Handout
Curated OER

Banned Books

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should people be able to ban books from schools and libraries if they find them objectionable? Scholars read the three main pros and cons regarding banned books. They also review a list of the top 10 challenged books from 2017 and...
Handout
Curated OER

Corporal Punishment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Nineteen states legally permit school officials to physically punish children. Scholars learn more about the topic as they use the website to prepare for a class debate or discussion. Pupils read background information and discover the...
Handout
ProCon

Daylight Savings Time

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
An entomologist named Geroge Vernon Hudson is credited with proposing Daylight Saving Time (DST) so he could better study his insects. Using the informative website, scholars read a brief introduction to the topic and then explore the...
Handout
ProCon

Electoral College

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
The Electoral College's role in elections is sometimes confusing and controversial. Pupils use a debate topics website to research the pros and cons of the practice to debate whether the United States should still use the Electoral...
Handout
ProCon

Fighting in Hockey

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
At best, fighting in hockey makes the sport more entertaining; at worst, fighting could lead to death. Pupils read background information about the prevalence of fighting in hockey since the 1917 formation of the National Hockey League....
Handout
ProCon

Is Homework Beneficial?

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Does homework improve student achievement, or does it increase stress? Scholars use the included debate topics website to prepare for a class discussion or debate about whether homework is advantageous. After reading a brief background...
Handout
ProCon

National Anthem Protests

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in 2016 as a form of protest. Were his actions appropriate? Using the provided website, pupils attempt to decide for themselves by reading the main...
Handout
ProCon

Milk

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Milk: It does a body good ... or does it? Using the provided website, scholars sort through information to answer the question. They review a chart demonstrating lactose intolerance by ethnicity and region, and they also compare the...
Handout
ProCon

Net Neutrality

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should net neutrality be restored? Scholars prepare for a class debate on the topic using the included website. After reading a brief introduction to the issue, they review the main pros and cons in an attempt to arrive at an informed...
Handout
ProCon

Penny

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Twenty-nine percent of Americans want to abolish the one-cent coin, which begs the question: Is a penny saved really a penny earned? Scholars read fascinating facts about the history of the penny in preparation for a class debate or...
Handout
ProCon

Olympics

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Are the Olympic Games a benefit for their host countries and cities? Scholars decide for themselves in preparation for a class debate or discussion. After reading a brief background and overview of the topic, pupils read the top three...
Handout
ProCon

President Bill Clinton

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Was Bill Clinton a good president? Scholars set out to answer the question as they prepare for a class debate on the topic. They watch videos, review pros and cons, and read facts about the process of becoming a United States president....
Handout
ProCon

Sanctuary Cities

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding, or do they defy federal laws? That is precisely the question scholars attempt to answer as they prepare for a class discussion or debate. After reading some brief background information,...
Handout
ProCon

Universal Basic Income

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should the United States adopt a universal basic income? After reading brief background information, scholars research the debate topic by reviewing the top three pros and cons. They also respond to a survey question and review other...
Handout
ProCon

Tablets vs. Textbooks

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Learners decide if tablets should replace textbooks in K-12 schools. They watch four pro and con videos and discover the history of the tablets-versus-textbooks debate. As a bonus, the resource allows them to submit their own comments...
Handout
ProCon

Teacher Tenure

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Before the implementation of tenure in 1886, female teachers were sometimes fired for wearing pants or staying out too late at night. Scholars research the debate topic to decide if teachers should get tenure. They review the history of...
Handout
ProCon

Social Security Privatization

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should Social Security be privatized, or is the government program fine just the way it is? Scholars read pro and con arguments and watch videos to learn more about the debate topic. Pupils also have an opportunity to interact with other...
Handout
ProCon

President Ronald Reagan

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
At 69 years old, Ronald Reagan was the oldest man ever to be elected president in the United States. After reviewing a thorough history of Reagan's presidency, pupils read the main pro and con arguments to determine if he was a good...
Handout
ProCon

Voting Age

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should age matter when it comes to voting? Scholars read an article discussing the pros and cons of lowering the voting age to 16. They then consider both the advantages and disadvantages of having younger voters. After thinking about...
Activity
PBS

Primary Source Set: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What did Jo write her stories with? How did the March sisters dress? A primary source set designed for Louisa May Alcott's Little Women prompts learners to look over images of household items and clothes from the 1860s before...
Lesson Plan
Digital Public Library of America

Teaching Guide: Exploring To Kill a Mockingbird

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, considered by many to be a seminal piece of American literature, contains many complex literary themes that carry through United States history. Use a series of discussion questions and classroom...
Interactive
Open Colleges

Your Brain Map: Strategies for Accelerated Learning

For Students 9th - 12th
The brain is a complex organ with many different structures and functions. An interactive diagram allows learners to explore the different structures while pop-ups describe their functions. Secondary interactives show the structures of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Those Baffling Bibliographies!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Are you working on a research and citation unit? Have your young writers listen to a lecture on how to cite research sources correctly and how to distinguish new information that requires citing. They compile a list of works cited from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explain what plagiarism is, why it is a problem, and how to avoid it. They articulate why it is unacceptable in a research document, and they show how to avoid it by using proper citation tools. They demonstrate correct...

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