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Concealed Handguns
Should adults be allowed to carry concealed handguns? Pupils use the website to research the topic thoroughly and weigh the pros and cons. They read background information on gun control and learn about the main arguments surrounding the...
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Jimmy Carter: Civic Action, Lesson 1
Inspired by the humanitarian work of President Jimmy Carter after he left office, high schoolers explore the history of civic action in the United States and generate ideas about problems at the local, national, and international levels....
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Issues of Asylum in the U.S.
Who gets to come to the United States? Examine cases of individuals seeking asylum with an informative reading passage that includes examples, statistics, and representations of public opinion regarding asylum. Groups then go on to...
Deliberating in a Democracy
Cyberbullying—Alternate Lesson Plan
Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech,...
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Trial By Wire
Students identify the arguments on both sides of the new Medicare policy debate over claim hearings. They participate in a mock trial to adjudicate the fairness of the new policy.
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Out with the Old, in with the New
Eleventh graders review the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and explore the major debates during the writing of the Constitution. They review vocabulary and compare primary source documents to study the three branches of...
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National Service: Lesson Plan
Students explore and take postions on the concept of mandatory community service. They then debate the issue in class as a learning model.
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Mars
Students debate the ethical considerations involved in colonizing and terra-forming Mars. They have a preliminary discussion and view a video clip about Mars, then break into support and oppose groups to research and prepare their...
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An Aging Population - Economic Problem or Opportunity
Students explore if the aging population has any effect on the economy and overall well-being of society. In this economic lesson, students research the economic impact of the older citizens. They develop their own ideas and...
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Lura Pierce
Students express opinions on eavesdropping on citizens, read the article "GOP Senators sat Accord is Set on Wiretapping", and debate issues presented in the article. They create letters to send to Congress presenting their concerns.
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Language Recognition and Language Families
Students debate the pros and cons of bilingualism in the United States and in the classroom. Students investigate how language reflects and influences culture, and focus on how to make language acquisition easier for students.
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Government Policy and Its Impact on HIV/AIDS
Students examine "President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief", identify important U.S. policy events related to AIDS/HIV from the last 25 years and hold a policy debate on the funding for AIDS/HIV programs.
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International Law and Organizations
Young scholars conduct research and debate some of the conflicting viewpoints surrounding state sovereignty vs. the governance of international institutions. They read interviews and participate in role-plays.
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You Be the Judge
High schoolers research and evaluate a case considered by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. They watch a Bill Moyers video, conduct a debate, and write about the decision they would make if they...
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Immigration: U.S. Policy in the New Millennium
Students explore U.S. immigration policies. In this immigration instructional activity, students read about the history of immigration policies in the U.S., uncover controversial issues regarding immigration, and speak to immigrants as...
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Balancing Budgets: From Reagan to Today
Students discover details about the federal budget. In this contemporary government lesson, students research the efforts to maintain a balanced federal budget in the United States since the 1980's. Students then participate in a debate...
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Social Studies: Global Women and Poverty
Students conduct research and make comparisons about various global economies. Create graphic organizers to present their research findings and illustrate solutions to problems. Students discuss and debate issues based on what they have...
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Whose God?
High schoolers investigate religious freedom in the U.S. They watch and discuss a Bill Moyers NOW video, take a Freedom of Religion quiz, write an essay, and participate in a mock trial and debate.
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How the Supreme Court Affects the Lives of Teens
Learners describe the structure and function of the United States Supreme Court. They examine and analyze decisions made by the Court. They participate in a debate about recent issues.
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Homegrown Terror
Students investigate history of domestic terrorism in six European countries; they analyze and write about differences between terrorist acts planned and committed by a country's citizens and those planned by groups or individuals...
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How Women Got the Vote: The Story of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt
Students participate in a simulation and compare and contrast the arguments for and against womens' right to vote. In this civil rights lesson, students simulate disenfranchisement of women by allowing only half of the class to vote on a...
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Time and Time Again
Students analyze the effects of time zone differences on how we function as a global community, focusing particularly on the turn of the millennium as a way for students to calculate time zone differences.
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Beaver, or not?
Learners study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900. Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...
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Italian Enemy Aliens During World War II: Evacuation from Prohibited Zones
Students read and discuss the Enemy Alien Evacuation Order. They perform research by reading newspaper articles from February 1942 as well as investigating available information on the Internet. Students work in groups to create a...