This study used task-based group interviews with young adolescents in four countries to investigate their understanding of the causes of human rights violations, means for protecting human rights, and their own potential role in ensuring human rights. Although students recognized the role of personal and institutional factors in both violating and…

September 11, 2001, is a day most American high school students remember. They may not fully grasp the events that took place, the reasons behind the terrorist attacks on the United States, or their implications, but they remember. They were children when this national trauma occurred--and they saw those unforgettable television images of the…

This student text and teacher's guide examine the government's role in the U.S. economy and how the choices made by the government affect each citizen. The following topics are addressed: (1) why government gets involved in the economy and the social and economic goals the government tries to achieve; (2) how government monetary, fiscal, and trade…

President Ronald Reagan nominated a woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. He did so through a single-page form letter, completed in part by hand and in part by typewriter, announcing Sandra Day O'Connor as his nominee. While the document serves as evidence of a historic event, it is also a tangible illustration of abstract concepts…

In the post-Cold War era, framing U.S. foreign policy discussions is a real challenge. This curriculum unit considers whether international democracy promotion has become the defining objective of U.S. foreign policy and investigates the appropriate role for the United States to play in this period. Students are asked to define U.S. national…

This guide is a revised and adapted version of a previous monograph, "A New Public Perspective on Representative Democracy: A Guide for Legislative Interns." The guide focuses on civic perspective: how citizens view the political institutions, processes, and people that are fundamental to representative democracy in the United States. It…

In this Learning Activity Packet (LAP) students, mostly in small groups, analyze and compare a few major features of the Canadian and American governments. The LAP is divided into six learning objectives: 1) Both the United States and Canada are sovereign nations. What is sovereignty? What are nations?; 2) People throughout the world are governed…

One of a series of units on business issues designed for secondary school students, this packet examines United States and Soviet trade within the context of worldwide economic and political associations. Introductory in nature, the 5-day unit is suitable for use by itself or as part of a larger study of comparative economic systems, American…

Designed to enhance participation in the Close-Up Program's week of study in Washington, D.C. for secondary students, the materials on political processes and issues provided in this student handbook can be useful in secondary level social studies, political science, and current events courses. The booklet is arranged into three sections. Section…