Current Issues

Student readings examine the Boy Scouts of America’s policy of excluding gays, as well as efforts by scouts themselves to challenge discrimination from both inside and outside the organization. 

Students create a web and define the word "resilience," read a blog about the resilience of one Brooklyn school community that was hit by Hurricane Sandy, and consider what being prepared and resilient might mean at their own school.  

Students learn about "demographics" and exit polls, examine exit polls from the 2012 election, and create their own school poll. 

Students discuss two related issues and their impact on voters: the election's focus on ""swing states"" and the winner-take-all Electoral College system. Students discuss these issues and then take part in a roleplay to deepen their understanding.

Students talk about the 2012 election and President Obama's statement in his acceptance speech that "democracy does not end with our vote." Students then consider the issues that are most important to them, research the issues, and figure out how to take action on them. 

We offer suggestions to introduce the topic of Hurricane Sandy in the classroom and ideas on ways to teach about it, with links to helpful articles and resources.  

Students discuss the most important issues for them in the presidential election and research these issues as homework. Then they stage a mock debate with teams playing the roles of the candidates, the moderators, fact-checkers, reporters and audience.   

Students discuss the history of voting rights and the current push to restrict voting, including the arguments for and against.

Get your students talking (or writing) about the presidential debate with these questions.

Students consider the debate over such issues as access to contraception, abortion, and equal pay in the 2012 presidential election and discuss their own perspectives on these issues.