Lesson Plan

Bearing Witness

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in discussion about what they have learned. Afterwards, they wrap things up with a series of reflective writing prompts.

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CCSS: Designed
Instructional Ideas
  • Prompt learners to stay on top of the evolving story with ongoing online research
  • The Economist article linked at the bottom of the resource provides some defense of the project
Classroom Considerations
  • Designed for high school and college levels, but would work for advanced middle schoolers as well
Pros
  • Pushes learners to confront some of the challenging ethical questions prompted by the Belo Monte dam
  • Encourages investigators to consider the many different stakeholders affected by a project of this scale
Cons
  • None
Common Core