Overview
Unlocking Current Issues provides students with foundational knowledge of a topic. Each title presents the evolution of the topic, with a focus on providing historical evidence of key moments in the development of the topic through excerpts of primary documents and contextual information, and presenting information on "key players" in the debate over time, with a clear summary of positions. Representations of contemporary opinions from across the political and cultural spectrum are also included. Primary documents like Supreme Court rulings are annotated with explanatory text to clarify legal jargon and concepts for better comprehension. The comprehensive informational text, written at an accessible 8th grade reading level, is augmented by relevant charts and graphs, timelines, and other visual elements. Critical thinking questions and activities spur students to synthesize ideas beyond the text. A built-in Instructional Guide provides a path for classroom use and offers strong curriculum support.
Features & Benefits
- Instructional Guide in the front matter of each volume, explains the classroom friendly features of the title and offers suggestions for using the materials in the classroom.
- Learning Objective provided for each chapter, is useful for teachers to quickly determine how the material fits with their lesson plan or assignment.
- Primary Source sidebars with prompts to help students understand, analyze, and evaluate the source.
- Callouts that encourage students to analyze, synthesize, engage, evaluate, and recall the information in the text.
- Sidebars draw attention to important people, organizations, historical moments, and comparing positions or arguments related to the topic.
- An appendix with assorted printable/downloadable worksheets, tip sheets, student performance checklists, and evaluation guidelines that teachers can use in the classroom or students can use independently.
- Chronology, recommended sources for further research, and subject index.
