different types of white-collar crimes; they then research recent individual cases to present in a student-written and produced expos?? program on white-collar crime.
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Sacred Space
Young scholars consider the two finalists in the contest for architectural designs for the site of the World Trade Center. They create their own designs for a meaningful public space, then critique each other's designs.
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Political Puzzles
Students investigate how different liberal democracies around the world organize their governments and decide major policies. They compare their findings to the American political system, using examples of current political issues.
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Reality Film
Students propose and create documentary films depicting a slice of "ordinary" life that reveals something unique or surprising about its subject. They, in groups, make films and present them to the school.
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Sorrow in Sudan
Students explore the various groups and organizations involved in the Darfur conflict. Through investigative research, students gain insight into this complex issue.
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Losing Face or Saving Face?
Students examine the recent partial face transplant in Ameiens, France and the ensuing public debate on extreme plastic surgery. They participate in a fishbowl discussion on the ethics and implications of future face transplants.
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Royal Treatment
Students analyze the Nepalese King's response to pro-democracy demonstrations, and examine existing monarchies around the world. They conduct research, read an article, and present information on various modern-day monarchies.
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More Than Words: Racism, Identity And the Power of Words
Students explore how words can be powerful instruments of racism, and discuss ways to combat racism, prejudice and discrimination in their own lives.
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Causes and Effects
Students investigate one family's volunteer tourism experience and the international volunteer organizations to create a community guide to helping those in need around the world.
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Ho Ho Poetry
Students read about the sights and sounds of a Las Vegas Christmas. They use words and phrases taken from articles in a recent issue of the New York Times to create a holiday-themed "found Poem."
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Busy Bees
Students explore the pollination cycle. In this pollination lesson, students investigate the process of pollination. Students illustrate the pollination cycle of bees on paper plates.
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Next Stop, the Watsonville Wetlands
Learners study bird migrations and the importance of wetlands. In this migration instructional activity students play a game and complete a computer activity.
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(In)fringe Benefits?
Students explore the "Copy Left" movement, then analyze and discuss the key legal issues regarding intellectual property and copyright legislation in the context of global communication and the Internet.
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Commanding Performance
Students identify the many aspects of their daily lives that are guided by rules or laws.
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Bootleg Bytes
Students conduct background research to explore the positions of different groups involved in the digital piracy debate, then participate in a fishbowl discussion that seeks to find a consensus on the issue.
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Slanted Sentences
Students examine biased words in news articles, suggest synonyms, then rewrite the sentences to demonstrate how word choice can alter meaning.
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Pitching Patriotism
Students analyze the use of color, images and type used in print advertising, then "pitch" a company. They, in groups, brainstorm products and services of companies that may be affected by the war in Iraq.
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Industrial Light and Magic
Students investigate early mass production in various industries, and then create presentation posters outlining how a typical 19th-century factory, mill or refinery worked.
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Follow the Marx
Students explore communism from historical and theoretical perspectives to present to fellow classmates at a teach-in. Each team of students be responsible for researching and presenting on one of the suggested topics in the lesson.
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Digitized Doctoring
Students explore new medical technologies to exhibit in an Amazing Medical Machines technology fair. They research different types of advanced medical technologies; then create posters to summarize findings and present at a mock medical...