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Friday Forum
Middle schoolers research a variety of controversial articles to gain knowledge. They form an opinion and defend their position with supporting data. They evaluate opposing arguments and present their viewpoint both verbally and in the...
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Genetics
Students investigate public policy regarding genetic research and have formed an educated opinion on what they believe the government role should be.
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Parental Accountability and Public Policy
Students investigate parental responsibility for the actions of their Students. They compare the responsibility in the State of Washington and the rest of the country.
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Parental Accountability and Public Policy
Students examine laws that relate to parental accountability for minors. Students debate these laws and identify their own personal opinions regarding parental civil and criminal liability. Students draft legislation that reflects their...
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Poll-icy Perceptions
Students create their own opinion polls about local policy issues. They evaluate how anonymity may affect responses. In groups, students experience the process of developing polls, focusing on student-related topics. Students must...
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The 2004 Utah Priorities Poll
Students participate in a lesson that focuses on a state survey for Utah. The survey is intended to find the public opinion of how the state is doing in the public eye. They analyze the survey and create their own to research the status...
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Economic Use of Public Natural Areas
Students examine the public controversy between the use of public natural areas for economic activities by viewing video clips, researching on the Internet, and calculating sustainable land.
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The Power of One
Students study the principles on which Canada was founded. They examine the elements that affect federal and provincial policy making. They identify and evaluate various strategies for influencing public policies. They create a visual...
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Yellow Journalism
Seventh graders investigate yellow journalism and how it affected public opinion and the government during the Spanish American War. They define key vocabulary words, and take notes during a teacher-led lecture. In pairs they read...
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The Panic of 1837 And the Presidency of Martin Van Buren
Students analyze period political cartoons as they study the causes of the Panic of 1837. They use primary sources to evaluate President VanBuren's response to the panic and public opinion of the results of his policies. Then they...
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House Bill No. 4097
Students identify healthy and unhealthy foods while considering a bill that would ban certain foods in schools. Through survey and discussion, they discuss a proposed legislative bill that would ban certain types of food in schools....
ProCon
Police Body Cameras
Should police officers wear body cameras? Scholars consider the question as they use the resource to conduct independent research about the debate topic. They read a brief background and peruse the main pros and cons about the issue....
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Classroom Capers: Creating a Magazine
Fourth graders build language skills in the context of creating a classroom magzine. They participate in activities which help students communitcate ideas and information for a variety of purposes and for specific audiences using the...
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Persuasive Writing Lesson Plan: Dress Codes
Students examine the pros and cons of the implementation of public policy matters and the specific issue of dress codes. They develop a list of pros and cons of a school dress code, examine and discuss a local editorial newspaper page,...
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Can I Be Swayed?
Students identify loaded words and examples of bias in print media. They describe how media can be used to manipulate public opinion. Students identify examples of interest groups that use media to sway public opinion in order to impact...
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American Influences on Eugenics in Nazi Germany
Students examine the Eugenics movement in America. They discover the Nazi's belief in racial purity and how it relates to Eugenics. They also analyze how science has been influential in creating public policy.
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The Tet Offensive and the Vietnam War
Students comprehend how the United States became involved in what one historian called the quagmire. Students identify and analyze the importance of the Tet Offensive in turning American public opinion against the Vietnam War. Students...
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Social Studies: War and the Media
Students examine the impact of the media on various wars, especially the Iraq and Vietnam wars. By examining cartoons and popular music as primary sources, they suggest motivations for the conflicts and propose reasons for public...
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Bias and Crime in Media
Critical thinking and social justice are central themes for this resource on bias and crime in media. The class views and discusses an incisive PSA that highlights assumptions based on race. Small groups read newspaper opinion pieces...
ProCon
School Uniforms
Americans spend around one billion dollars each year on school uniforms, but are they necessary? As pupils research the debate topic, they form their own opinions. They review the history of school uniforms and discover the top pro and...
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Health Care
Options for public and privately funded health care is a valuable debate for students to follow and learn from. They can use their research to take part in a Town Hall Meeting using facts and style. They will contact the representatives...
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Noncombatancy and the Seventh day Adventist Church
Upper graders investigate how the Seventh Day Adventists are objectors to the practice of war. The lesson covers the Civil War and examines the church's position about the practice of war. The research extends to modern wars and learners...
Deliberating in a Democracy
National Service
Uncle Sam wants you to serve! Scholars investigate the role of mandatory national service in an open democracy. They research, watch a video, and hold a debate surrounding the issue of requiring one year of service to gain a better...
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Mexican American Labor in the U.S.
Students research the history of immigration, particularly from the perspective of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. In this Mexican American labor lesson, students research questions from the perspective of an assigned group. Students...