Students collect background information about costs of hosting Olympics, prepare presentation about Chicago's bid to host 2016 Summer Olympics, debate pros and cons of going to Chicago, and present findings to classmates.

Students brainstorm and discuss ways genes can be altered, transferred and cloned. They will complete a subject sampler, opinion paper and prepare to debate their opinion on genetic engineering.

Tenth graders explore the concept of censorship through a reading of Fahrenheit 451. They discuss the issue and its relation to contemporary society. Students work in groups to debate the pros and cons of censorship in our society.

Young scholars research the Columbine tragedy. They read about the media role of watchdog on the government. Students discuss and debate how the media has been involved in the latest release of Columbine videos and other material.

Pupils analyze corporal punishment, debating the pros and cons. Students investigate, collecting background information and interviewing school community members. If pupils disagree with the district's policy, students develop a...

Students debate the pros and cons of police searching the trash of suspected drug dealers. Students collect background information, and students interview city officials and garbage collectors. Students develop a strategic plan for...

Students discuss the issue of putting seat belts on school buses to increase safety. Using the internet, they research the school bus safety record for their district. In groups, they interview school administrator's and debate the pros...

Examine the processes scientists go through to develop their conclusions. Using the internet, research the problem of nearsightedness and identify anyone they know with the condition. Discover the debate in the science world on this...

A set of lessons help aspiring scientists practice the critical thinking skills required for facing controversial issues such as evolution. As a group, they discuss what controversy consists of. They compare and constrast the concepts of...

Students use the internet to read research to find out what other communities are doing to solve the problem of underage drinking. They interview local experts and law enforcement. As a class, they debate the pros and cons of different...

Students research how police use MySpace to apprehend criminals. They debate the pros and cons of this method and decide if the local policy needs to be changed. Students create a better policy for using the Internet and present it to...

Students explore Puerto Rico.  In this Puerto Rico current events lesson, students conduct a Webquest to answer questions about Puerto Rico's culture.  Students discuss whether Puerto Rico is a country or a state, and defend...

Eleventh graders study the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln.  For this American History lesson, 11th graders analyze documents related to Reconstruction.  Students participate in a debate on Reconstruction.  

The emergent adults in your US Government class can become informed, self-aware voters. This activity enables them to form an opinion about particular political issues then identify themselves on the political spectrum. Informed and...

Young scholars examine the legal issues involved when there is a dispute over lunch money at school. They read the case study, discuss the two points of view, and illustrate a picture of how they would solve the problem.

Pairs of high school biologists compare amino acid differences in the beta hemoglobin of different primates. They use the information collected to construct a phylogenic tree. Follow-up discussion questions are provided. This is a...

Students comprehend the purpose, function, origin, and historical development of the electoral college. They evaluate issues of fairness and representation in the electoral process, both individually and through group discussion....

We construct meaning through discussion, so help your readers of Elie Wiesel's work Night with a socratic questioning activity. The strategy is outlined on the first page, and the second page offers some example questions you give to...

Examine American political culture with your scholars using this self-assessment lesson. Individuals rate a list of 14 values from highest to lowest, including ideas such as financial security, right to private property, justice,...

Students study populations throughout History.

Upper elementary and middle schoolers use their observation skills to group different kinds of candy by similar characteristics. They debate whether or not we should classify objects. Finally, they learn that biologists have developed a...

Learners examine Hammurabi's Code. They take on the role of his council of advisors and report their "advice" to the king. They write an essay discussing an aspect of daily life that the Code exemplifies.

Students watch a video clip discussing the story about the mayor and answer the following: What kind of people should be role models for students today +++ Are they politicians and government employees, movie stars, or professional...

In order to understand how tax dollars are spent, young economists use given data and graph it on a circle graph. Circle graphs are highly visual and can help individuals describe data. A class discussion follows the initial activity.