Curated OER
Adolescent Sleep
Students discuss, summarize, and express alternative positions regarding a study on adolescent sleep. They examine arguments for and against changing the school start time for high-school students, based upon the findings of a scientific...
Curated OER
Science NetLinks: Adolescent Sleep
Wake up, sleepy head! High schoolers craft a creative presentation that represents how they feel when they wake up on a school morning. After the presentations, a reading of Academic Sleep Times and Academic Performance launches a...
ProCon
Teacher Tenure
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...
Florida Department of Health
Safe and Happy: Safety for All at School and Online Unit
Bystander or upstander and advocate? Three lessons have high schoolers investigating data about bullying and school safety. Participants then learn how to take a stand against bullying and use what they have learned to create a PSA to...
Federal Judicial Center
Amistad and Dred Scott—a Comparative Activity
What do slaves fighting for their freedom on board a ship and a slave fighting for his freedom in a courtroom have in common? Budding historians investigate the two different cases of the Amistad slave revolt and the Dred Scott argument....
Curated OER
Climate Chaos Week
Pupils research the pros and cons of wind farm technology as an alternative source of energy. The class is divided into two groups that should formulate a debate on each side of the argument. Groups use a debate guide to help develop...
Curated OER
Conflict Resolution in 9 Easy Steps
Students investigate student psychology by reading assigned text about nonviolence. In this conflict resolution lesson, students read nine specific steps they should take the next time they are in an argument with someone. Students...
Curated OER
Argument in an Athenian Jail: Socrates and the Law
High schoolers consider how Socrates might have responded to extenuating circumstances: for example, if his sentence had been imposed by a tyrant rather than in a trial, or if it had been influenced by prejudice.
Deliberating in a Democracy
Freedom of Expression
Should democracies include hate speech as a protected right? Scholars analyze the rights found under the First Amendment to the Constitution through researching evidence. Freedom of expression becomes the focal point of the...
The Holler
Conflict Resolution
Does your class understand the importance of peaceful conflict resolution? Middle schoolers share conflict stories, then collaborate to resolve simulated conflicts during an engaging lesson. The teacher's guide contains implementation...
Curated OER
Symbolic Speech
Ninth graders consider the right of freedom of speech as it is outlined in the U.S. Constitution. They receive background information for the US Supreme Court, the Bill of Rights, and free speech. They discuss a series of actual cases...
Curated OER
The Clone Age
Learners relate the ethical and practical arguments in favor of cloning and against cloning. They research the issue and plan a public service advertisement campaign for or against cloning.
Curated OER
Death penalty debate
Students debate the motion, "the USA is right to have capital punishment." Students begin by researching and writing their arguments to support or oppose the motion. After the debate, students vote according to their beliefs.
Curated OER
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE: PRO OR CON?
Students come up with counterarguments to the 1917 pamphlet, "The Case Against Woman Suffrage." They compare the position of women in 1917 with women today, and judge how suffrage has impacted women's lives. They write a personal...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform
Students develop arguments for and against campaign finance reform, examine federal and state laws that attempt to limit contributions to political candidates, evaluate various plans for campaign finance reform and formulate their own...
Curated OER
Tort Law
Students study the concept of negligence. They recognize the difference between civil and criminal law and examine the factors that courts consider when considering if there is a duty and whether it has been breached. They argue either...
Curated OER
Peace and Aggression: A Challenge of Our Time
Students examine the arguments for and against the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. In groups, they must assign the Vietnam War a just or unjust war using the techniques used to fight and the reasons used by the government...
Curated OER
Viewpoint and Persuasive Writing
Practice persuasive writing skills in this thorough lesson plan. After selecting issues and discovering viewpoints, middle schoolers write letters or brochures created to express the individual's perspective. The ideas are presented to...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a lesson that encourages awareness and open...
Curated OER
Animal testing debate
Students debate the issues surrounding animal testing. The debate is based around a suggestion or motion. The motion is: This house believes that animal testing should continue. Students are divided into proposers (for the motion)...
Curated OER
Does Climate Change Exist? Healthy Skepticism? Debating the Truth, Evidence, and Certainty of Climate Change
Learners study climate change and the arguments of scientists that it exists. For this climate change lesson students complete a class activity and answer questions.
Curated OER
Trap Door Reading: Persuasive Text
Middle schoolers create T-charts to analyze persuasive text. In this persuasive text lesson students make predictions based upon titles and learn how to make arguments based on facts.
Curated OER
Pros and Cons of Hydroelectric Power
Middle schoolers develop arguments for and against the construction of hydroelectric power plants. Poll the groups to determine which view dominates in the class and students write a summary of their conclusions.
Curated OER
To Compromise or Not to Compromise: The Missouri Question
Learners evaluate the fairness of the Missouri Compromise. They read the Missouri Compromise and discuss how it reflected the North-South, anti-slavery and pro-slavery division in the country. They work in groups to debate the Missouri...