Elections
Three student readings address our oil addiction and its serious consequences for individuals, the American economy and our planet--and how one small community in Denmark ended its oil addiction. Discussion questions, activities and suggested student inquiries follow.
An overview of young people's growing political involvement is followed by a student questionnaire that gauges how informed students are, suggestions for student inquiry, and a listing of online resources.
Despite a nonstop presidential campaign, the candidates have failed to seriously address some critical issues. A student reading is followed by question-asking, question-analyzing, and discussion.
Selecting Supreme Court nominees is one of a president's most consequential actions. Three student readings consider Court interpretations of constitutional principles; the impact of social conditions on Court rulings; and what the current presidential candidates have said about Supreme Court...
Three student readings explore problems with our healthcare system; candidate proposals for reform; and healthcare systems in other industrialized nations.
The believing game and the doubting game can help students go beyond debate to dialogue and analysis when considering the 2008 presidential candidates.
A lively game demonstrates how disparate interest groups, with their money and clout, can influence a candidate's platform and viability.
This election has raised many questions about the role of money in our political system. One student reading focuses on "bundling" and how it encourages corruption. Another considers the need for reform, detailing one proposal now before Congress. Discussion questions, subjects for inquiry, and...
An introductory quiz is followed by a student reading on what the candidates have said about nuclear weapons proliferation. A second student reading explores author Jonathan Schell's latest thinking on the issue.
Four 45-minute lessons engage students in considering what qualities they might look for in a political candidate; how to get information about candidates; and how they and the adults in their lives decide whom to vote for.