Middle and high schoolers are walking into a world rife with strong political viewpoints and vocal opinions. Help to prepare them for controversial discussions with a lesson in which they choose, research, and learn more about a controversial topic. Individuals then create posters based on a model and write a balanced summary of the issue.

Concepts

american democracy, democracy, diverse perspectives, controversial topics, the first amendment

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Project the poster onto a whiteboard for the class to examine together
• Divide the class into groups and have them choose a controversial topic to research
• Expand the project; prompt individuals to find different ways their topic is represented in the news media
• For younger learners, focus on school policies or local legislature to keep the discussion from getting unwieldy
• Connect the lesson between social studies and language arts to address all standards

Classroom Considerations

• Establish a protocol for respectful discussion of controversial issues before beginning the project

Pros

• Incorporates discussion, writing, research, and presentation skills into one project-based lesson
• Allows learners to elaborate upon their opinions by encouraging them to support those opinions with evidence

Cons

• None

Common Core

W.8.1.a W.9-10.1.a W.11-12.1.a SL.8.1.a SL.8.4 SL.9-10.1.a SL.9-10.4 SL.11-12.1.a SL.11-12.4