Curated OER
Pitching Patriotism
Young scholars analyze the use of color, images and type used in print advertising, then "pitch" a company. They, in groups, brainstorm products and services of companies that may be affected by the war in Iraq.
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The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Students reflect on the role of DNA in society since its discovery in 1953 by creating works of art and poetry that metaphorically illustrate the importance, influence and concerns of DNA research.
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Sweet on Faith
Students create informative pages for a fictitious desserts cookbook that examine the religious significance and symbolism of holiday sweets from cultures around the world.
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Thirsty for Drought Relief
Students research a variety of drought-related concerns, acting as part of a 'drought preparedness taskforce.' They propose next steps for the government to take in case of drought and assess the viability of these proposals.
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A City Lost and Found
Young scholars hypothesize about the origins of the Incan lost city of Machu Picchu. They examine archaeological methodologies used by researchers to piece together the history of the site and create an audio tour of the location for...
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Primate Primer
Students examine the different branches of the primate family tree. They create fact cards about various species of non-human primates and then write fictional skits about interactions among the different primates.
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Creature Creation
Learners explore the characteristics of dragons as represented in the myths of cultures around the world. They create their own mythical dragons by hybridizing two creatures with desirable traits and writing stories about their creation.
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Variable Skies
Students examine factors which affect a vortex and create model tornadoes. They identify variables, pose a testable question, and perform an experiment using the scientific method. After they collect their data, students write a complete...
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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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Hall Monitors
Students investigate the incidence of different types of violence that occurs in their schools through reading, discussion and interviews. They question local authorities about the best ways to reduce school violence.
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Cooking Up an Explanation
Students pose scientific questions about food items and research their explanations. They then create recipe cards with the answers and present their findings in a cooking show format.
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Shedding New Light
Students consider why photographs in space might not show stars and research the importance of light in this phenomenon. They research other scientific processes related to light or its absence and create "How It Works" posters about them.
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Compassion on Death Row?
Students analyze and debate, through writing and discussion, the politics and ethics behind the ability of governors to grant clemency to inmates sentenced to the death penalty.
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Fan(tom) of the Opera
Students explore the ways in which the worlds of popular music and opera can work together to complement the other. They work in small groups to analyze plot, characters, setting and themes of a popular opera using a summary of that...
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A Test Case for Individual Rights
Students examine the different points of view regarding testing students for drug use. They then work in pairs to create and perform dialogues that flesh out two sides of the argument around this controversial issue.
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Has Peace Finally Settled in the Middle East?
Students evaluate the changes made in the Palestine National Council charter and their potential impact on the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. They write a brief essay focusing on an article from an Israeli or Palestinian...
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Stellar Discoveries That Are Out of This World
Students hear of the recent discovery of a group of planets orbiting the star Upsilon Andromedae. Each student create a page about an element of the universe,
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Clearing the Smoke About Cigarettes
Students explore the many causes and effects of cigarette smoking in order to create anti-smoking campaigns geared towards other students.
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When Human Rights Are Wronged
Students explore the concept of human rights by examining the arresting of prominent Chinese dissidents who are members of the China Democratic Party. They develop and defend their own Bill of Human Rights and write a reflective essay.
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World Consumption: Unequal Slices of the Pie
Students interpret the United Nations Human Development Reports and explain the relevance and use of the human development index in offering insight into a nation and its challenges. They draft a letter to the United Nations.
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A Sense of Emptiness in the House That Michael Built
Young scholars investigate different journalistic techniques used to add color and new dimension to fact-based news stories. They write a journal discussing techniques that journalists could use to make Michael Jordan's retirement from...
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Is the Internet A Web Of Deceit?
Students become more savvy Web surfers by evaluating the various elements of a Web site to determine its credibility. They conduct a two-part investigation of a Web site, focusing on how one determines if a Web site is credible in...
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The Wounds of War
Students examine how the lives of civilians who experience war are changed forever. They read and discuss first-hand accounts of citizens in Sarajevo, and consider the many needs of people, and how wars affect people's ability to meet...
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National Tragedy, Global Response
Students explore how different people on local, national and international levels respond to a destructive natural disaster and the needs of its victims and how various facets of the media cover such an event. The August 1999 earthquake...