Engage 12th graders in a series of activities focused on public trust and ethics in US Government. They view a series of videos, hold a class debate, and compose a short essay. Note: Suggested videos are listed but are not available...

A debate continues regarding same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. This lesson requires learners to define marriage then formulate an argument that reconstructs the national debate perspectives. Many standards are addressed but a...

High schoolers examine a variety of ethical issues that arise in criminal cases. They get into groups, and perform a case study of a real situation in which many of these ethical issues came up. All of the worksheets needed to...

Investigate ethical issues surrounding the Decode project in Iceland. Middle and high schoolers take the positions of the Icelandic government, scientific researchers, and citizens and defend or refute the Decode project in a Reykjavik...

Students take a medical issue and explore it, debate it, and convince others of their point of view. They improve research skills and writing skills. Students are able to define a problem, debate it, and identify which is the best...

After researching recent community or political issues, paired with a review of proper debate format, class members select a topic, adopt a side, and prepare for a debate. The value in this resource is the review of debate procedures,...

Role play community members who are both for and against the construction of a dam. Research the pros and cons and then hold a classroom debate. This activity ideally follows a series of stream studies, links to which are included. Use...

Some of today's technologies are controversial, in vitro fertilization being one of them. Mature high school biology classes examine the technology involved in and dilemmas created by this procedure. They play different roles in an...

Pupils examine embryonic cell research and the controversy that surrounds it.  In this stem cell lesson students use a debate model and present and defend their positions. 

Scholars know him for his role in the American Revolution, but Ben Franklin was also a journalist and printer. Learners investigate his standards for what was fit to print using primary sources—including writings where Franklin explains...

Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a Lead Debate. They synthesize their varied knowledge of lead and its issues, organize this knowledge, and present it persuasively to...

Students examine the definition of surrogacy and the types of surrogacy. They analyze surrogacy and the law. They conduct debates, skits and teen forums regarding the subject of surrogacy.

Police find a man murdered in a local hotel, DNA everywhere, and now they need scholars' help. Budding detectives step into a crime scene playing the roles of victim, suspects, and investigators. They apply knowledge of criminology and...

Review concepts of cloning and genetic engineering and participate in a round-table discussion based on the ethics and potential of cloning with your class. Each learner then writes a formal essay on the topic, stemming from the debate.

Students use Internet, video and text resources to gather information about the Amundsen/Scott race for the South Pole in 1911-12, dog sledding, and the ethical treatment of animals for science. They set up a debate to determine the...

Fifth graders define ethical terms (love, honor, heroism) and defend their definitions.

High schoolers work in teams to synthesize their air, asthma, air contamination, and environmental health knowledge as well as additional research to represent a particular point of view persuasively. They create a handout and...

Ninth graders debate the positive aspects of dam construction. They discuss how a dam changes the ecosystem. In groups, 9th graders research and gather information for a debate. They state their position and write a report supporting it....

Students research behavior, phsyiology, and ecology of dinoaurs. Students role-play as scientific specialists such as geneticists and ecologists. They present their research findings in a research paper.

Students debate and explore the rationale and ethics behind Lincoln's 19th century suspension of habeas corpus - the 'writ of liberty' and answer related questions.

Young scholars consider the effectiveness of faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics lesson plan, students research issues relative to the separation of church and state. Young scholars investigate the Bush faith-based...

Students complete a variety of activities as they examine the ethics involved in biologically altering fish. They hold a mock town meeting in which they determine whether or not a transgenic aquaculture should be allowed to locate in...

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.

Each of the three activities submitted presents difficult science topics in the context of the human experience. The activities focus on real-world problems, which have science components, from the students' perspectives.