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Unraveling the Web
Students consider how a message might be traced along a complex network, then explore backbone maps as a basis for understanding the purpose and structure of the Internet.
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Master of His Domain
Students investigate the basic elements that comprise the Internet. They create illustrated posters demonstrating their understanding of how the Internet works and develop maps of their personal Web communities.
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Wanted: A Breath of Fresh Air
Learners examine the causes and effects of air pollution, as well as ways in which various industries and government organizations are aiming to control it. They research the topic on the Internet and create posters based on their research.
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Boning Up on Fossil Features
Students investigate a specific dinosaur; produce a poster relating what is known or speculated about where and how the dinosaur lived to the physical features of the dinosaur.
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Taiwan on Shaky Ground
Students, in groups, examine how various elements of Taiwan's infrastructure were affected in the September 21, 1999 earthquake by analyzing a number of newspaper articles on the quake and its aftermath.
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What a Cosmic Web We Weave
Learners explore, using journals and discussion in small groups, how the universe has evolved since the theoretical Big Bang and create dramatizations of various eras in cosmic evolution.
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Government Gripes
Young scholars, in groups, investigate the purpose and jurisdiction of government agencies assigned to regulate different science/technology/health issues, then describe situations in which agencies might have a disagreement, and stage a...
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You Say You Want an Evolution?
Students 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 over...
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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.
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In Living Color
Young scholars explore, through discussion and experimentation, colorblindness and how the color of the light passing through the eye changes how different colors are perceived.
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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.
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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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Ooh, You're in Trouble!
Students consider disruptive school behavior and how school districts in several states are turning to the juvenile justice system for help. They debate this issue from a variety of perspectives, and write a paper.
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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
Students 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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Olympic Continent
Learners 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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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
Students 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!
Students 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 types of...