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What Do You Want to Sell?
Young scholars explore how companies describe their products and services. They write business plans for companies based on their interests or needs.
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Too Free, Or Not Too Free?
Learners 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
Students 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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Defense Mechanisms
Students examine the Cold War roots of the recent debate over the construction of United States and Russian missile defense shields. They begin by reading and discussing the article, Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield.
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A Sea of Intrigue
Students explore trireme, a type of ancient Persian warship. They investigate other underwater recovery operations to shed light on the difficulties a trireme recovery team might face.
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Mad About Madagascar
Learners read/discuss "On Madagascar, A Treasury of Fauna and Flora," examining the issues affecting the biodiversity of Madagascar. They present information on issues affecting Madagascar's ecology, and write policy statements on...
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Media Literacy
Students evaluate the effectiveness of Internet book clubs, present their findings to the class, and design their own on-line book club (under the umbrella of a fictional television program) to encourage non-readers to read more.
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A Heated Discussion
Students compare the colloquial definition of temperature with the scientific definition. They, in groups, then explore the changes of water under different temperatures and calculate and compare their findings on three different...
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Stanza Proud
Students examine different decades in American history, finding connections between the historical events and the poetry written during these time periods. They write their own poetry based on current world events.
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The Ad Campaign
Students explore how political candidates use mass media to deliver their messages to voters. Focusing on specific issues in the upcoming election, students create television commercials representing different parties' views.
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Fittest of the Survivors
students consider the reality television show 'Survivor' as a means to contemplate what it means to be a survivor. They create fictional characters and explore how different personal qualities would help and hinder their success on...
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Reviews Revealed
Students discuss the benefits or drawbacks in consulting movie reviews. They analyze movie reviews from The New York Times and create a list of features in effective movie reviews. They write their own movie reviews based on this list.
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Ticker Text Parade
Learners examine news headlines and create very brief news pieces in the style of news tickers. They write papers reflecting upon these experiences and on the value of concisely written news reports.
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Healthy Relations
Young scholars draw on their own experiences with health care to create educational skits to better doctor-patient relationships. For homework, they create guidelines and write recommendations for an appropriate government role.
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Running (Check) Mate
Students consider qualities that the public seeks in a vice president, then analyze statements made by the vice presidential candidates and multimedia commentary on the debate by a Times reporter. For homework.
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Love It or Leave It?
Learners identify flags by country, then research the symbolism and history of those flags in preparation for writing and delivering oral presentations. For homework, they write essays reflecting on the relationship between flags,...
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We Were Here First
Students explore the legal and historical experience of native peoples living in the United States. They write a letter to their United States senator commenting on the Hawaiian bill using information gathered during their research.
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Urban Legends
Students consider how people of color and minority culture are represented in video games. After debating the issue as representatives of various interest groups, students reflect on their personal feelings regarding this issue.
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When Distress Spells S.O.S.
Learners discover various equipment and technologies used for distress signals, then prepare skits and make recommendations based on information gathered about signaling devices.
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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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Radio Free America?
Students explore the controversy over the recent FCC vote to loosen restrictions on media ownership. After researching the background and position of local radio stations, students evaluate and make recommendations about free speech.
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Fighting Fire With Satire
Students consider satire in the news by exploring various sources of "fake news," and then creating their own political satire in the form of a skit, news article, or cartoon.
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Safety Catch
Students consider their own beliefs about gun control after examining the effects of and speculations about a decade-long ban on semiautomatic assault weapons.
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War Fair
Students gather a general understanding of terms related to international rules of warfare and human rights, then discuss hypothetical applications of those rules. They write letters expressing their opinion on the current application of...