Curated OER
Kabul's Troubles
Students investigate the many political changes that Afghanistan has endured over the past century in order to better assess the impact of the recent fleeing of the Taliban from the capital of Kabul.
Curated OER
Pestilence and Plague
Students 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.
Curated OER
Delegating Authorities
Students compare and contrast democracies around the world after reading a New York Times article. They create posters and participate in a "democracy roundtable" in which they discuss two democracies.
Curated OER
Defense Mechanisms
Students examine the Cold War roots of the recent debate over the construction of United States and Russian missile defense shields. They begin by reading and discussing the article, Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield.
Curated OER
Subsidized H.I.V. Treatments: Diamonds in the Rough?
Learners examine and compare the AIDS management policies of several countries, using the Botswana case as a starting point
Curated OER
Don't Drink To That!
Students simulate the effects of alcohol on their vision and motor skills. Then, after doing additional research on the dangers of driving while intoxicated, students create an educational activity that might convince a particular target a
Curated OER
Isn't It Ionic?
Students research the properties and health risks of organic chemical solvents. They create a Safety with Solvents newsletter to share with others in their school and community.
Curated OER
A Sea of Intrigue
Young scholars explore trireme, a type of ancient Persian warship. They investigate other underwater recovery operations to shed light on the difficulties a trireme recovery team might face.
Curated OER
Reason to Celebrate!
Young scholars consider the importance of secular holidays celebrated around the world, researching holidays in various countries and creating patchwork quilts to illustrate their findings.
Curated OER
State of the "States"
Students consider indicators that mark a country's progress, examine how last year's State of the Union address has affected U.S. foreign policy, research issues deemed important in that speech, and create report cards assessing the...
Curated OER
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Students create Thanksgiving menu and pre-dinner blessing or ritual that is sensitive to five different imaginary Thanksgiving guests from a variety of backgrounds.
Curated OER
Spy vs. Spy?
Young scholars consider their beliefs about proper and improper surveillance and then create imaginary neighborhoods featuring surveillance technology in various public and private sites.
Curated OER
QUALITY OR QUANTITY
Students share opinions about the criteria they consider important in an online search engine. Using Google and Yahoo, they investigate various subjects and compare their search results. To synthesize their findings, students prepare...
Curated OER
Occupational Oxymoron
Students consider their own notions of poverty, examine the life of a woman classified as "working poor" from a variety of perspectives, and present their findings to the class. Then, students synthesize their knowledge in a paper.
Curated OER
Over-the-Counter Culture
Students explore the changing consumer habits of Americans of various socioeconomic classes. They examine the exact costs of products, services and interest rates mentioned in the article and reflect on their own spending habits and...
Curated OER
Not Just a Corny Idea
Students explore ways in which ethanol can be created using alternate energy sources.
Curated OER
From America, With Love
Students research the experiences of specific immigrant groups in the United States. Letters are written from imaginary immigrants to relatives in their countries of origin, including historically accurate details.
Curated OER
Bridging History and Technology
Learners study the history and importance of the Triborough Bridge in New York City, and then research different bridges and prepare presentations about them. They, in groups, research a bridge and prepare a poster about it.
Curated OER
Behind the Cover
Young scholars develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to...
PBS
Observation
Students study making scientific observations . They conduct a "field study" in their attic and make observations about their family artifacts based upon physical attributes. In addition, they determine what characteristics of an object...
Curated OER
The Art of Violence
Violence and human suffering, as represented in art and film, are the focus of an investigation of the power of visual images and the moral implications of such representations. Class members examine “Guernica,” Pablo Picasso’s massive...
Curated OER
Connecting the Dots
Students consider familiar audio and imaging devices, researching and analyzing the differences between analog and digital versions. They then reflect on which versions of the technology provide a truer record over time.
Curated OER
Bureau Stats
Students explore the role of bureaucracy in United States government; they then examine the history, leadership, organization, and goals of executive agencies.
Curated OER
Grozny on Guard
Young scholars react to copies of leaflets dropped into Chechnya by Russian forces. After reading an article, they examine the historical and present conflicts in the area and answer discussion questions. In small groups, they trace...