Current Issues
Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news
Should two small, disproportionately white and rural states be the first two primary states? Students explore the debate, and the pros and cons of the Iowa caucus process.
The U.S. has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents. In this lesson, students learn about the various forms that anti-Semitism takes, its history, and current examples.
Does "freedom of speech" extend to hate speech? Is countering hate a form of free speech? Students explore current controversies over free speech rights, including at schools and colleges.
Do big donors have too much influence in elections? Does the surge of small donors in the 2020 presidential election change the equation? Students explore the changing role of money in politics.
Did the Civil Rights Movement only involve the South? Was it the product of a few great leaders? In this lesson, students deepen their understanding of the civil rights movement, explore some mythologies surrounding it, and consider how sometimes "history" distorts the truth.
The 2020 election campaign has opened up a debate about whether public programs should be offered to everyone or only to low-income families. In this lesson, students consider arguments about universal versus means-tested public college and Pre-K.
When is it right to share information about what we see as wrongdoing by others - and when is it meddling in someone else’s business? How do our morals and ideals affect our decisions to share information? Students consider these questions through this circle on social responsibility.
Students examine the vaping health crisis, how e-cigarettes work, the role of Juul, marketing to teens, and the government's role in controlling the use of vapes.
Public attitudes about crime and punishment have shifted over the past decade, including among politicians from both parties. In this lesson, students examine the move away from "tough on crime" approaches and consider new proposals for criminal justice reform that are in the spotlight during the...
Facebook's announcement that it would not fact check political ads touched off a controversy over social media and the First Amendment, among other things. In this lesson, students examine and discuss multiple points of view on the issue.