What is “fake news,” how does it affect our trust in media, and our perception of issues relevant to our daily lives? While fake news is not a new phenomenon, recent events have heightened awareness of the prevalence of questionable media sources, leaving consumers to evaluate the veracity of information that is presented. The deluge of information available in print, televised, and online media sources, including sites such as Twitter and Facebook, has also increased the level of critical analysis media consumers must use to evaluate those sources. This deliberation will analyze the effect of fake news on traditional media outlets, the reasons and incentives for purveyors of “fake news,” and provide students with resources to strengthen their media literacy skills.

In the wake of recent acts of gun violence in America, both citizens and politicians continue the debate over gun control in the United States. Legislation addressing issues like background checks, concealed carry permits and bump stocks have been suggested to address this issue. This deliberation will allow students to explore the roots of gun control in the United States while also exploring varying viewpoints on how to address the problem of gun violence in the future.

C-SPAN's Constitution Clips makes the U.S. Constitution come alive by providing teachers and students with video clips from C-SPAN's Video Library of the Constitution in action. Click on any text link or image link to view video clips correlating to their respective section of the U.S. Constitution

After wearing black armbands to school in protest of the Vietnam War, three students -- two of them siblings -- were suspended by the Des Moines Independent Community School District for disrupting learning. The parents of the children sued the school for violating the children's right to free speech. The landmark Supreme Court Case Tinker v. Des Moines determined it was a First Amendment violation for public schools to punish students for expressing themselves in certain circumstances. This lesson uses expert analysis, perspectives from the Tinkers, oral arguments, and archival video to explore the case and the legacy of the ruling.