Are newspapers dying, or fighting to survive? Give your scholars access to this controversial debate using political cartoons. In this analsyis handout, 2 cartoons display the changing role of newspapers in a world of online media....

What would you ask a presidential candidate if you had the chance? Bring politics to your language arts classroom with this lesson, in which young readers brainstorm questions they would have liked the presidential candidates to answer....

Are sports essential to American life? Young historians ponder the question as they examine letters between the owner of the Boston Red Sox and Navy Secretary Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War I. The owner wanted two star players...

A 28-slide presentation introduces viewers to the process reports go through to track and verify developing news stories. Using the reports of the attacks at Atlanta, Georgia, massage parlors as an example, viewers are taught what to...

Using an article from The New York Times, students answer discussion questions about gun control. They are divided into four groups to research different standpoints on gun control, including the Executive Office, Congress, Gun...

Many people oppose genetically modified foods yet support selective breeding in dogs. Learn about the similarities and differences through a short presentation that features many video clips. It covers natural selection, artificial...

Imagine being an ex-slave after the Civil War and not understanding if you were considered a citizen of the United States. Scholars analyze the early Supreme Court battles in civil rights cases and especially the Fourteenth Amendment....

Looking for an efficient way to explore the causes and results of the American Revolution? The American Revolution Museum offers a seven-lesson series to hit the highlights of this turning point, using primary sources and activities such...

Are video games sports? Pupils investigate this question as well as various nonfiction selections to learn more about claims and the support that defines them. All of the selections mimic the rigor on state tests and encourage close...

The controversies surrounding migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. have recently been a hot topic. To understand some of the issues involved, young scholars investigate the Migrant Caravans of 2018. A 10-page packet, including photos, a...

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 discuss possible reasons for the Titanic sinking. They are split into small groups to research a historical figure involved in the sinking of the Titanic. They formulate a way to prove their characters guilt or innocence....

Students begin by completing a survey asking them to rank their concerns about commercially prepared foods. They develop a definition of relative risk, and complete the "Pro or Con" worksheet. Students work in groups to make a study of...

Learners research controversial Internet technology issues concerning security, privacy, and intellectual property. They formulate and present various perspectives on these issues in a mock television panel discussion.

Students reflect on racial balance in their own schools, debate merits of policies that seek to create and maintain school racial diversity, and write essays on whether their school should promote racial balance.

Young scholars examine the dangers of owning and breeding aggressive dogs. They debate whether aggressive dogs should be kept as pets. They write an essay from their point of view about aggressive dogs as pets.

Students debate the limits to celebrity privacy and to paparazzi rights after learning about some recent incidents. They imagine how their private lives might change if they became overnight celebrities.

Students explore tessellations and the artwork of M.C. Escher. They view and discuss a video about M.C. Escher, create a slide template out of cardboard, and create a poster with their tessellation pattern.

Students investigate civil liberties in the U.S. They watch and discuss a PowerPoint presentation, conduct research on an event from a timeline, complete a worksheet, take an ideology quiz, and conduct a debate.

Students compare anti-immigration movements in United States history. For this immigration lesson, students participate in classroom activities that require them to analyze music, images, and videos that reveal the immigration debates of...

Students read a New York Times article associated with the issue of the decoding for genomes, the creation of life in scientific laboratories and various genetic engineering topics. They present speeches of the pro's and con's of these...

Students determine whether the Constitution should be ratified. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students research the roles of famous Federalists and Antifederalists in order to prepare them to participate in a...

Learners explore the Bill of Rights. For this U.S. Constitution lesson, students participate in classroom debate regarding the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Learners then vote for the amendments they would like to ratify.

As end of grade testing season approaches, the disturbances and noise level should be at a minimum. Hang these handy-dandy testing signs on your door to make sure hall walkers are quiet and do not interrupt the testing inside the...