Current Issues
Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news
Students read President Johnson's March 1964 speech to Congress outlining the War on Poverty and, in small groups, use a graphic organizer to explore how values of justice and equity were translated into policies and programs. They consider: What beliefs led to declaring a war on poverty? And what...
Is organic food healthier than non-organic food? Who grows organic food - and how? Students explore these questions in two readings, with discussions questions and a research assignment.
Students explore life in the immense Jordanian refugee camp of Za’atari by viewing and analyzing photos and consider the U.S. response to the Syrian refugee crisis.
Students learn more about Michael Sam's coming out, consider what it means to come out, develop their own opinions about this athlete's decision and write a persuasive essay about it.
Students choose one of nine past Olympics controversies to research in small groups and share what they've learned with the class.
Students explore the origins of Black History Month and consider where we stand today in creating a more inclusionary history in classrooms across the country.
The life and music of folksinger Pete Seeger, who died on January 27, 2014, provides a teachable moment on activism, music, and on nearly every major social movement over the past century. In this lesson, students learn about his life, read and hear songs from three social movements Seeger was a...
In this critical thinking activity, students research how different constituencies (such as U.S. athletes or corporate sponsors) have responded to the controversy over Russia's anti-gay laws, evaluate those responses, and propose how they would respond if they were in that role.
Two lessons use a Championship Game conflict between the Seahawks' Richard Sherman and 49ers player Michael Crabtree as a taking off point. In Lesson 1, students consider emotional triggers and how to handle them. In Lesson 2, students look critically at how the public and the media reacted to the...
Some preliminary ideas for remembering the life of the remarkable folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, who died on January 27.