Students explore the topic of national identity cards in the United States as a starting point in determining what types of information should be publicly accessible to the government and private industry about specific individuals.

Students read a New York Times article associated with the issue of the decoding for genomes, the creation of life in scientific laboratories and various genetic engineering topics. They present speeches of the pro's and con's of these...

Students examine the topic of euthanasia. For this religion and ethics lesson, students investigate the cases of Terri Schiavo and Hugh Finn in order to gain an understanding of the euthanasia controversy.  

In this radon contamination worksheet, students explore the legal and ethical issues associated with radon found in indoor air of homes. Students construct a set of laws that promote fairness to all sellers, buyers and real estate agents...

Students consider the effectiveness of faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics instructional activity, students research issues relative to the separation of church and state. Students investigate the Bush faith-based...

Students explore the meaning of piracy.  In this technology lesson, students discuss the economic and social repercussions of DVD and CD piracy, then further their knowledge by completing on-line research on the topic.  Several...

High schoolers examine the topic of immigration reform. They conduct research on groups representing various viewpoints on immigration, write and perform a role-play, and write a persuasive essay or letter to a state senator on their...

High schoolers examine the Second Amendment of the Constitution. They research and organize key arguments and other fundementals of gun control. They participate in a debate defending the wording of the Second Amendment.

Students in an ESL classroom compare and contrast Puetro Rican and Mexican cultures. In groups, they research the reasons why people leave one country for another and how to obtain a visa. As a class, they brainstorm a list of the...

Students research and develop lessons to emphasize safe Internet use by children. They design pamphlets about safe use by children for parents. Using Powerpoint, they deliver a presentation about Internet predators. Students alsodevelop...

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...

Students examine the role of religion in everyday life. In this religion and ethics lesson, students investigate the use of government funds to support faith-based initiatives. The lesson calls for students to conduct research, watch...

Students explore stem cells. For this stem cell lesson, students research print and Internet sources regarding types of stem cells and their attributes. Students discuss their research findings participate in a debate about cord blood...

How did the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act contribute to the growing tensions that led to the Civil war? To better understand the events that led to the Civil War, young historians engage in a...

Learners research different areas of biotechnology. For this biology lesson, students create a presentation about their research. They debate the topic presented and share their views on the subject.

Tenth graders compare and contrast the opinions of northerners and southerners about the issue of slavery in the 1850's. They study how the legislation that was enacted by Congress addressed the issues. As they investigate, they create a...

Twelfth graders discuss the elements of effective debating. they debate governmental issues after reseraching selected topics. With student permission, the debate may be videotaped for viewing to other classes or during open house.

When slavery ended, what did the government do to help African American during Reconstruction? An interesting instructional activity uses primary sources such as newspaper articles to help scholars analyze Reconstruction policies and how...

If you stop a student from expressing views that advocate drug use, are you violating their right to free speech? Use the 2007 Supreme Court case Morse v. Frederick to discuss a nuanced interpretation of the First Amendment....

Does the Westboro Baptist Church have the protection of the Constitution when protesting military funerals? High schoolers examine the 2011 Supreme Court case of Snyder v. Phelps before comparing the situation to a fictional...

Is love the strongest force in the world? Delve into the themes of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas with an anticipation guide that introduces the main points of discussion. Kids mark their agreement or disagreement with...

Your class will read an overview of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, passed in 2008 and address the question of whether or not genetic information should be used to influence our career paths. In jigsaw style, they then are...

Throw down with a fun language arts game! Armed with a hand of writing-themed cards, learners craft arguments based on the strategies written on the cards, dropping cards as they discuss their claims further until there are no strategies...

Are video games sports? Pupils investigate this question as well as various nonfiction selections to learn more about claims and the support that defines them. All of the selections mimic the rigor on state tests and encourage close...