A newspaper's reporting and documenting of a local issue is used as a curricular starting point in many subject areas. (Author/KM)

Reviews the problems and benefits associated with instruction of controversial issues, questioning the effectiveness of a neutral and objective position in the discussion of controversial topics. Also assesses prevalent teacher tendencies in instructional approaches and offers suggestions for classroom adoption. (ML)

This lesson for grade 12 is designed to increase student awareness of citizen participation elements of democracy. Students assume the teacher's role and design a lesson to teach citizen participation in democracy, including methods to combat citizen apathy. Students are provided with background information, detailed instructions, on-line…

In this grade 4 interdisciplinary unit, students are instructed to consider water issues in the city of San Francisco (California). Using Internet and other resources, participants are required to prepare a detailed letter to a U.S. Congressional committee dealing with water issues, and possibly to testify before Congress. Students may represent…

Argues that literature-based social studies provide personal perspectives for examining essential social studies concepts and generalizations. Includes lesson sequences utilizing trade books to teach about poverty, hope, and involuntary relocation for primary, middle, and secondary school students. Briefly describes the books mentioned and…

OPT, a newsletter consisting of a student and a teacher edition, is published monthly during the school year. Emphasis is upon presenting information and materials on current topics of interest for junior and senior high school students. The periodical, announced here on a one time basis, is unique for the following reasons: 1) it is an…

This is one unit of the series described in SO 000 378. The essential ingredients are not the problems of American society themselves but the ability to recognize them, to view these problems in historical perspective, to mitigate or bring out effective change, to assign priorities, to investigate satisfactory problem-solving methods, and above…

This lesson for grade 12 is designed to increase student awareness of the debate surrounding flag burning, the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning, and the constitutional issues involved, specifically the First Amendment. Students play the role of staff members for a U.S. Senator. They research the issue and prepare both pro…