Curated OER
Judicial Void
Students explore the impact of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. They research potential nominees to replace her, in light of her resignation, and write letters to President George W. Bush to share opinions of the...
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I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Students write a first-person narrative from the perspective of a runaway slave, or a historical character of the period, and present their story orally.
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Adding Fuel to the Fire
Young scholars consider global warming and the greenhouse effect, then explore how these issues affect other countries. They graph findings and write papers considering how continued usage can affect the future of the atmosphere and the...
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Get Surreal
Students analyze and write text for audio guides about particular pieces of art from the Surrealism movement.
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From the Moon to the Sun and Back Again
Students consider the aims of the space program, create posters comparing the voyages of Apollo 17 and Genesis and write response papers evaluating NASA's current mission statement.
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At Your Service
Learners discuss various volunteer activities and read how New York City organizes its volunteer efforts. They create their own databases compiling volunteer opportunities and write reflective essays on how volunteers help their...
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Darwinist Dogma?
Learners debate whether teachers should be mandated to present theories challenging evolution in their classrooms. For homework, they write letters to their local school board expressing their own opinions.
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Crime Watch
Students analyze the recent rise of homicides in some American cities, create and share posters, and write reflective essays in the form of letters to community leaders.
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Law School vs. School Laws
Students discuss the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding sexual orientation and restage the debate leading up to the recent decision in Rumsfeld v. FAIR. They write essays evaluating the merits of the decision.
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Iraq In-Depth
Students examine public opinion about the war in Iraq. They read and discuss an article, participate in a poll, analyze statistics, create annotated scales demonstrating their findings, and write a reaction paper.
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Art, Naturally
Students read an online article which examine different works of art. They study how patterns and shapes found in nature influence art. Finally, they create original works of art and write artist's statements.
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A Delicate Balance
Students reflect on racial balance in their own schools, debate merits of policies that seek to create and maintain school racial diversity, and write essays on whether their school should promote racial balance.
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Rudolfo Anaya
Students read and analyze the Rudolfo Anaya novel Bless Me, Ultima. They discuss passages from the book, watch a video, view and analyze a mural of Mexican American artwork, and write a journal response.
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Exhibiting Hope
Students watch a video clip about the effect of Hurricane Katrina. They examine the challenges that New Orleans still faces a year after the hurricane. They work together in small groups to create a museum exhibit on a topic of interest...
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Finding Political Answers
Students discuss the 2006 midterm elections. They read an article about exit polls. They create a scavenger hunt using articles of the New York Times. They write a paper about the importance of midterm elections.
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Fields of the Future
Students investigate India's technology outsourcing, and examine their own career choices to determine what technology is required in the field. Students dermine how careers have changed over time and speculate future changes, then write...
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The Life of a President
Students examine the life of President Gerald R. Ford. After reading an article, they discuss his legacy. They collect articles written during his time in office and examine the key issues of his presidency. They write an article about...
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Serving Memory
Students read an article about a woman who lost her fiance in Iraq. Reading a letter he left his son, they discuss how his words will affect his son once he is old enough to understand. They research the number of casualties in the war...
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Balance of Power
Students examine the number of women in the United States Senate. After reading an article, they discover Hillary Clinton's possible bid for the presidential nomination for the Democratic party. In groups, they research the lives and...
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Operation Iraqi Democracy
In this lesson, students consider various forms of government and examine the idea of political sovereignty, then prepare outlines for oral presentations on international models of government. For homework, they write response papers...
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Science on the Skids
Students discuss the decline in the sciences in America by comparing statistics and information from the U.s. to other countries. Then they write and deliver a "State of the Sciences" address to their peers.
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Team Works
Students define "group" and list American social and political movements throughout history. They examine one model of a successful team and positive group mentality by reading and identify the traits of a successful group and those of...
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Pardon Me
Young scholars examine the pardon process and the controversy surrounding the Clinton pardons through reading and discussing "Lobbying for Forgiveness." They write a forgiveness letter and create pardon guidelines for President Bush.
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Bugging Out
Students explore how insects behave in their natural habitats and build dioramas to create an Insect World in their classroom. They investigate various insects and the roles they play in the environment. They write creative short...