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Courting Controversy?
Students consider their own personal opinions on divisive issues. They examine the confirmation of Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and investigate issues from different ideological and philosophical perspectives.
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Interactive Duty
Students consider the role of multimedia news features. They analyze the New York Times coverage of the president's State of the Union address.
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Immigration Across the Nation
Students examine the nationwide immigrants' rights demonstrations. They research and discuss proposed legislation leading up to the demonstrations.
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A Life in Politics
Students answer a quiz about congressional leaders. They research former majority leaders and create charts about them. They write letters to the current majority leader about a current issue.
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It's Gas, Gas, Gas
Students examine America's dependence on oil. They read an article, research how gas prices are established, and create and conduct a survey regarding people's knowledge of gas and gas prices.
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I Spy
Learners examine the responsibilities of the CIA and work as a team of analysts to produce intelligence reports. Letters are written predicting how their assigned countries have changed by 2008.
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News From Home
Students investigate the feelings of Iranian immigrants in California by reading an online article. They write an article on immigrants' thoughts on current events in their home countries.
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Cyberattack Detection Versus Privacy Protection
Students examine the issues of privacy and security as they relate to computer monitoring. For this privacy protection lesson, students carry out a round table discussion and write a persuasive essay pertaining to whether citizens must...
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No Publicity, Bad Publicity?
Students examine the factors that can influence a celebrity's media image and marketplace viability. They read an article, answer discussion questions, role-play advisors to a studio head, and write a letter to a studio head.
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Debating the Over-the-Counter Sale of the "Morning After" Pill
Pupils examine the controversy at the F.D.A over Plan B. They read an article, answer discussion questions, conduct research, role-play a panel of experts at a mock conference, and write a letter to the editor their own opinion about...
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Spin Cycle
Students explore the concept of "spin" and discuss how politicians use spin to sway public opinion. A leading American politician is selected and talking points that exemplify the main idea of this lesson are shared with the class.
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The Candid Camera
Students examine the influence of photographer Jerome Liebling on documentary films. They read and discuss an article, take photographs, and create an original photo essay and artist statement.
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Mea Culpa
Students investigate Pope Benedict XVI's apology for offending Muslims and examine other papal apologies. Students investigate and report on other modern examples of papal apologies, and determine how their apologies were accepted by the...
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Hafta Do NAFTA?
Students examine the benefits and problems of U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement. In two groups, students represent the campaign team for a presidential candidate, one for and one against NAFTA, and research...
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It's All Greek to Us
Students examine the various ways in which ancient Greek culture has influenced modern-day life. They study the context in which modern-day Greeks consider the 2004 Summer Olympics by reading and discussing the article "Where It All...
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Russian History, in an Eggshell
Students create Faberge-inspired art objects, depicting events in modern Russian history since Peter Carl Faberge's death in 1920. Students research the life of Peter Faberge. They write a short biography explaining how he became an...
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Fair Game?
Students evaluate possible gender stereotypes perpetuated by computer games, particularly those designed for girls. They design a prototype for a gender bias-free computer game that would appeal to both males and females.
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Poll-icy Perceptions
Young scholars create their own opinion polls about local policy issues. They evaluate how anonymity may affect responses. In groups, students experience the process of developing polls, focusing on student-related topics. Young scholars...
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So Much To Do, So Little Time
Students explore how people dividde their time among different tasks and the effect that computer technology has had on this practice. Students write their experiences with multitaskinging. They explore how multitasking has affected...
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Fit to Lead
Students assess the personalities of Ugandan politicians Yoweri Museveni and Nasser Ntege Sebaggala in the context of modern Ugandan politics, and decide which one might make a better leader of Uganda. Students then consider what their...
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Terror on Trial
Learners think critically about their perceptions of terrorism and examine the motivations, goals and actions of countries against whose "state-sponsored terrorism" the United States State Department has issued sanctions.
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Stop Hunger Now
Students explore the problem of world hunger by reading and discussing a United Nations report on world hunger. They brainstorm ideas for programs to end the cycle of poverty and hunger worldwide.
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Running Rings Around the Competition
learners explore the debate behind Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympics from the perspectives of different groups involved. They then 'cast votes' as members of the International Olympic Committee as to which city should be chosen.
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Stunning Recommendations
Students read and discuss the article, "Demands Rise for Tighter Oversight on Use of Stun Guns." They write letters to their state government representative with suggestions on how to regulate and study the safety of stun guns.