Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Censorship in the Classroom: Understanding Controversial Issues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine propaganda and media bias and explore a variety of banned and challenged books. Following this, students choose a side of the censorship issue and support their position by developing an ad campaign about the banned book...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
Activity
Ed Change

Facilitating the Difficult Dialogue: Role Plays

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students share stories and role play about a time when they participated in, or facilitated, a discussion on racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, or another form of oppression that took an unexpected turn and caused conflict that was...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Genome: Controversy for All Times

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine the genome and discuss the ethical and moral issues surrounding it. In groups, they discover the differences between ethics and morals and discuss where the concepts of good and bad come from in society. After reading...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science as a Source of Social Controversy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research the two opposing views and biographical information about Ptolemy and Copernicus in order to be familiar with the societal viewpoints that influenced the thinking of these two scientists. Students role-play...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change: Is there a Controversy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore climate changes. In this climate changes instructional activity, students research what causes changes. Students search the Internet, summarize reports they find and create a poster with the information.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 8th Amendment: The Death Penalty

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students take a closer look at the death penalty. In this U.S. government lesson, students watch a Discovery video about capital punishment in the United States and then compose letters to the editors of newspapers about their stance on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Replicating Controversy

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Student act as a research scientists and investigate the development of animal and human cloning. They then report their findings, both orally and visually, to their "colleagues" at a symposium on cloning research. Learners explore the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Courting Controversy?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider their own personal opinions on divisive issues. They examine the confirmation of Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and investigate issues from different ideological and philosophical perspectives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nuclear Weapons Controversy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine and discuss U.S. nuclear weapons policy.
Lesson Plan
Minnesota Center for Community Legal Education

Minnesota v. Hershberger

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Freedom of religion has been a controversial, yet fundamental, tenet of the United States since even before the nation's birth. In a well-constructed lesson, the class compares the Minnesota Constitution to the US Constitution as a means...
Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Euthanasia

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students analyze euthanasia as a possible way to die.  In this controversial lesson, students reflect and discuss euthanasia as a possible way to enter death.  Classroom discussion allows students to voice their opinion and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Syrian Government Censorship

For Students 9th - 12th
Approach censorship through the controversy of the Syrian government's violence against kidnapped cartoonist Ali Ferzat. Background information gives learners context of the issue, and a link offers further media coverage of the event....
Lesson Plan
Media Smarts

Media Awareness Network: Hate or Debate?

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Discuss the difference between legitimate debate on a political issue and arguments that are based on hate through a science-fiction scenario that shows how a controversial issue can be discussed in both ways. Then learn how purveyors of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Individuality vs. Conformity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Spark an animated debate in your class! Young adults consider some of the fads or trends that are prevalent at their school, as well as their own level of participation in them. Just how much of a role does popular culture play in their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food, Glorious Food?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
How are the reactions between American and European consumers different when it comes to genetically modified foods? Use the New York Times article "Consumers in Europe Resist Gene-Altered Foods" to inform your middle schoolers...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Ballots, Bloomers and Boycotts

For Teachers 4th
Students compare a controversial issue or policy in need of reform in their classroom to the suffrage movement of the 1800's. They research important figures in the suffrage movement, produce written pieces and complete worksheets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Presenting Ethical Dilemmas in the Classroom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the dilemma of bioethics. Students review a cast study on a bioethical topic. They research the facts, values, and stakemakers in the controversial debate. Students consider the consequences and discuss their findings...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pandora's Box

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Some of today's technologies are controversial, in vitro fertilization being one of them. Mature high school biology classes examine the technology involved in and dilemmas created by this procedure. They play different roles in an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Although we currently focus on Abraham Lincoln's positive contributions in creating a more equal society, the truth is that Lincoln was actually a controversial character in his time! After studying the Civil War, give your high...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Was the Stamp Act Fair?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Elementary and middle schoolers examine and evaluate different perspectives concerning events leading to the American Revolution. In this case, they hone in on the Stamp Act. They research controversial bills, laws, or events of the time...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does Rick Warren Represent Diversity?

For Teachers 11th - 12th
The topic of this lesson focuses on whether or not Obama was able to convincingly defend his choice of choosing Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. This is considered a controversial or hot topic because it...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Queen Min

For Teachers 10th - 12th
The Empress Myeongseong is the focus of a lesson that asks class members to examine a historical record and a first-hand account of one of Korea's most intrepid and controversial women.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Avoiding Armageddon

For Teachers 9th - 12th
PBS has written a series of lessons on avoiding Armageddon. This is lesson 4 of 5 and focuses on defining terrorism. Upper graders watch episode 3 of "Avoiding Armageddon - The New Face of Terror," read how terrorism is defined by the...

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