Current Issues
Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news
A brief student reading suggesting the dimensions of the crisis is followed by suggestions for student discussion and inquiry, and ways to translate compassion into action.
Three student readings describe plans for the controversial center, multiple perspectives about it, and an overview of mosque protests in New York City and elsewhere. Suggestions for a fish bowl discussion follow.
President Obama continues to maintain that Al Qaeda and the Taliban"threaten America and its allies." Is he right? Three student readings present some of the basic background information on Al Qaeda and the Taliban and on differing views of counterinsurgency.
The internet is loaded with information--but much of it is inaccurate. Three student readings examine three reliable factchecking sources--Snopes, FactCheck, and PolitiFact. Discussion questions, writing assignments and opportunities for group work follow.
Students learn about the Texas Board of Education's controversial new standards and consider whether they approve of ten items included in the new standards.
Students discuss the massive BP oil spill and view two short videos as they consider what happened in the gulf, their own consumption of oil, and who should be held responsible for the spill.
Three student readings outline the near collapse of the U.S. financial system, the deceptiveactions of brokers and banks, and the financial reform bills Congress is nowo considering.
Three student readings explore the legal conflict over whether the government can claim "state secrets privilege" to tap people's phones, review email, and examine internet usage. Discussion questions and suggested activities follow.
An introduction and three student readings explore the vast BP spill, who is responsible, and problems with the Minerals Management Service.
Two student readings describe the events leading to the young girl's suicide, the depth of the bullying problem and an approach to countering it. Following the readings is an outline for small group discussion in which students share their experiences with bullying and discuss what their school is...