Inviting students to ponder the meaning of secure elections can launch an important discussion about public trust in election results.

Listen to an exclusive interview with the sister and brother team of Claire and Ralph Nader! These two longtime civic leaders and advocates for social, economic, and legal justice talk with James Damico, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction at Indiana University, about Claire’s recent book, You Are Your Own Best Teacher! Sparking the Curiosity, Imagination, and Intellect of Tweens. In this video, Claire and Ralph cover a range of topics and questions, including: Learning about your body The Commons How to wage peace What does it mean to be smart? Historical…

Babe Didrikson pushed gender limits, fought social stigma, and broke records. Suggested teaching activities will engage students in research and critical thinking about Didrikson and why her vast achievements are largely unknown.

An arts-based approach to secondary social studies can promote active learning, develop critical thinking skills, and advance the study of social institutions.

The Supreme Court closed out its 2000 term in June after issuing seventy-nine opinions and agreeing to take up more questions of interest to students and educators alike. Among the issues already slated for review after the 2001 term opens on October 1 are cases that could decide the future of affirmative action, the death penalty, and on-line pornography. Looking Back Last term was contentious for the justices, and not just because of the December decision in Bush v. Gore, No. 00-949—the case that effectively decided the 2000 presidential election. It determined both that the Florida…

High school ethnic studies courses that address the perspectives and experiences of people of color are increasingly in demand. The author describes the thematic, inquiry-based approach she developed that reflects her school’s diversity.

The recently launched Educating for American Democracy (EAD) Roadmap reflects an awareness of how institutions, including our legal system, have shaped and defined multiple narratives of the American story.  Almost every EAD theme has a legal connection to the law, providing an effective means for student engagement. The author demonstrates how each theme might be incorporated within classrooms using a legal perspective. 

Examining the Supreme Court’s reversal on abortion rights can foster important classroom discussions on the principle of stare decisis and on judicial activism.

An examination of inherent racial and social inequities in professional sports may give students deeper insight into the systemic inequities that plague our society as a whole.