Curated OER
You Say You Want an Evolution?
Young scholars estimate the number of living organisms they might find in their local environment. After researching the types of organisms that existed during various geologic time periods, students describe how life forms have changed...
Curated OER
Rhythm Nation
Students read a New York Times article to help them develop an understanding of the history, development, and social influence of various types of world music through the creation of music museum exhibits.
Curated OER
In Living Color
Students explore, through discussion and experimentation, colorblindness and how the color of the light passing through the eye changes how different colors are perceived.
Curated OER
Always Remember, or Eventually Forget
Students examine one writer's opinion about how different generations of Japanese citizens have been influenced by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Curated OER
State of the "States"
Students consider indicators that mark a country's progress, examine how last year's State of the Union address has affected U.S. foreign policy, research issues deemed important in that speech, and create report cards assessing the...
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Relative History
Students explore theories about how the Olmec civilization influenced other Mesoamerican societies. They research the Olmecs to create a museum exhibit of their findings and reflect on how an Olmec person might have understood the...
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Our Robots, Ourselves
Students imagine how they might use a robot in their daily lives, explore advancements in artificial intelligence, investigate robotic technology under development, and prepare posters that show how robotic technology might be...
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What Sticks from '06
Young scholars identify significant events that helped shaped 2006. Completing a news quiz, they discuss the importance and impact of each event mentioned. They create their own news quizzes to be used as a class. They create a poster...
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Advising China
Students express their opinions about how growth and modernization affect nations. Reading an article on China, they discuss the causes and effects of exponential growth in a single town. They research how China has changed by writing...
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The Political is Personal
Students examine their own political party affiliations and political beliefs. After reading an article, they discuss how students at Duke define their political philosophies. They brainstorm events, people and experiences that have...
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I Think, Therefore I See
Students participate in a memory experiment to discover how the eye works. After reading an article, they analyze a new technique which examines how the brain registers sight. They develop their own memory game and conduct trials using...
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A Glacier Ran Through It
Students learn basic geological concepts while researching how ice age floods sculpted the plateau of the Columbia Basin. They synthesize their learning by creating annotated illustrations of the geological principles they studied.
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Breezy, Chilly, or Freezing?
Students assess the factors which influence the sensation of being "cold" in a particular situation. They study the complexities in measuring temperature by reading and discussing the article "Beyond Brrr: The Elusive Science of...
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Out of Order
Learners consider the role technology plays in their lives and create one-act plays illustrating how reliance on a certain technology can be problematic if the gadget is not working properly.
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Everyday Objects
Students reflect in their journals about an everyday object they take for granted. After reading an article, they examine what a cook's tools can reveal about their life. In groups, they research everyday objects and write a museum...
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Brace Yourself!
Young scholars create a list of dental problems and tactics that can be used to correct them. They then study about how the field of orthodontics is changing, and work in cooperative groups to research and build models of how various...
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The Struggles Between "Something Old" and "Something New"
Students explore traditional life in Africa and assess how modern society may be impacting the values of the continent's traditional peoples. Students work in small groups to research various aspects of the infrastructures of African...
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Laws and Force in Law Enforcement
Students investigate the issues of police brutality, use of excessive force, and the underlying issues by participating in a round-table discussion. They compare how these issues are explored differently in different types of...
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Appliances with Minds of Their Own
Students examine how everyday appliances might soon possess the capacity "to think" as a result of recent technological advances. A display of their knowledge of this new technology by creating a poster design of a "smart" machine.
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Flights of Fancy?
Young scholars reflect on the dynamics of human flight and how objects fall through the air and how science principles are used in flight.
They create a How-It-Works poster diagramming the science behind one method of flying. In...
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Olympic Continent
Students read "Team Ethiopia Dazzles in Going the Distance" from The New York Times and discuss the impact these athletes have had on their country. Students work in groups to research different African nations that have participated in...
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Making the Invisible Visible
Students evaluate the various ways in which cyberspace is beginning to be mapped by geographers, cartographers, artists, and scientists and use their understanding of the information these new maps can convey to create their own maps of...
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"A Voice of Moderation and Civility"
Students read about, discuss and reflect on the life of retired Justice Lewis Powell, investigating major court decisions he influenced and the impact of his 'voice of moderation and civility to an increasingly polarized (Supreme) court.'
Curated OER
The Heat Is On!
Students research severe weather conditions common to their geographic location and create weather emergency guides. They, in groups, develop guides for extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, tornadoes, floods, and storms.