Curated OER
For Whom the Clock Strikes
How do the citizens of Polyglot celebrate New Year's Eve? Middle and high schoolers read about the history of the dropping ball on New Year's Eve, as well as the other holidays traditions that have gone by the wayside, before designing a...
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Got the Picture?
Students explore the power of photographic images to influence public opinion. Then, using both news images and personal photographs, they create dual timelines documenting their own life experiences and memories.
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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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To Infinity and Beyond
Students examine NASA's next flight commander, Colonel Eileen M. Collins. They explore other extraordinary American women in various fields and create biographies celebrating their achievements.
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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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Feeding the Soul
Learners share memories of a special meal. They research, write and peer edit a newspaper column about a favorite food associated with Thanksgiving (or other holiday or celebration).
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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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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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IKnow IMac
Students familiarize themselves with specifications used to describe models of computers by researching and developing a consumer guide.
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It's Just a Game?
Students consider their attitudes toward concrete and abstract violence in the media before developing hypotheses that assess the effect of gender and age on people's attitudes toward such violence and designing a survey to test those...
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More Power to You
Young scholars explore renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and develop a documentary that explores multiple energy sources and draws conclusions about their uses.
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The New Fant-"Asia": Contrasting Animated and Live-Action Filmmaking
Students consider different stories and story-telling techniques of animated and live-action filmmaking, write proposals for animated films, and storyboard individual scenes.
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From Page to Screen
Students consider how xerographic photocopy machines and scanners operate. They discuss and practice using scanners, and brainstorm strategies to increase the efficiency of Google's scanning project.
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Mission Discovery
Students examine the changes to the space shuttle Discovery and its history by creating a classroom exhibition about NASA's space shuttle program. They create an informative and attractive invitation about the gallery for outside visitors.
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FINDING A RESOLUTION
Young scholars examine detailed Moon and Earth views provided by the NASA-sponsored "World Wind" computer program. They work in groups to create maps of different scales using landmarks of their choice, and challenge their classmates to...
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Ooh, You're in Trouble!
Students consider disruptive school behavior and how school districts in several states are turning to the juvenile justice system for help. They debate this issue from a variety of perspectives, and write a paper.
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Occupational Oxymoron
Students consider their own notions of poverty, examine the life of a woman classified as "working poor" from a variety of perspectives, and present their findings to the class. Then, students synthesize their knowledge in a paper.
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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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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...
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Soldier's Payback
Students examine their thoughts about enlisting in the Army, then consider the question of whether former soldiers should be called up for active duty. They debate the issue in a town hall meeting, and write proposals offering possible...
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For Richer or for Poorer
Students read about one cross-class marriage and create scenes to dramatize interactions among the family members and consider how class shapes relationships. They imagine the issues faced by cross-class couples by writing a short story.
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Do the Right Thing
Students consider the relationship between gang violence and the factors that can contribute to its increase. After researching the issues behind one such factor, students make recommendations that may help reduce gang violence.
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Turkey Soup for the Soul
Young scholars read an article that tells how a young man turned his life around through the help of a local charity. They create inspirational scrapbooks and posters to help motivate their peers when they are facing adversity.
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Plastic Peas
Students consider the life cycle of certain plastics products and propose improved recycling legislation in their own communities.