Can You Recognize Democracy When You See It?
Grade Level:9-12

This unit puts the question of “what is democracy” into an international context. Focus is on what constitutes a free election and asks if a free election is the only benchmark of a democracy. Students will work with excerpts of articles that discuss what components are necessary for a government to identify itself as a democracy. They will explore and discuss the challenges of constitutional, parliamentary and other forms of democracy.

Science Advances That Change Our Lives
Grade Level:7-12

This lesson acts as a discussion starter to introduce students to the ways in which science/scientific discovery has affected—indeed, changed—our lives. The interconnections of scientific advances and culture are explored through a brief reading, a categorizing exercise, and class discussion.

The World Trade Organization
Grade Level:9-12

Three activities aimed at helping students to understand the WTO. Students will examine their ideas about trade through opinion, discussion, research and debate. Terms and phraseology are included to facilitate discussion.

Rethinking International Relations -- A Teaching Strategy
Grade Level:10-12

This unit directs students to analyze the forces that are likely to shape international relations in the 21st century. They will identify the values and assumptions integral to the debate about the evolution of the international system, and to clarify their views on the future of international relations. Because this unit is at a relatively sophisticated level, it is necessary that the teacher will have provided some basis for the lesson by reviewing with students the changing nature of the international scene between 1900 and the advent of the Cold War in the post-WW II era.

Historic Parallels
Grade Level:9-12

Comparing nations or world areas is difficult; more challenging still when comparing highly technologically-developed nations like the United States with nations that have not as yet achieved equal levels of wealth or technology. This lesson will show students that many of the conflicts, problems and achievements of modern Africa have their parallels in U. S. history at an earlier date.

Signs in Our Life: Guides or Orders?
Grade Level:5-8

Students (indeed, all citizens) are constantly confronted with permissions or prohibitions evidenced in the multiple signs that abound in our society: road signs; directional signs; advertisements; etc. Sometimes these seem to be "ordering" us around, while others may appear to be so simple as to be obvious, and, therefore, unnecessary. The goal of this activity is to provide a way to talk about community rules and why we have them.

Money
Grade Level:9-12

This lesson focuses on foreign currency exchange in the global economy. It is designed to make students aware of international monetary transactions, and to show them how the jobs they hold, and the purchases they make in their local community are affected by the foreign currency exchange market. Three Activities!

"Speaking" with Our Bodies
Grade Level:5-8

Whatever the culture base, human emotions have a way of being translated by facial expressions and body mannerisms. The goal of this activity is to make students aware of the expressive use of the face and body in a variety of situations, and to have them recognize that such expressions are universal in nature.

The Lessons of the Vietnam War
Grade Level:9-12

This sampling of material was adapted with permission from the Center for Social Studies Education which promotes more and better teaching of the Vietnam War, its lessons and legacies. These activities will help sensitize students to cultural differences, provide them with insights into US policy in Vietnam and with a perspective which will challenge their ethnocentrism in viewing their own culture and the contemporary world. Four activities!

Technology in the Classroom
Grade Level:9-12

The Internet can be a valuable resource in giving teachers and students a global perspective. It can bring experiences of other cultures vividly into the classroom. The possibilities are potentially endless. The activities included here introduce using the Internet as a primary source for research. Three activities!

A Global Perspective on Fast-Food History

Grade Level:10-12

These seven activities use food to help students understand global connections in both historical and present settings. The food products commonly eaten by adolescents in the United States, cheeseburgers and colas, can be considered principal symbols of 20th century America. They have had profound effects on political and economic affairs here and throughout the world, and will likely continue to influence the work for the foreseeable future. Seven activities!

Comparing Cultures and Modernization
Grade Level:10-12

In studying the cultural patterns of a particular society, it is necessary for students to realize the increasing interdependence of all societies. In broadest terms this means analyzing how a society is involved in the emerging global systems. Given here are discussion points and questions addressing the problems/prospects of modernization as a world concern, and the emergence of a global culture.

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Lesson plans related to The China Project
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Lesson plans related to NY & the World
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Lession plans related to SEC

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Complete Publications online :

• Spotlight on Confucius
• Guidelines for Gobal and International Studies Educaion
• Myself & Others
• Spotlight on Japan
• International Conflict and the Media