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Lesson Plan: Trafficking in Humans
Students explore the concept of human trafficking. For this human rights lesson, students examine instances of human trafficking around the world and the involvement of the United States government in these situations.
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Supply & Demand: Finite Resources, Infinite Needs
Students discuss conflict resolution strategies they use in real life. They listen to "Getting to Yes" about principled negotiation. They negotiate the distribution of goodies on a table according to rules and time constraints. They...
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Jurassic Park Debate
Students research behavior, phsyiology, and ecology of dinoaurs. Students role-play as scientific specialists such as geneticists and ecologists. They present their research findings in a research paper.
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Does Climate Change Exist? Healthy Skepticism? Debating the Truth, Evidence, and Certainty of Climate Change
Students study climate change and the arguments of scientists that it exists. For this climate change lesson students complete a class activity and answer questions.
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Lincoln and the "Writ of Liberty"
Students debate and explore the rationale and ethics behind Lincoln's 19th century suspension of habeas corpus - the 'writ of liberty' and answer related questions.
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Plagiarism in the Real World
How would you feel if someone plagiarized your work? After class members turn in an assigned newspaper article, you rewrite the piece using elements of their writing. Then you claim you will be selling the story and that you will profit...
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Nothing But the Truth: Anticipation Guide
“What does it mean to be patriotic?” “Should grades factor in to a student’s eligibility for extracurricular activities?” Class members complete an anticipation guide that asks them to respond to a series of statements that highlight...
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The Threat of Bioterrorism
Students assess germ warfare and debating related ethical issues in the social studies classroom
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Genetically Modified Food
Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a genetically modified food debate. They synthesize their knowledge of food, food contamination, nutrition, and their issues, and...
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Losing Face or Saving Face?
Students examine the recent partial face transplant in Ameiens, France and the ensuing public debate on extreme plastic surgery. They participate in a fishbowl discussion on the ethics and implications of future face transplants.
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Public Deception
Students debate the ethics of prominent figures who are accused of deception. The standards of expectation that they have for famous people are examined in this lesson.
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Recreational Water Contamination and Beach Closurew
Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a recreational Water Contaminationand Beach Closure Debate. They synthesize their knowledge of recreational water, sewage, and their...
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Mars
Students debate the ethical considerations involved in colonizing and terra-forming Mars. They have a preliminary discussion and view a video clip about Mars, then break into support and oppose groups to research and prepare their...
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Elements of Biology: Genetics
Young scholars study genetic manipulations and identify the solutions that could help to solve a problem. In this genetics activity students divide into groups and research genetics for a debate.
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Eighteen Ways to Make a Baby
Students view a video clip about post-menopausal women having children. They identify the ethical, legal and social implications of this. They also read a case study.
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The Science of Aging
Students reflect on the lives of older people they know, then research and debate the key issues surrounding scientific experimentation in anti-aging. They write a short story that reflects their own philosophical beliefs on aging and...
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Faith-Based Initiatives: Separation of Church and State
Students examine the role of religion in everyday life. In this religion and ethics lesson, students investigate the use of government funds to support faith-based initiatives. The lesson calls for students to conduct research, watch...
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Faith-Based Initiatives
Students consider the effectiveness of faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics lesson, students research issues relative to the separation of church and state. Students investigate the Bush faith-based initiative proposal...
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Reaching New Heights
Students consider the impact of genetics on a person's intelligence and appearance. After reading an article, they examine the controversy over using human growth hormones. They debate the approval of using the hormone to increase the...
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Biologically Altered (B/A Fish)
Students complete a variety of activities as they examine the ethics involved in biologically altering fish. They hold a mock town meeting in which they determine whether or not a transgenic aquaculture should be allowed to locate in...
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Low Birthweight Infants
Ninth graders examine why there is a low birth-weight in infants. In this Social Studies instructional activity, 9th graders read articles on the low birth weight. Students debate the different strategies to help combat low birth weight.
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Technology at Work 2
Learners discover the positive and negative effects of technology. In this technology lesson, students give examples of technology advances from the past few years. Learners get into groups and debate whether a particular item has hurt...
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STS Biology - Teaching Controversial Topics
Each of the three activities submitted presents difficult science topics in the context of the human experience. The activities focus on real-world problems, which have science components, from the students' perspectives.
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Compassion on Death Row?
Learners analyze and debate, through writing and discussion, the politics and ethics behind the ability of governors to grant clemency to inmates sentenced to the death penalty.