Deliberating in a Democracy
Crime and Punishment
Should the United States ban the death penalty? Scholars use real-life examples of criminal activity to come to their own conclusions on the death penalty. Primary source documents, as well as video clips, open the issue of capital...
Curated OER
The Row Behind Death Row
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
ProCon
Death Penalty
Should the United States continue the practice of capital punishment? Scholars set out to answer the question in preparation for a class debate or discussion about the death penalty. They watch videos, analyze charts about death penalty...
Curated OER
Dead Man Walking
Students consider personal opinions about capital punishment and have an intelligent debate after reading Dead Man Walking by Sister Helen Prejean.
Curated OER
How To Save a Life
Pupils examine their own beliefs about the morality of capital punishment through a "where you stand" activity. They explore economic arguments about the costs, benefits and morality of capital punishments by reading and discussing the...
Curated OER
Compassion on Death Row?
Students 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.
Schoolwires
12th Grade Expository Reading and Writing Research Project
The beauty in this resource is the lengthy list of highly charged, controversial-issue research topics. Categories include issues of race, politics, law, environment, education, athletics, gender, and technology. After selecting a topic,...
Curated OER
The Death Sentence Remains A Question
Examine the results of recent opinion polls on where people stand on the issue of the death penalty. In groups, middle schoolers examine various cases dealing with this issue and discuss the judgments. They write their own argument for...
Curated OER
Verbal Boxing
Students debate issues. In this debate lesson, students are presented topics to debate. Working in small groups, students compete in one minute boxing rounds. Resources are included.
Curated OER
Testing DNA and the Death Penalty
Students explore issues surrounding death penalty debate and participate in a values-clarification activity to help them form their opinions on this topic. They create a talk show to discuss issues involved with DNA testing and the death...
Curated OER
The Death Penalty -- Background and Quiz
Young scholars participate in an activity about the death penalty. In groups, they research the history of corporal punishment and take notes on interesting facts. They identify and discuss the arguments for and against the use of it and...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights and Lawmaking
Ninth graders consider how the Bill of Rights impacts the lawmaking process in the United States. In this Bill of Rights lesson, 9th graders discuss the amendments and their limitations. Students research the role of the Legislative...