What's New
June 2009
Teaching wih the News: Looking at the Tank Man
On June 4, 1989—-twenty years ago this week—-government troops killed hundreds and injured thousands more in a crackdown on protestors in Tianamen Square, Beijing, China. In April 2009, for the first time in two decades, Chinese people were able to search for information about these protests on the internet after the Chinese government removed some of its heavy censorship.
Teaching with the News: A Nuclear North Korea?
On May 25, 2009 North Korea conducted an underground test of a nuclear weapon. Later that same day, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution condemning the test, claiming it was a “clear violation” of an earlier agreement in which North Korea promised to disable its nuclear facilities.
In this free online lesson students view videos from our Scholars Online video library and think critically about the issues surrounding North Korea and nuclear weapons.
May 2009
Scholars Online Activity: Xu Wenli
Xu Wenli spent 16 years in a Chinese prison for his activities as a dissident. He was a leader in the Democracy Wall movement from 1979 to 1981 and helped establish the China Democracy Party in 1998.
Xu Wenli and the China Democratic Party is an activity that incorporates videos in which he describes his time in prison and the democracy movement in China. It also includes suggestions and questions that teachers may adapt for use in their classrooms.
Scholars Online: Jeff Guy
Jeff Guy is a professor of history and a research fellow at the Campbell Collections of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Guy has published widely on South African history, focusing on the history of British colonialism and its effects on South Africa and particularly on what is today KwaZulu-Natal province.
April 2009
Teaching with the News: Crisis in Zimbabwe
Once one of Southern Africa’s most prosperous countries, Zimbabwe today is wracked by massive hyperinflation, 80 percent unemployment, political violence and repression, and a devastating cholera epidemic.
The Choices Program has developed a new Teaching with the News lesson to help students better understand the current political, economic, and health crisis in Zimbabwe. Readings explore the country’s past and the historical origins of the crisis. The lesson asks students to consider what role, if any, the international community should play in Zimbabwe, through the perspectives of a number of UN member countries.
Teaching with the News: Interrogation Tactics in the News
On April 22, 2009 The New York Times reported on the CIA's adoption of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) program as an interrogation technique. Stories on this topic are headlining major media sources around the country and the world. The documentary film, Torturing Democracy, tells the inside story of how the U.S. government adopted these techniques as official policy in the aftermath of 9/11. The Choices Program has developed an accompanying study guide to this film as well as a media literacy activity to help students think critically about this complicated and politically-charged issue.
Scholars Online: Fatima Meer Videos added
Fatima Meer is considered one of South Africa’s most distinguished twentieth century leaders. As a political leader, publisher, writer, and human rights and gender activist, she has worked tirelessly to improve race relations, and promote justice, reconciliation, and non-violent action in such fields as education, social work, poverty alleviation, and health care. She will be featured in the Scholars Online videos for Freedom in Our Lifetime: South Africa's Struggle.
March 2009
Updated Unit: Environmental Policy
This edition of Global Environmental Problems: Implications for U.S. Policy incorporates new images, political cartoons, maps, charts, and graphs as well as the latest data and statistics from fields such as climate change, population growth, and resource consumption. A new Day One lesson explores competing interests in the Amazon through the perspectives of stakeholders in the region. A supplemental lesson adds significant depth to this lesson by having students explore the Amazon Basin using Google Earth. Graphic organizers and suggestions for using Scholars Online are also included in the updated unit.
February 2009
New Unit
International Trade: Competition and Cooperation in a Globalized World
International Trade: Competition and Cooperation in a Globalized World helps students understand the basics of international trade and consider the role of trade in this era of globalization. Armed with an understanding of core economic principles, students explore the expansion of international trade and economic globalization after World War II, and the affects that these changes have had on people in the United States and around the world. Readings and activities draw students into the debate about U.S. trade policy and the role of the United States in the world.
January 2009
Teacher's Guide for Secrecy
The Choices Program has developed the Teacher's Guide for Secrecy, a new documentary by Peter Galison and Robb Moss. The film explores the tensions between our safety as a nation and our ability to function as a democracy. See the Secrecy web site to download the Teachers Guide or for information on screenings and DVD sales.
Expanded Darfur Lesson in "Teaching with the News"
Choices has posted an updated edition of its Teaching with the News lesson on Darfur, that includes video footage provided by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. In this lesson students explore the continuing violence in Sudan using multiple sources, evaluate the effectiveness of a range of online resources, assess the argument over whether Darfur is a conflict or a genocide, consider the international response to Darfur and assess possible consequences.
Lesson Plans for India: Conflicts Within
Choices has developed lesson plans to accompany the Pulitzer Center's Global Gateway on India. The lesson plans and link to the India: Conflicts Within site are available from Teaching with the News. Multiple lessons are available.
Resources for Community Dialog
Choices is sharing seven of its Teaching with the News resources for use in community dialogs as a part of the Issue Guide Exchange, a program of Everyday Democracy.
