7th Grade Historical Literacy consists of two 43 minute class periods. Writing is one 43 minute block and reading is another. The teacher has picked themes based on social studies standards, and a read-aloud novel based on social studies serves as the mentor text for writing and reading skills. More social studies content is addressed in reading through teaching nonfiction reading skills and discussion.
Standards reflect CCSS ELA, Reading, and Social Studies Standards.

8th Grade Historical Literacy consists of two 43 minute class periods. Writing is one 43 minute block and reading is another. The teacher has picked themes based on social studies standards, and a read-aloud novel based on social studies serves as the mentor text for writing and reading skills. More social studies content is addressed in reading through teaching nonfiction reading skills and discussion.
Standards reflect CCSS ELA, Reading, and Social Studies Standards.

This video covers a basic method of setting up affirmative cases in competitive debates that use policy resolutions. This is a possible format for NPDA, IPDA, APDA, and NFA-LD debate.

We will explore the changing political choices and ethical dilemmas of American scientists from the atomic scientists of World War II to biologists in the present wrestling with the questions raised by cloning and other biotechnologies. As well as asking how we would behave if confronted with the same choices, we will try to understand the choices scientists have made by seeing them in their historical and political contexts. Some of the topics covered include: the original development of nuclear weapons and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the effects of the Cold War on American science; the space shuttle disasters; debates on the use of nuclear power, wind power, and biofuels; abuse of human subjects in psychological and other experiments; deliberations on genetically modified food, the human genome project, human cloning, embryonic stem cell research; and the ethics of archaeological science in light of controversies over museum collections.

 Animal Welfare vs Animal Rights Debate Grade Level: 9th-12thSubject: Animal ScienceDuration: 5 daysDOK Level:  4SAMR Level: Substitution Indiana Standard: AS-7.4 Explain the implications of animal welfare and animal rightsObjective: Given a debated livestock issue related to animal welfare, students will be able to understand both sides of the issue, and effectively persuade others in making a decision about the issue.Procedure: Have the students compare and contrast the terms “animal welfare” and “animal rights”.Have a class discussion on the impact of the differencesGroup the class into partnersHave them research and make a list of five animal right issues related to the agricultural industryHave a class discussion on the topics researched. As a class narrow down the list.Have each pair pull a topic and side out of a hat.Explain the Debate Project expectations and grading rubric.Allow class time for research.Have the students submit a list of statements and supporting facts after day 2.Have the students submit a rough draft of their opening and closing statements after day 3. Debates will be done on day 5Product or Assessment: Students will be graded on their submitted facts and rough draft. The rubric will be used to grade the debate on the given day.Credits: Renee Wangler, Agriscience Instructor - Newaygo County Career-Tech Center 

Better Arguments can help students learn to engage productively across differences and grapple with differing viewpoints. Linked are resources that are applicable to school-based learning activities and after school programs. These include a curriculum, exit ticket exercise and current events exercise.

Everyday, we are surrounded by, and use, numerous products that are the result of biotechnology. However, some of these products face more criticism and controversy than others.  Through this lesson, students will be presented with two scenarios regarding biotechnology products, and they must complete research and formulate opinions regarding these topics.  The class will participate in a class discussion related to the biotechnology products and topics. 

Sphere provides educators with viewpoint diverse resources to bring conversations to the classroom and equip students to engage in civil discourse. Sphere offers lesson plans, discussion questions, videos, and publications on various topics for use in the classroom that are exclusively nonpartisan.

This lesson is designed to meet the following learning objectives:
1. Formulate an argument
2. Learn how to anticipate and respond to objections

This video covers the basics of refutation in competitive debate. The advice here is aimed at IPDA, Parli, and NFA-LD style debate, but may also be useful for other formats.

This activity allows students to practice agreeing and disagreeing with popular opinions. Students will have provide a sign of whether they agree or disagree with the statement and explain why

Students will challenge themselves by testing their knowledge of handshapes.  They will test how many signs they know that use the same handshape. The main activity includes agreeing or disagreeing to questions and explaining why you answered that way.

This video covers the basics of running disadvantages in competitive debate. Structure and basic strategy is discussed.

Economics can explain many of life’s big questions. Problem is, it can sometimes provide multiple, even conflicting, answers. So which answers are the “right” ones? There’s only one way to find out: Econ Duel! In this fun series from Marginal Revolution University, you’ll have a chance to hear from leading economic thinkers as they debate the big questions discussed in the news, in our schools, and around the dinner table.

Looking for engaging content for your economics courses? The Institute for Humane Studies has curated this collection of educational resources to help economics professors enrich their curriculum. Find videos, interactive games, reading lists, and more on everything from opportunity costs to trade policy. This collection is updated frequently with new content, so watch this space!

Students will be debating on election issues and looking at the Republican stance vs. the Democratic stance. Students will then vote on which side the stand on for each issue.

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

In this short unit, students will spend three lessons exploring the importance of themes and main ideas in fiction and informational texts.  Now would be a good time to have them take an assessment of their reading and writing skills. They'll explore theme through O. Henry's classic short story  "The Gift of the Magi" and consider how this piece compares to the main idea in the article "The Proven Power of Giving, Not Getting."