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Navigating the Straits
Students research the players and events that have influenced U.S.-China relations since World War II, with specific emphasis on the two countries' relationships with Taiwan. They write a briefing paper, advising the president on the...
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Chilling Out
Students determine the breakdown of worldwide energy consumption by various sources. After reading an article, they examine recent research in the area of alternative energy sources. Using the internet, they research the forms 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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Comparing Colleges
Students begin process of selecting suitable colleges by exploring colleges in foreign countries and reflecting on a possible future life far from their native countries. They rank various criteria for selecting colleges, discuss...
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Changing of the Guard
Students reflect on their knowledge of democracy. After reading an article, they examine current plans for the placement of a democracy in Iraq. In groups, they research past regime changes and democratization attempts and discuss the...
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The Book of Life
Students discuss the factors that make a good children's book. After reading an article, they explore the prevalence of science in children's literature. In groups, they research a topic and translate it into easy language for a child...
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Ghosts of Holidays Past
Learners write in their journals to analyze the use of nostalgia. After reading an article, they identify aspects that are universal for holidays. They describe and examine their own memories of a specific holiday and interview someone...
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Trading Places
Students examine the tactics used by groups in the United States to lobby Congress. After reading an article, they discuss the efforts of unions and businesses to lobby Congress regarding the vote on China's trading relations with the...
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The Halls are Alive with the Sound of Music
Students discuss physical places in which had good or bad acoustics. After reading an article, they discover the relationship between the physics of sound and concert hall acoustics. They calculate the speed of sound and compare their...
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All in the Family
Students develop family genealogy charts in search of noticeable genetic relationships between relatives. They research their family and write a reflection on the genetic relationships between individuals on the chart.
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The Making of a Star
Students create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module. They compose an imaginary yet realistic series of diary entries from the point of view of an astronaut living on board the completed space station.
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First Aid
Students consider the giving and receiving of aid from political rivals in the aftermath of natural disasters by learning about an earthquake in India and the international relief response it has induced. They read and discuss an article...
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Literary Wizardry
Young scholars discuss what they already know about the Harry Potter series. After reading an article, they examine a critic's reaction to the latest book in the series. As a class, they brainstorm what parts of their school day could...
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Secret Agent Men
What does a secret agent really do? After reading an article, students discover the connection between intelligence and espionage. Using the Internet, they will research the history and motivations of intelligence agencies throughout the...
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They're more evolved that way
Students explore the notion of local evolution, or genetic selectivity among different continent-based human populations. They consider specific examples of local evolution, such as lactose tolerance, skin color, and cognitive capacity,...
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A Penny for Your Thoughtfulness
Students reflect on the value of a penny. They examine how working families endure economic hardships with the help of charities. They create their own philanthropic event to raise money for a charity.
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Thirsty for Drought Relief
Students research a variety of drought-related concerns, acting as part of a 'drought preparedness taskforce.' They propose next steps for the government to take in case of drought and assess the viability of these proposals.
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Internet Filter Infiltration
Students explore the effects of Internet filters in schools. They work in small groups to survey different types of people in the school community about their views on school Internet filters and draft an Internet policy based on their...
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Forever in Our Memories
Students consider reactions to various plans for building on the grounds of the World Trade Center. They explore ideas and opinions that went into creating other memorials of events in American history and propose ideas for improving...
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Coming To Our Senses
Learners participate in a hands-on experiment that illustrates how taste and smell are related. They create their own experiments to help them explore all five senses and the relationships between them.
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Running of the Bulls
Students examine what might be in store for Wall Street following the NASDAQ's 547.57 point plunge on Tuesday, April 4, 2000. They evaluate how they might manage a heavily laden high-tech portfolio before deciding how to invest in the...
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Diamonds Are Forever Fueling Civil Wars
Students explore the failures of the UN embargo on conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone. They participate in a trading game to explore the international trading system and the ways in which it rewards and punishes countries.
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A Tough Act to Follow
Students take on the role of impersonators as they identify the distinctive human traits that comedians and imitators single out in order to do their jobs.
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Freedom of Hate Speech?
Learners, using a New York Times article as a springboard for discussion, investigate and debate the complex issues of First Amendments Rights and censorship for Hate Groups using Websites for propaganda.