December 2008
New Resources in "Teaching with the News"
India and Pakistan in the Wake of the Mumbai Attacks is a one-day lesson in which students gather information from several audio news reports in order to understand the circumstances surrounding the Mumbai terrorist attacks and the context of the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
Partnership with the Pulitzer Center
Choices' partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting will integrate Pulitzer’s on-the-ground reporting with Choices’ print and digital curricular resources. Choices is developing online lesson plans to accompany Pulitzer’s Global Gateway resources for students. (See Choices lesson plans for Water Wars as a sample.) Pulitzer is providing video, audio, and print reporting resources to Choices. These will be integrated into Choices’ teaching resources, introducing frontline reporting into classrooms across the country.
November 2008
New Lesson in "Teaching with the News"
Globalization and the Economic Crisis is a one-day lesson in which students explore a series of political cartoons and consider the relationship between globalization and the economic crisis.
Discussion Guide for Torturing Democracy
The Choices Program has developed the discussion guide and lesson plans for the new documentary film, Torturing Democracy. The guide is available from the Torturing Democracy web site. This film is appearing on PBS stations around the country. See their web site for local listings.
Scholars Online: Confronting Genocide: Never Again? Video Clips
The printed curriculum unit Confronting Genocide: Never Again? traces the evolution of the international community's response to genocide and examines how the United States has responded to five cases of genocide.
All Scholars Online videos are available free from the Choices website. There are now more than 350 videos available. Visit iTunes to download videos as podcasts.
Scholars Online: From Colony to Democracy Video Clips
The printed curriculum unit From Colony to Democracy: Considering Brazil's Development explores the choices Brazilians faced as the country transitioned to democracy in the mid-1980s and introduces historical forces that informed debates at that time. Scholars Online videos supplement the reading to help students better understand the key issues addressed in the curriculum.
Videos include clips from Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Former President of Brazil; Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Visiting Professor, Brown University; and James Green, Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Brown University
All Scholars Online videos are available free from the Choices website. There are now more than 350 videos available. Visit iTunes to download videos as podcasts.
Water Wars Lesson Plans
Choices has developed a 2-day lesson plan to accompany Water Wars, a series developed with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. The lesson plan and link to the Water Wars interactive site are available from Teaching with the News.
On day one, students learn how water shortage in East Africa affects people’s lives and consider whether water shortage is a local issue or a global one. On day two, students work in groups as they take on the role of stakeholders in the issue of water use in southern Ethiopia.
UPDATED UNITS FROM CHOICES
Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy - 6th edition
A Forgotten History: The Slave Trade and Slavery in New England - 2nd edition
October 2008
Scholars Online: Cuban Missile Crisis Video Clips
The printed curriculum, The Cuban Missile Crisis: Considering its Place in Cold War History, probes the complex relationship between the United States, Russia, and Cuba, and examines the crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Videos include clips from Professors Jim Blight & janet Lang of the Watson Institute and Sergei Khrushchev, son of former Soviet Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev and a senior fellow at the Watson Institute.
All Scholars Online videos are available free from the Choices website. There are now more than 350 videos available. Visit iTunes to download videos as podcasts.
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Teaching with the News - Iran
The U.S. and Iran: Confronting Policy Alternatives has been revised. It includes a selection of Scholars Online video clips in the lesson plan.
September 2008
NEW UNIT: Russia's Transformation: Challenges for U.S. Policy
Using primary sources, readings, and simulations, students consider the history of the U.S. relationship with Russia and explore changes inside Russia since the end of the Soviet Union. The materials prepare students to role-play a debate in the U.S. Senate about what principles and policies should govern U.S. relations with Russia today. (This unitl replaces Charting Russia's Future and Russia's Uncertain Transition.)
July 2008
UPDATED UNIT: Shifting Sands: Balancing U.S. Interests in the Middle East
NEW WEB STORE - Easier Ordering, Faster Checkout!
We have redesigned the Choices Store to make onine ordering faster and easier. In addition to Teacher Sets (print or pdf), you can also order classroom sets online. You can also still talk to us at 401-863-3155 or mail in an order and payment using our Printable Order Form. We gladly accept Purchase Orders as well.
NEW SERIES: ELECTION SERIES
Choices offers an Election Series that includes six titles on topics central to the 2008 election. They include:
The U.S. Role in a Changing World
Conflict in Iraq: Searching for Solutions
U.S. Immigration Policy in an Unsettled World
U.S. Trade Policy: Competing in a Global Economy
Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy
Global Environmental Problems: Implications for U.S. Policy
May 2008
UPDATED UNITS FROM CHOICES
The Challenge of Nuclear Weapons - 2nd edition
Confronting Genocide: Never Again? - 5th edition
Caught Between Two Worlds: Mexico at the Crossroads - 8th edition
April 2008
NEW UNIT
Contesting Cuba's Past and Future
Published in spring 2008, this new unit traces Cuban history from the country's pre-colonial past to its recent economic, social, and political changes. Students step into the shoes of ordinary Cubans to recreate current discussions about the future of Cuba. The unit includes more than sixty primary sources.
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