Curated OER
Medicare Reform
Young scholars calculate how much of each paycheck is deducted into the Medicare system, explain the need for health insurance and Medicare, and work in small groups to develop their own plan to reform Medicare.
Curated OER
Immigration Debate
The 2010 immigration bill passed in Arizona provides class members with an opportunity to examine various perspectives of the immigration debate by watching news videos, reading interview, editorials, and viewing images. Discussion...
American Documentary
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....
Curated OER
Journalism: Underage Drinking
Students research underage drinking and read a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association about the issue. They interview experts on substance abuse and liquor store owners about their policies. Students publish their...
Council for Economic Education
Satisfaction Please! (Part 2)
Simply understanding consumer rights may not help people solve their problems. Understanding who to turn to becomes key in many different scenarios. Teach the value of various organizations that fight for consumer rights through...
PBS
Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War
What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...
Curated OER
Interdisciplinary Unit On Wellness
Middle schoolers create a portfolio throughout their middle school years on wellness. Students explore their awareness of the connections between health, physical education, and family and consumer sciences with particular emphasis on...
Curated OER
American Veterans: Past and Present
Research groups present an audio report on modern veteran issues in a radio show format.
Curated OER
British Army Recruitment
Read and discuss the vocabulary related to a news article about a new recruitment campaign for the British army. High schoolers read the article, define key vocabulary terms, identify suffixes from the article, and complete a variety of...
Curated OER
Northwest Native American
Third graders describe and come to the understanding the American Indians in this locations and their customs. They explain that the region and its natural resources affected how Native Americans developed their cultural practices.
Curated OER
Newspapers in the Digital Age
Is journalism more or less reliable with the influx of Internet sources? Learners investigate the issues of freedom of speech, journalistic ethics, and social responsibility in the age of Twitter and Facebook. After examining the...
American Documentary
Religion in Culture & Politics: Women’s empowerment in Syria
What defines a woman as empowered, and how does this definition compare to the ideas and actions of a group of Muslim women in Syria? After watching a series of video clips from a documentary film about a school for girls in Damascus,...
Curated OER
Turn On, Tune In, and Write Down
Students locate, access and listen to a variety of radio and audio samples found on the Internet. They discuss the material in small groups and identify areas of interest for further discussion.
Curated OER
Inventors of New England
Students examine the ways that technology effects our daily lives. Students also identify the processes involved in designing new technology.
Curated OER
Does My hair Disrupt Your Learning?
Students use the internet to research ways to save and earn money. They interview bankers and financial counselors to discover different types of investments. Students create public service announcements to inform their classmates of...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Evaluating Media Sources
Just how much influence did television have on the results of the 1960 presidential election? Media critics contend that the results were all about how the two candidates appeared on the screen. Give your young historians a chance to...
Curated OER
Severe Winter Weather
Learners, in groups, investigate and demonstrate the science behind the development and characteristics of winter storms by creating a weather report.
Curated OER
Radio Program
Students identify and assess the impact of unions on workers, management, and community. They listen to radio stories, students are asked what can they conclude about the impact of unions on the lives of the workers, management, and...
Curated OER
Everyone's a Critic: Analyzing Sitcoms as Cultural Texts
Start by defining the word sitcom with the goal of launching a discussion. What exactly is a sitcom? How is a sitcom different from sketch comedy, drama, and reality television? Class members give examples, remember storylines...
Curated OER
View the News with a Parent
Middle schoolers view local television news programs with their parents to analyze content and discuss current isues. They write with their parents comments on their discussion to be later shared in class..
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Newscapade
Students work in teams to research specific eras of American history focusing on important events, sports, entertainment, music, games, books, famous firsts or quotes, science and technology or trivia. They prepare presentations for the...
Curated OER
How Typical or Atypical is Your Community?
Students analyze and answer specific questions posed by the teacher about their community. They assess how typical a community is by comparing its characteristics to those of the whole nation. They determine how typical or atypical...
Curated OER
Senate Debate on Scientific Racism
Students analyze the arguments around scientific racism. They collect data on the views of eugenicists and its opponents.
Curated OER
Massaging the Message: The Media Speaks
Students watch video of TV news clips centered on the House of Commons and then complete an information sheet.