Learners use chromatography to separate plant pigments collected from a fictitious crime scene and suspects. They compare the Rf values of the plant pigments to determine whether the plant pigments found on any of the suspects match the...

Students reduce their victimization through discussion of what constitutes child abuse. Also, they take responsible action on behalf of themselves or their friends.

Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...

Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...

As of April, 2016, more than 28,000 suspected cases of Ebola were recorded in Western Africa with over 11,000 human deaths. Classes discuss the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014 and then groups develop an action plan based on...

Young journalists try their hand at writing a news report. They go through the process of developing ideas, and collecting and organizing their information. The headline everyone works with is, "Mystery Disappearance of English Teacher:...

Students use forensic science to positively identify any suspected drugs submitted to the laboratory. They determine the identity of the drugs found in the bodies of drug-overdose victims. Students use TLC to identify the active...

Learners use the prelab as an introduction to the importance of DNA fingerprinting- a form of identification that us being accepted by both scientific and leagl experts. They prepare a gel for electrophoresis. DNA fragments, which have...

Young scholars study the process of DNA Fingerprinting and how DNA Fingerprinting is used in solving crimes. They examine a crime scenario that involves collecting DNA Fingerprinting information from blood collected at the crime scene....

High schoolers explore and analyze statements made during a televised presidential debate. In groups, they research and test the validity of the statements made by the presidential contenders. Students examine sources and draw...

The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first instructional activity asks groups to read an introduction that describes the...

Who pilfered the pin? Scholars practice measurement skills as they solve the mystery of a stolen pin. They measure length, temperature, and mass and determine which of select suspects committed the crime. During the STEM hands-on...

Two stories by Roald Dahl, "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Landlady" provide readers an opportunity to compare stories by the same author. After a close reading of the stories, teams select a character from one of the tales, craft...

Junior crime scene investigators are instructed in two different chromatography exercises. For female suspects, they separate and compare lipstick pigments. For male suspects, they separate and compare ink samples. A data sheet is...

Students debate the pros and cons of police searching the trash of suspected drug dealers. Students collect background information, and students interview city officials and garbage collectors. Students develop a strategic plan for...

Crime scene investigators practice collecting fingerprints off of surfaces in order to compare them to an imaginary crime suspect's prints. Instructions for using graphite powder and a Zephyr brush to collect the evidence are outlined....

Writers create an original mystery and have a chance to put it into movie format. The classic elements of a mystery must be present: the crime, the suspects, the motive, the solution and clues. Use iPhoto and Quicktime Movie to integrate...

Future public health advocates read a case study of a combination of water pollutants that may be linked to autism. The class is split into three groups, one to research each of the suspected chemicals. The look at how each one affects...

Students research the 11 nations that are either known or suspected to have nuclear weapons. They draft treaties to effect nuclear non-proliferation or disarmament among these 11 countries.

Students solve a crime mystery using chemical tests. They review the crime scenario and then become familiar with the procedure and results for two tests used to identify unknown powders. They perform the tests on the crime samples and...

Students examine China's suspected theft of American nuclear secrets, as a springboard for the creation of a research-based, multi-tiered timeline that traces the development, regulation, and use of nuclear weapons from the 1940's to today.

High schoolers describe the symptoms and suspected causes of Alzheimer's disease or cancer. They describe current research projects seeking to learn more about or find treatments for either Alzheimer's disease or cancer. Students...

High schoolers examine how to capture foot prints while they simulate a criminal investigation. They discover how the clues are needed for identifying or eliminating murder suspects.

Students examine how most countries prohibit torture. They explore why torture is still considered a possible tool for preventing future losses of innocent life. They discuss some of the facts, the mis-perceptions, the arguments, and the...