Curated OER
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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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
Students 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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More Power to You
Students 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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Tell It Like It Is
Students consider the accuracy of the Web sites they regularly use, then prepare for a formal debate on the reliability of Wikipedia and similar Web sites. For homework, they prepare note cards and practice delivering their orations.
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Liberty, Equality, Uniformity?
Students examine the French draft law to ban religious symbols from public schools. They research "secularist" and "pluralist" positions regarding this ban, debate the topic in class, and draft a position paper on the ban.
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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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Do the Right Thing
Young scholars 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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Plastic Peas
Students consider the life cycle of certain plastics products and propose improved recycling legislation in their own communities.
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People Who Need People
Students study The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund and several immigrant families who have benefited from it. They assess needs of people in their own community and create a plan for an organization to help address some of those needs.
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The Will to Drill?
Students read a New York Times article about plans for oil drilling in the Arctic. They examine and debate both sides of the plan to explore for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Trial By Wire
Students identify the arguments on both sides of the new Medicare policy debate over claim hearings. They participate in a mock trial to adjudicate the fairness of the new policy.
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Security and Savings for All?
Students act as either Democrats or Republicans to debate plans to alter Social Security. For homework, they consider whether Social Security has become too politicized and propose their own solutions.
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Darwinist Dogma?
Students 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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Trials and Tribulations
Learners explore their beliefs about objectivity and the United States justice system. They examine the facets of a criminal case by researching various aspects of the judicial system and apply what they have learned to the Michael...
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Trading Up?
Students explore the benefits and drawbacks of free trade from the perspective of the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Mexico. For homework, they each write a letter to the editor expressing their personal...
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In the Wake of a Storm
Students share thoughts about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana's natural environment. They read an online article and write proposals to save Mississippi River marshlands.
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Whose Fate at the G-8?
Learners explore the 2005 Group of 8 Summit, investigating the member countries' views on the summit issues, as well as the views of the African Union and G-8 protesters. They offer predictions on outcomes of the summit given this...
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Happy Ending?
Students explore different perspectives on withdrawing troops from Iraq. They examine the endings and consequences of other major conflicts in modern history to gain further insight into the situation in Iraq and its uncertain end date.
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A State of Her Own
Students investigate current elected female leaders from around the world and use their research to create challenging crossword puzzles.