The end was just the beginning. The period immediately after the end of World War II and the Holocaust is often called "The Return to Life" as survivors looked to reunite and recreate broken families and shattered lives. A two-lesson...

Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...

Is health insurance a luxury? The class examine the increasing number of uninsured middle class Americans; they then research and present information on various aspects of medical coverage and care at a classroom forum entitled "The...

Secondary schoolers investigate the debate surrounding the current sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church with this New York Times instructional activity. Through discussions and written reflection, they explore their own thoughts...

Scholars assess a government's ability to intervene in personal health decisions. They research basic facts about euthanasia and describe their opinions about new legislation passed in the United States Congress about an individual's...

Scholars use the article "More College Students Are Smoking, Study Says" as a springboard for discussion on the reasons why people smoke cigarettes. They investigate different methods of graphing statistics by using the data provided in...

Discuss race in the United States. Start by having each learner read a copy of Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech, "I Have a Dream." Then, have them read the article "Shared Prayers, Mixed Blessings" about a church in Atlanta,...

Should public humiliation be an acceptable consequence for a crime? Have your middle schoolers engage in a round table discussion about the recent resurgence of the use of public humiliation as a punishment for crimes in the United...

Experience how a story can drastically change when the point of view is altered. Young scholars first read a review of Disney's film Tarzan, focusing on how the point of view in the classic story is important. They then select...

Help learners examine racial profiling of Arab-Americans and Middle Eastern Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. They will be asked to look at beliefs, actions, and behavior towards this group of people...

Start the day by sharing opinions about human rights. Then, read "A Defiant Hussein Pleads Not Guilty to Mass Execution" with your middle and high school class. Your pupils research the specific charges in the case against Saddam...

Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...

How are disasters addressed by the Federal Government? This New York Times lesson, based on the article "Disaster Aid: The Mix of Mercy and Politics," prompts middle schoolers to discuss the idea of using a disaster declaration as a...

Students assess the educational and social issues of boys and girls in school as a springboard to interviewing women in the fields of science, in order to study of their early interests and experiences in these typically male-dominated...

Students consider features of skyscraper using descriptive words, reflect on notion of skyscraper as orientation point in a city, and explore New York Times Building in Manhattan by reading and discussing article, "Pride and Nostalgia...

Young scholars research current world political leaders, as well as the opinions of their supporters and critics, in order to create a "Present Political Leaders Hall of Fame" display for the classroom.

Students study about wide scale construction and development in Moscow and its impact on cultural and historic preservation. They research the political, social, economic, and cultural changes in the former Eastern Bloc and create a...

Students consider disruptive school behavior and how school districts in several states are turning to the juvenile justice system for help. They debate this issue from a variety of perspectives, and write a paper.

Students explore the changing consumer habits of Americans of various socioeconomic classes. They examine the exact costs of products, services and interest rates mentioned in the article and reflect on their own spending habits and...

Students assess germ warfare and debating related ethical issues in the social studies classroom

Young scholars read a New York Times article about plans for oil drilling in the Arctic. They examine and debate both sides of the plan to explore for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Students explore various scenarios that may or may not make them suspicious in the post-September 11 world, and discuss and write position papers about a fatal shooting involving air marshals and a mentally ill passenger.

Students describe genetics as if they were explaining it to a young child. After reading an article, they discover new discoveries in the human genome project. Using the internet, they research a pair of genetic terms and develop a...

Students research responsibilities, programs and government departments of leaders that make up the presidential cabinet, in the form of a Web Exploration, after reading "Dueling Power Centers" from The New York Times.