Diversity Debate

Introduce learners to the debate format with an activity that uses the National Park Service's controversial Channel Islands restoration program as a topic. Class members learn how to generate provocative debate questions, how to prepare...

Disease prevention or designer babies? Use a set of slides to introduce the growing practice of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. Teens read related articles and then break into groups to address different scenarios. Afterward,...

Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world—about the size of France. During the lesson, scholars role play various viewpoints about the future of a section of land in Madagascar. After a healthy debate, pupils discuss the...

The old aphorism, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," might well serve as the title for a resource that asks viewers to consider the plight of the people of the Gamo Highlands, an area in southwestern Ethiopia. These...

Poor, misunderstood spiders! They are feared, disrespected, and detested by many people, yet they do so many positive things. A great addition to any insect unit, learn about some of the more common spiders, while hopefully dispelling...

In a mock senate hearing regarding the development of ethanol as a fuel source, each person in the class is assigned a role to play and must uphold the stance of their character. Once the senate hearing is complete, each person writes a...

The largest body of water in California, the Salton Sea,  was created by accident. An interesting installment of a video series shares the history of the lake, which is now home to the second-most diverse group of birds in America. From...

The question of affordable energy in the United States is debated by high schoolers. Each participating team prepares a multimedia presentation as they prepare to debate. Research skills, creativity, and critical thinking are all...

Students study the Human Genome Project and participate in a debate about the project. In this genome lesson plan, students review the terms related to the genome project, take a poll about the ethical issues of the project, and watch a...

Ninth graders research, analyze, and orally defend an issue related to the use of geologic resources. They defend their position in written form by composing a letter to an appropriate source.