Current Issues

The outbreak of war between Israel and Hezbollah means disaster for civilians. Four student readings consider civilian losses now and historically.

Why do presidents go to war? Students read about how five U.S. presidents justified wars with Mexico, Spain, Vietnam, Grenada and Iraq, then consider the merits of their arguments

A leaked report from a British cabinet meeting raises grave questions about how and why the Iraq War was launched. A student reading includes quotes from the leaked document, from the Bush administration, and from Congress.

An 8-lesson activity helps students explore issues of work and workplace conflicts through reading, discussion, interviews, and investigation.

These two recent children's books (grades K-12) present a positive opportunity to open up discussions of the Iraq war with students. Both tell the story of Alia Muhammed Baker, the chief librarian of Basra, Iraq, who saved 30,000 books from Basra's library before it burned during the U.S. invasion...

After discussing the news from New York, students explore how the bill came to be passed - including the strategies and personal experiences that influenced legislators' decisions.

In a jigsaw activity, students learn about three Wikipedia controversies, then decide whether they think Wikipedia is a reliable information source.

One student reading considers opposing views on this question; a second examines the debate over how a U.S. withdrawal would affect women's rights in Afghanistan. Discussion questions follow.

This pdf booklet, produced by the City University of New York's Murphy Institute, includes lots of facts and figures (and cartoons) about issues such as government spending and public sector wages, providing rich material for a HS or college social studies or economics class.

Students write about and discuss an ad that has raised issues about beauty, race, and skin color, and consider the role of advertising in reflecting and shaping attitudes.