Curated OER
Judicial Void
Young scholars 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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Legally Wed
Students explore the controversial topic of same-sex marriages in a fishbowl discussion. They write balanced news articles based on interviews exploring people's opinions on laws that define marriage.
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When Distress Spells S.O.S.
Students discover various equipment and technologies used for distress signals, then prepare skits and make recommendations based on information gathered about signaling devices.
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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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In Good Company
Learners research and write a radio or television news special on some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies. For homework, they write lead-ins commenting on new developments and reactions to them.
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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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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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From Basketball Court to Supreme Court
Students discuss scenarios about unfairness and retaliation in school sports. They read about a recent Supreme Court ruling about Title IX, and research, conduct polls and write articles about public opinions on gender issues in sports.
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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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Whose Fate at the G-8?
Students 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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Making A Proposal
Young scholars work in pairs as global wedding planners to research and propose authentic wedding ceremonies from various cultures around the world. They reflect on their understanding of marriage, and the ways in which it is informed by...
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Old Kids From The Bloc
Students study about wide scale construction and development in Moscow and its impact on cultural and historic preservation. They research the political, social, economic, and cultural changes in the former Eastern Bloc and create a...
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Cranberry Bog
Learners explore cranberry farming in Massachusetts and the rest of the nation. They research on challenges facing cranberry farming industry and then write reflection papers on optimum pest control methods from the perspective of a...
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It Might Come in Handy
Students explore the latest study on routine hand washing practices. They research some of the possible communicable diseases that can be transmitted by having lax hygiene.
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Taking to the Airwaves
Students consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in radio...
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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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Spirit Bear Speaks
Students read an online article about Canadian efforts to preserve Great Bear Rain Forest. They create ecotourism brochures on the forest and write and essay.
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Tour du Jour?
Students read an article about tourism in Hokkaido, Japan and address the impact of global warming on world wide tourist destinations. They make posters predicting the impact of warmer temperatures on various tourist attractions
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Artfully Searching for Treasure
Search for artwork using online museum databases. Young artists will create their own online art treasure hunts based on a specific theme and set of criteria.
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Plight or Progress?
Students read an online article to study the positive and negative aspects of nuclear energy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. They conduct a debate on technology of the future.
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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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Cuba-ism
Students examine the Cuban exile community's response to the ceding of power to Fidel Castro's brother. They read and discuss an article, conduct research on Cuba, and in small groups create a Powerpoint presentation.
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Somewhere in the Middle
Students investigate the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon in August of 2006. The geographic region known as the Middle East is examined and maps created with information on border and territory disputes.