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Do the Right Thing
Students consider the relationship between gang violence and the factors that can contribute to its increase. After researching the issues behind one such factor, students make recommendations that may help reduce gang violence.
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Must Be Something in the Water
Learners research water pollution and create a class guide to raise the public's awareness about this issue. They write papers analyzing the effectiveness of the guide after it is read by members of the community.
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Too Hot to Handle
Students read an online article and research the ten most active volcanoes in the world. They devise an independent public service announcement for evacuating people living near a volcano.
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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.
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Talk About the Passion
Students think critically about artistic freedom and evaluate the aims and effectiveness of censorship and education. They begin an investigation of the ongoing controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" by reading "New...
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Star Politics
Students discuss the advantages of a celebrity running for a public office. After reading an article, they examine the results of the California governor recall vote. In groups, they research the aspirations and career of a celebrity...
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A Nobel Cause
Students research the lives and accomplishments of Nobel Prize-winning scientists and compose stories about what the world would be like without the accomplishments of these scientists.
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The Freedom to Fight
High schoolers study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who...
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Write Like an Egyptian
Learners study the discovery and import of the Scorpion Tableau. They research other examples of ancient writing systems and synthesize their knowledge of them by designing new writing systems based on these early models.
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Clash of Civilizations?
Learners identify common misconceptions people have about cultures different than their own. After reading an article, they discover how the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was founded. They research the misconceptions of the...
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Taking the Witness Stand
Young scholars identify a pivotal event in world history that they would have liked to have witnessed. They then research this event and write a first-person account of it as if they had been present. Their first-prerson account is...
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Marching For Freedom
Students appreciate the sacrifices that people from across the country made to ensure that all citizens could exercise their constitutional right to vote. They access excellent websites and documents imbedded in this plan to guide their...
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To Freeze or Not to Freeze
Students examine the non-verbal elements of a theatrical performance. They read an article, answer discussion questions, conduct Internet research, and stage frozen tableaux based on lines from Shakespeare's works.
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To the Beat of a Different Drum
Students describe the sounds, moods and styles of two different types of music. After reading an article, they discover how a journalist uses language to describe and give feelings to the music. They review a type of music of interest...
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Time Travel Writing Assignment using "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
Students examine the consequences of time travel through the analysis of the short story "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury. They watch a PowerPoint presentation, conduct Internet research on endangered ecosystems, and create a...
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Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Students identify and interpret the Declaration of Independence and the rights and privileges demanded in the document. They also identify how those rights and privileges have affected our history. Students then research about the...
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Meting Out Justice
Learners investigate the murder case of Emmett Till and identify the missing pieces from the case. Through research, they then work to fill in the gaps to create a basis for examining how justice might be served anew in this...
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Tribal Truths
Students research and analyze the interactions of American Indian tribes with Meriwether Lewis and iam Clark. Then they stage displays to inform the public about their findings.
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Bootleg Bytes
Students conduct background research to explore the positions of different groups involved in the digital piracy debate, then participate in a fishbowl discussion that seeks to find a consensus on the issue.
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The Eyes Have It
Students explore the health risks associated with wearing decorative contact lenses. They research other cosmetic modes of expression that can pose health risks and debate whether these practices should remain legal.
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The Great Computer Debates
Students 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.
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Give a Little, Get a Lot
Students research a specific charitable organization on the Internet, focusing on the organization's history, services, and importance in society. They develop an outline for a charitable organization with a mission statement.
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Nature's Superheroes
Students compare their prior knowledge about the relationship between sunlight and cancer with new findings. They research how different vitamins and minerals affect the human body.
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Psychology: Blotting It from My Mind
Students research Rorschach and other personality assessment tests in order to determine if they feel these tests are used appropriately in our society today.