Engage your students in thoughtful and rigorous research and discussion using contemporary issues seen in their communities and country. Using Serious Social Issues to Teach Research provides you with resources, support, and assignment ideas to reinvigorate your research unit.

Middle School Topics Covered: Gender Norms and Inequality, Homelessness, Zero Tolerance Policies, Terrorism, and Social Media

High School Topics Covered: Gentrification, Mass Incarceration, the Opioid Crisis, Sexual Abuse on College Campuses, and Gun Control and Mass Shootings

Resources Include:

• Introductory Lesson Plan, Reading, and Discussion Questions
• Research-based assignment ideas and rubrics for:
  • Classroom Debates
  • Reflection Writing Prompts
  • Informative Essay Prompts
  • Argumentative Essay Prompts
  • Projects
  • Presentations
• Facts and Opinions Lesson Plan and Handouts
• Common Core Standards Alignment

©2017.  Middle school, high school. Set of two books. Reproducible. 54–59 pages.

Book Downloads: PDF. We recommend Foxit PDF for viewing or editing PDFs.

Print Books: Spiral-bound, 8 x 11 inches.

About the Authors

James Denby and Robin Ulster have both taught for over 20 years. James has a B.A. in Spanish and International Studies from Macalester College, as well as an M.Sc. from the State University of New York. Robin has a B.A. in English, Women's Studies, and Cinema from the University of Toronto, and an M.Ed in Curriculum from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Robin and James have taught elementary, middle, and high school in Canada, Colombia, Turkey, the United States, and Thailand. They recently took some time off from full-time teaching to provide training in Coding and Design Thinking for teachers and students. They are also writing curriculum and designing online classes for teachers and adult students in History, English, and digital literacy and citizenship.

Robin and James are passionate about teaching and learning, and believe that students are capable of much more than most people think. For years they have been inspired by the hard work of their many colleagues and the potential of students and teachers to make the world a better place. In their free time, Robin and James love hiking, traveling, and learning to code.