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We The People
Students consider the main concepts of the Preamble of the United States Constitution They research different issues explored in the Constitution which have both historic and modern connections.
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Traveling the Planets!
Fourth graders research the planets and create brochures to share their information. In this planets lesson, 4th graders navigate the Internet to gather information for a brochure about an imaginary trip to their planet....
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Calling on Congo
Students listen to an interview with a former news coorespondent in Congo. They discuss an article about the instability in the country following their elections. They research Congo's history along with its connection to the United...
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The Race to Learn
Students explore the history of education and race in the United States. By researching Supreme Court cases dealing with race and education, students examine the ways in which these cases have reflected changing social and cultural norms.
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Fighting the War in Your Head
Students analyze the experiences of a fictional soldier in a war and create a mental health profile for that individual. They emulate psychiatrists and propose treatment strategies for their particular soldier's post-traumatic stress...
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On the Run
Students research famous F.B.I. "Most Wanted" cases; they then create PowerPoint, or other informational and visual displays, to present their case studies in class.
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Unmasking the Middle East
Students explore many of the countries in the Middle East, developing research-based posters and a spider web illustrating the relationships among the countries. They write letters to fictional peers in Middle Eastern countries.
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Safety Up in the Air
Students explore the controversy over a bill giving pilots the option to become armed federal law enforcement officers. They brainstorm other possible security measures for airplanes and airports.
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The Winter Olympics' Tale
Young scholars look back at the athletes, events and related news surrounding the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and present brief newscasts recapping the highlights of individual sports.
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Bolts Out of the Blue
Students research different types of lightning patterns and compare their origins to an experiment on static electricity. They research different types of lightning, and explain how different light patterns result from those charges.
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The Beat Goes On
Students take their own pulse before and after exercise as they explore how the heart works. They research various ways that heart disease is treated and suggest specific treatment methods for their own imaginary patients.
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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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Eating Over the Rainbow
Students examine their own diets, and then redesign the USDA's Food Pyramid to reflect nutrition experts' latest advice. They read and discuss The Color of Nutrition: Fruits and Vegetables, which is an article imbedded in this plan.
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The Row Behind Death Row
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
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Will the Supreme Court Vouch for Vouchers?
Students investigate past Supreme Court decisions that have centered on education issues and assess the ways in which those decisions have impacted American education. They consider the controversies surrounding the issue of school...
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The Object Is Objectivity
Students search for and read articles about the initial United States strike on Afghanistan from non-U.S. news sources, then describe the journalists' perspectives and reflect on how difficult it might be to maintain an objective wartime...
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The Young Faces of Poverty
Learners explore the topic of child poverty in the United States and the government's responses to it in different areas and through different programs and laws. They share their thoughts in letters to their Congressional representatives.
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Subsidized H.I.V. Treatments: Diamonds in the Rough?
Students examine and compare the AIDS management policies of several countries, using the Botswana case as a starting point
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I'm The Taxman!
Students develop an understanding of how federal revenues are gained by taxes. This foundation enable students to decipher changes in federal tax policy. Groups of students study different types of taxes and prepare presentations on each...
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The Writing's on the Wall
Students examine a job-training/violence reduction program that removes gang graffiti in East Los Angeles. They discuss issues confronting their own communities and propose community service programs to address these issues.
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I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Students write a first-person narrative from the perspective of a runaway slave, or a historical character of the period, and present their story orally.
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Coming to Terms with the Past
Students explore Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal. They conduct research to examine how the post-Holocaust period has been handled historically and hold a teach-in to promote continued awareness of the Holocaust's impact.
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Adding Fuel to the Fire
Students consider global warming and the greenhouse effect, then explore how these issues affect other countries. They graph findings and write papers considering how continued usage can affect the future of the atmosphere and the global...
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Sizing Up The Senate
Students consider Senate leadership by examining specific positions and staging a mock legislative session. They write reflective essays considering the inner workings of the Senate.