Critical Thinking
Students will explore the meaning of the term “sanctuary city” and determine for themselves whether New York City ought to be designated a sanctuary city.
Critical Thinking
President Barack Obama has said that “we import more oil today than ever before” – but do we? How can you find out? In this lesson, students will weigh Obama’s superlative claim against the facts.
Critical Thinking
This lesson will focus on 10 fallacies that represent the most common types of mistakes in reasoning, using Monty Python and popular culture to make the lesson relatable.
Critical Thinking
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wanted to stop U.S. companies from moving jobs offshore, and a group called Working 4 Working Americans ran an ad in support of his plan. But the story the ad tells doesn’t quite give the whole picture. In this lesson, students will examine the facts behind this potentially misleading ad.
Critical Thinking
This lesson comes in a basic version, for classrooms without internet access and/or students at the 8th-9th grade level, and a more advanced version, which does require internet access and is aimed at students at higher grade levels.
Critical Thinking
This is the second of two lessons focusing on the instincts and habits of mind that keep us from thinking logically. This time around, we will focus on how people reconcile their beliefs with the world around them, even when the evidence doesn’t seem to agree with those beliefs.
Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students explore some of the irrational ways in which humans think, and learn to recognize and overcome the habits of mind that can get in the way of good reasoning.
Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will: Examine an e-mail from the Democratic National Committee that attacks John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, for looking the other way during a bribery and corruption scandal. Research McCain’s role as head of the Indian Affairs Committee and explore the history of the investigation into the scandal. Assess whether or not the DNC’s e-mail accurately describes McCain’s actions regarding the scandal.
Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will learn to create good arguments by getting a handle on the basic structure. The lesson will provide useful tips for picking out premises and conclusions and for analyzing the effectiveness of arguments.
Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will learn to distinguish between the two different types of background beliefs: beliefs about matters of fact and about values.
The 20th Amendment moves the start of the president’s new term from March 4 to January 20. It also provides for succession plans if the newly elected president of vice president is unable to assume his or her position.
The Fifth Amendment is ratified in 1791. The amendment contains a clause that says private property shall not be taken by the government for public use without just compensation.
The 10th Amendment says that the federal government has only those powers specifically granted by the Constitution. These powers include the power to declare war, to collect taxes, to regulate interstate business activities and others that are listed in the articles. Any power not listed is left to the states or the people.
The suffrage movement leads to Congress’ approval of the 19th Amendment, which reads: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial to federal civil cases such as car accidents, disputes between corporations for breach of contract, or most discrimination or employment disputes.
The Sixth Amendment provides many protections and rights to a person accused of a crime. One right is to have his or her case heard by an impartial jury—independent people from the surrounding community who are willing to decide the case based only on the evidence.
The right of due process has grown in two directions: It affords individuals a right to a fair process (known as procedural due process) and a right to enjoy certain fundamental liberties without governmental interference (known as substantive due process). The Fifth Amendment’s due process clause applies to the federal government’s conduct. In 1868 the adoption of the 14th Amendment expanded the right of due process to include limits on the actions of state governments.