Current Issues

Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news

Students engage in inquiry to uncover the history of redistricting and gerrymandering and discuss the provisions of H.R.1, which proposes an end to partisan redistricting.

Students grapple with numbers in the news, from the minimum wage bill to Bezos's billions.

Students collectively gain an understanding of a new monument, the artwork, the artist’s intentions, and some of the history influencing the work. 

In this two-part lesson, teachers and students explore the concept of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions as a way for nations and communities to begin dialogues and chart a path toward healing.

Distribution of the Covid vaccine has been inequitable, both in the U.S. and globally. Students explore this problem and talk about what should be done. 

Students consider the sequence of events leading up to former President Trump's second impeachment trial and the arguments for and against conviction.

Students consider arguments over whether the filibuster should be abolished - and learn about its context and racist roots.

Black history isn't just for February. Here, some perspectives on teaching Black history - and suggested activities for any time of the year. 

Students explore the Biden-Harris administration's ambitious agenda and challenges, including impeachment hearings and a narrow Congressional majority. 

Students listen to and reflect on Amanda Gorman's powerful poem, which she recited at the 2021 presidential inauguration.