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Casting a Ballot for New Freedoms
Students use a New York Times article about the first free election in Indonesia in over four decades as a tool for learning about the government and politics, economy, religion, international relations, and people of Indonesia in the...
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Is Monopoly the Microsoft Board's Game?
Students first participate in an in-depth discussion about capitalism, monopolies, trusts, mergers, and the Sherman Antitrust Act. They work in groups to investigate past examples of corporations tried for antitrust act violations.
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Setting Boundaries
Students investigate the determination of the boundaries of various countries. They work in small groups to research a country's political history and past boundary issues and territorial disputes.
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Fishing for Solutions
Students investigate the many ecological and economic issues related to over fishing the world's marine resources. Working in committees, students research the related topics of equipment and fishing techniques.
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Amidst the Rubble of Ruined Cities
Students, in committees, develop and propose solutions to rebuild various elements of Colombia's infrastructure in the wake of the January 25, 1999 earthquake, as well as compare and contrast the earthquake's affects on Colombia to an...
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A Meat By Any Other Name. . .
Students, using a New York Times article as a springboard, discuss how food reflects different aspects of a culture and reasons why cultural differences in food are seen as bizarre or, oftentimes, cruel by members of other societies.
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Hate-Crimes and Punishment
Students research and write about the effectiveness of hate-crime legislation in the United States
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Striking Out At the Serbs
Students are introduced to the most recent stage of the conflict in Kosovo by allowing them to examine the positions and actions of various key figures (people, countries, and organizations).
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Unearthing the Past
Students analyze artifacts from an early society to determine information relating to daily life in that society. They consider which artifacts from our society would be most valuable to future archeologists.
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Africa Falls Prey to H.I.V.
Students use maps, statistics, and written texts to recognize the H.I.V. explosion in Africa.
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And You Were (Almost) There
Students explore the genre of biography in both its traditional and nontraditional forms. They examine Edmund Morris's unorthodox biography of Ronald Reagan. They conduct research on an historic American and write their own biographies.
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Objects of Memory
Students consider the importance of individual artifacts in memorializing important historic events. They read and evaluate an article discussing the removal of the last steel beam from the World Trade Center site.
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Birmingham Blues
Learners investigate racial inequality and prejudice in American history through the words of Langston Hughes, an American black poet. They develop and share thoughtful collages and presentations inspired by the words of Langston Hughes.
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Executive Decisions
Students examine the reasons behind key presidential decisions throughout American history and, by debating the pros and cons of these decisions in retrospect, students consider how these decisions affect us still today.
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Will the Supreme Court Vouch for Vouchers?
Students investigate past Supreme Court decisions that have centered on education issues and assess the ways in which those decisions have impacted American education. They consider the controversies surrounding the issue of school...
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Keeping A Watchful Eye
Students explore the use of satellite surveillance systems to track criminals. They consider how the use of this technology in law enforcement might affect them and write opinions on whether or not such a system should be adopted by...
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Follow the Leaders
Students research current world political leaders, as well as the opinions of their supporters and critics, in order to create a "Present Political Leaders Hall of Fame" display for the classroom.
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Olympic Obstacle Course
Students examine the obstacles that Salt Lake City must overcome to host a successful Olympics in 2002. They draft proposals for their own city and/or state to host future Olympic Games.
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Remains of the Day
Learners consider how archaeologists discovered and pieced together artifacts that indicate a Celtic presence in ancient Turkey. They research ancient civilizations and create archaeological digs containing items representative of these...
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Mummies Unwrapped
Students investigate various methods of mummification practiced in cultures around the world and present their findings in 'televised' news reports.
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Public I or Private I
Young scholars explore the topic of national identity cards in the United States as a starting point in determining what types of information should be publicly accessible to the government and private industry about specific individuals.
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Pestilence and Plague
Learners investigate various disease epidemics that have devastated the world population at different points in history and examine the diseases' effects on the countries they impacted.
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The Power Of Words
Young scholars respond, in writing and in discussions, to statements of various world leaders about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. They keep quotation scrapbooks, responding to various quotations about the...
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Magazine Dollars and Sense
Students analyze magazine advertisements that appeal to them. They explore how tobacco companies continue to target teens in magazine advertisements. They explore how advertisers select magazine ad space.