1. Peaceful Protest

Mohandas Gandhi inspired people around the world with his dedication to peaceful protest. On September 16, 1932, he began a fast to protest the British government’s decision to separate voters in India by caste. Gandhi was a political activist for home rule during the 1920s, and it landed him in jail for two years beginning in 1922. He withdrew from political activities until the 1930s, and was arrested again in 1932. He said he would fast to the death to support the rights of the lowest caste people in India. Find a newspaper or online article about people taking extreme measures to help others somewhere in the world. Or find one online. Discuss it as a class.

Common Core/National Standard: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

2. Election 2012: Immigration Politics

Every day, the presidential election gets nearer. From now until Election Day on November 6, students everywhere will be learning about issues addressed through articles in the newspaper or online. The Associated Press, for example, has written a very helpful article that outlines the candidates’ stands on top issues. Immigration is one of them. Republican candidate Mitt Romney supports a U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants, opposes offering legal status to illegal immigrants who attend college, but supports it for those in the military. President Barack Obama issued a directive in June saying immigrants brought illegally into the United States as children should be exempted from deportation and granted work permits if they apply, and he supports creating paths for citizenship for students and military personnel. As a class, find and read articles on the candidates’ positions on immigration. Then organize a classroom mock election. Divide the class into two groups, with one group being the Republicans and other the Democrats. Over the next several weeks, discuss and debate the positions of the candidates on immigration.

Common Core/National Standard: Propelling conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas

3. Where Is My Child?

In the past, the news media have barraged viewers with images of children like JonBenet Ramsey and Caylee Anthony, when they went missing. But one little South Carolina boy who has been missing for more than a year has received almost no attention, according to an Associated Press article. Some advocates for missing children say that may be due to both race and gender. A spokesperson for the CUE Center for Missing Persons said, “Media have always leaned toward the cute little kids. And unfortunately, a lot of times they think cute little kids are white.” In one case, the CUE Center tried to get coverage for a missing black girl, and a television station bumped the story for a report that Paris Hilton had been released from jail. Find a newspaper story about missing children. Or find one online. As a class, discuss how the media decide which missing children to feature and how the approach could be made fairer. Brainstorm rules for TV stations for how they should cover missing children.

Common Core/National Standard: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

4. Developing New Governments

The Arab world in the Middle East needs to “develop political systems that reject both theocracies and dictatorships.” This is the stance of noted Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan, who recently spoke to an overflow crowd at the University of Michigan, according to a Detroit Free Press article. He told the crowd that Arab nations need to develop societies that are true and unique to their own cultures. Imposing models based on other countries and cultures won’t work, and politicians should use reason and not emotion when trying to change governments or societies. He said in the article that he supports the Arab Spring movement toward more freedom in the Middle East, but cautions western nations and the Asian nation of China against getting involved in the region. Find a newspaper article about the Arab Spring or changes in the Middle East. Write an opinion essay on challenges still facing the movement.

Common Core/National Standard: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

5. Celebrating the Constitution

Freedom of speech. The right to bear arms. The right of different groups to vote. All of these rights, and many more, have been added to the U.S. Constitution since its signing on September 17, 1787. It was a hard-fought win to get the American colonies to agree to the original Constitution and it involved more debate for the amendments. Not everyone believes in all the amendments or feels they are relevant to today’s society. As a class, review the rights outlined in the amendments to the Constitution. Then find a newspaper article involving a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Write an opinion essay examining whether the amendment is relevant today.

Common Core/National Standard: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.