Students will learn about sanctuary cities and engage in a deliberation over whether local governments have the right to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Andrew McGill
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Linnentown
The descendants of residents of Linnentown, a once-thriving historically Black neighborhood in Athens, Ga., come together to preserve the memory of the neighborhood. Their family homes were razed in a 1960s urban renewal project. Now they, along with civic-minded neighbors, unite to try to reclaim forgotten history.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: What the World War II-Era Bracero Program Reveals About U.S. Immigration Debates
U.S. immigration policy has long reflected a tension between the demand for low-wage labor and the enforcement of immigration laws. That dynamic has shaped families, workplaces and communities across generations. This short doc traces that history from the mass deportations during the Great Depression to the Bracero guest worker program after World War II, and into today’s debates over unauthorized immigration.
Posted inLesson Plan
Lesson Plan: How a Sheep Named Dolly Sparked a Scientific Revolution
Students will learn about the scientific importance of Dolly the sheep, and analyze the ethical considerations surrounding scientific animal cloning.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Who Controls the Purse? Presidential Power and the Fight Over Spending
The Trump administration’s attempts to freeze or cancel billions of dollars in federal spending have reopened a constitutional debate over the power of the purse – Congress’s authority to appropriate taxpayer money. At the center is impoundment, an executive maneuver to withhold funds that Congress has appropriated. This short doc revisits the last major impoundment clash, under President Richard Nixon, which led to the passage of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. With federal courts now weighing in and Congress divided over the current administration’s actions, legal scholars and historians explore what’s at stake when a president challenges the laws that govern federal spending.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: How the Supreme Court Ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges Legalized Same-Sex Marriage
When Jim Obergefell and his partner John Arthur decided to marry after more than 20 years together, they faced a formidable obstacle: their home state of Ohio refused to recognize same-sex marriages. With John terminally ill, the couple chartered a medical jet to Maryland, where their marriage would be legal. Their decision set in motion a legal challenge that reached the Supreme Court in 2015, as Obergefell v. Hodges. The court ruled 5 to 4 that the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause requires all states to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: How Nixon’s 1972 China Visit Set the Stage for Today’s Tensions Over Taiwan
Students will learn about the lasting legacy of President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China.
Posted inTranscript
Transcript: How Today’s Debates on Immigration Were Shaped by a 1980s Church-Led Refugee Network
Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (ABC NEWS, 3-6-25):NEWS REPORT: Now to the battle over so-called sanctuary cities. NARRATION: Sanctuary cities that protect undocumented immigrants have once again become a flashpoint in the country’s debate over illegal immigration. ARCHIVAL (ABC NEWS, 3-6-25):NEWS REPORT: Clashes on Capitol Hill as sanctuary cities […]
Posted inAwards Accolades
Generations Stolen is Nominated for a Webby Award
Our film “Generations Stolen” was nominated for a Webby award in the Video: News & Politics category. This video, which explores the decades-long history of Indigenous child removal and forced adoptions that occurred in the United States, was released in partnership with WORLD Channel.
Posted inInteractive
Interactive Map: Pythons Observed in Florida
This interactive map displays sightings of Burmese pythons in the state of Florida. These pythons are an invasive species and have had a harmful effect on local wildlife. Explore the map by zooming in. Click here for the full video page and educator materials.
