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the Business of Good Ideas
Students consider economic factors in patenting a new invention. They research an already-patented health product and assess its profitability.
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Sign Language
Learners consider what defines their local town or community and create a welcome sign for their town after learning about a special sign that welcomes visitors to Las Vegas.
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Coalition or Division?
Students research and write essays on contemporary Italian politics and their roots to explain the prime minister's recent resignation in context. They explain why coalition governments are formed.
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Global Job Hopping
Students examine basic trade terms and data about the economies of countries increasingly used as outsources for American jobs.
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Sell Phones
Students work in groups as competing teams responsible for preparing and presenting a comprehensive marketing plan to the board of a "new" cell phone company.
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Coffee Makes the World Go Round
Students examine the concept of "fair trade coffee," then research facts about coffee and the coffee industry and create original exhibits to be included in a "Global Coffee Awareness Fair."
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Help Is on the Way
Students explore disaster aid and ways in which it is provided. They work in small groups to explore relief efforts aimed at South Asian countries affected by the recent undersea earthquake and tsunamis.
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Shaken Up
Young scholars discuss the type of information that they expect to read in news coverage of earthquakes. They explore the devastating aftermath of an earthquake in South and Southeast Asia and research and write their own articles...
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Mine Over Matter
Learners explore the January 2006 Sago, West Virginia coal mining accident. They research coal mining in the U.S. and use their data to illustrate posters.
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Courting Controversy?
Students consider their own personal opinions on divisive issues. They examine the confirmation of Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and investigate issues from different ideological and philosophical perspectives.
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Interactive Duty
Students consider the role of multimedia news features. They analyze the New York Times coverage of the president's State of the Union address.
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A Life in Politics
Students answer a quiz about congressional leaders. They research former majority leaders and create charts about them. They write letters to the current majority leader about a current issue.
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It's Gas, Gas, Gas
Students examine America's dependence on oil. They read an article, research how gas prices are established, and create and conduct a survey regarding people's knowledge of gas and gas prices.
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I Spy
Learners examine the responsibilities of the CIA and work as a team of analysts to produce intelligence reports. Letters are written predicting how their assigned countries have changed by 2008.
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News From Home
Students investigate the feelings of Iranian immigrants in California by reading an online article. They write an article on immigrants' thoughts on current events in their home countries.
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No Publicity, Bad Publicity?
Students examine the factors that can influence a celebrity's media image and marketplace viability. They read an article, answer discussion questions, role-play advisors to a studio head, and write a letter to a studio head.
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Spin Cycle
Students explore the concept of "spin" and discuss how politicians use spin to sway public opinion. A leading American politician is selected and talking points that exemplify the main idea of this lesson are shared with the class.
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The Candid Camera
Students examine the influence of photographer Jerome Liebling on documentary films. They read and discuss an article, take photographs, and create an original photo essay and artist statement.
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Mea Culpa
Students investigate Pope Benedict XVI's apology for offending Muslims and examine other papal apologies. Students investigate and report on other modern examples of papal apologies, and determine how their apologies were accepted by the...
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Let's Make a Deal- Barter 208
Pupils analyze and evaluate the barter system. They discuss the barter is the proper term for making deals. They participate in a simulation to illustrate each kind of barter.
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Monsoon Winds to the "Land of Gold"
Students recognize environmental factors that influenced maritime trade routes and the establishment of major trading centers in classical times. They evaluate perceptions of the ancient world through ancient maps and primary source...
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The Sounds of Music
Students listen to Brazilian folk music and discuss its various sounds and connections to today's music. They record sounds that define and represent the culture of their school and community.
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Russian History, in an Eggshell
Students create Faberge-inspired art objects, depicting events in modern Russian history since Peter Carl Faberge's death in 1920. Students research the life of Peter Faberge. They write a short biography explaining how he became an...
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Fair Game?
Students evaluate possible gender stereotypes perpetuated by computer games, particularly those designed for girls. They design a prototype for a gender bias-free computer game that would appeal to both males and females.