Students research how women are perceived in sports. They debate the issue of whether cheer leading should be considered a sport and are scored on student made rubrics.

High schoolers research how the development of the atomic bomb affected people in World War II, participate in a debate about the bomb's use, and investigate how it has affected people's lives since 1945.

Students read a short article about the upcoming release of the new Harry Potter novel. They debate the issues surrounding the marketing of students's books and films after internet research to support or oppose the topic.

Students investigate the law recently passed in Arizona, "Support our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act."  In this history instructional activity, students watch a video on immigration then work in small groups to prepare a...

The advantages and disadvantages of cattle branding are discussed. The class breaks into two groups to further consider each viewpoint. The lesson plan says that the class will read an article about the ongoing debate, but this article...

Was nonviolent resistance the best means of securing civil rights for black Americans in the 1960s? In this highly engaging and informative lesson, your young historians will closely analyze several key documents from the civil rights...

The dress color debate of 2015 taught the importance of understanding how we see light. Scholars view a shirt under two different colored lights and then must predict what color the shirt will appear under a third light. They apply color...

Pupils deal with 'real world' questions in settings that resemble Congress or the courtroom. They identify a problem, find causes, research possible solutions, determine the best solution, and plan a means of implementing the best...

Learners review the main points of the Versailles Treaty. In groups, they analyze a variety of political cartoons about Wilson and the treaty itself and share their findings with the class after completing a worksheet. To end the...

Students research the trafficking and slavery issues in a country of their choice. In groups, they prepare arguments which support their point of view. They reverse their positions to make the debate more interesting.

High schoolers brainstorm a list of information that voters should know about candidates. In groups, they research their side of an argument in preperation for a debate. After observing media coverage, they compare and contrast the...

Students observe a documentary on "Escuela" to explore the life and education of migrant families. After discussing the related topics in the movie, students share their conclusions migrant farmworkers. Using the Internet and other...

For this panel debate worksheet, students argue their assigned character's viewpoint regarding the importance of reading religious material. The worksheet is a guide for teacher's to utilize when holding a panel debate in class.

Each of the three activities submitted presents difficult science topics in the context of the human experience. The activities focus on real-world problems, which have science components, from the young scholars' perspectives.

Students explore and engage in the art of debate. When both sides have been presented each pair have a few minutes to prepare a rebuttal based upon what the opposing side has said. A rubric imbedded in this plan is used as an assessment...

What would it have been like to have heard the debate on the issue of slavery at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? With this resource, you are given the opportunity to read through a reconstruction of speeches on the topic with your...

Should people be able to ban books from schools and libraries if they find them objectionable? Scholars read the three main pros and cons regarding banned books. They also review a list of the top 10 challenged books from 2017 and...

How do you create a classroom environment where hot button topics may be discussed in a respectful manner? As part of a series of lessons that focus on immigration issues, class members examine the rules for civil discussion before...

Help your class explore the question "Is it ever right to disobey a law?" With a strong base of knowledge about the Civil War, anti-slavery movement, and Underground Railroad, your class explores civil disobedience in Marshall, Michigan...

What do you know about GMOs? Meet this trendy topic head on with a debate-centered research project. Science scholars work in groups to learn the facts about genetically modified organisms, create a dialog around their position on the...

Should Americans provide compensation to those whose ancestors suffered from slavery? Read and analyze the arguments of two modern-day journalists on the topic. Then, have a discussion on both the merits of the arguments as well as what...

Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles provides the text for a fishbowl activity. Class members to sit in concentric circles, with the center circle discussing the topics from the book, and the outer circle observing the...

How many people immigrate to Spain illegally each year? Both the United States and Spain see a lot of illegal immigration. Advanced learners will read various articles, compare and contrast the situation in both countries, and discuss...

After class members brainstorm a list of current social and political issues, groups each select a different topic from the list to research. Teams create a portfolio of at least 10 examples of stories about their issue, stories that...