ninaunited4sc
gowatch
https://academy4sc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2020/11/Screen-Shot-2020-11-17-at-8.21.57-PM-1024x640.png
960
600
An Accessible Interdisciplinary Civics Education For All
- prev
- next
So You Know It All: Cognitive Biases and Conspiracy Theories
What happened?
Do you know anyone who believes powerful world governments created COVID-19 to make money selling vaccines? Or by a scientist modifying a strand of HIV? Doesn't ...
Commanding Clout: Presidential Mandate and Joe Biden’s Agenda
What happened?
Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election and will be inaugurated on January 20th. The hard part comes after that when he and his administration must be...
The World’s Oldest Democracy Under Attack?: Peaceful Transition of Power and the Trump – Biden Transition
What happened?
On Thursday, January 7th, President Donald Trump finally acknowledged an end to his presidency the day after violence broke out on Capitol Hill. However, s...
Dosage Debates: Equity vs Equality and Vaccine Distribution
What happened?
As states slowly receive COVID-19 vaccines, there’s been much debate on how to best distribute them. While the federal government transports the vaccines t...
Recount Rebuttal: Bush v. Gore (2000) & 2020 Election Results
What happened?
With increased voter turnout in several counties and states, election experts predict this 2020 Presidential election cycle saw voters turnout at record-br...
Capitalist Democracy: Representative v. Direct Democracy and California Ballot Initiatives
What’s happening?
In 2020, there are 12 statewide ballot initiatives in California that all citizens may vote on. These initiatives are high-stakes issues that would impa...
A Threat to Our Democracy: Voter Suppression and the 2020 Presidential Election
What happened?
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many people were worried about going to crowded polling places on election day. In order to address this concern a...
Unbalancing the Ballots: Voting Rights Act and Shelby County v. Holder
What happened?
Back in July, the death of civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis renewed the debate of updating and rewriting the Voting Rights Act. However, it seems u...
Psychology
- prev
- next
Clustering Illusion: See the Bigger Picture
Problem
During World War II, German forces laid siege on Britain with a string of bombings in central London. A handful of neighborhoods were particularly hard hit by the attacks,...
Harlow’s Rhesus Monkey Experiments: Monkeying Around With Love
Have You Ever?
You’re helping your uncle Brian watch his children at an aquarium. A fire alarm goes off, and scares your youngest cousin Cordelia. Cordelia runs from your side to ...
The Marshmallow Test: You’re Hot Then You’re Cold
Have You Ever?
Picture yourself in a mall, staring at a very expensive product that you really, really want - maybe a piece of clothing from a high-end fashion designer, or a newl...
Planning Fallacy: Bit Off More Than You Can Chew?
Have You Ever?
Picture this: it’s 6 P.M. on a school night. Your favorite TV show is just about to air a new episode and you really want to know what happens, but you also have an...
Selection Bias: Don’t Forget About Me!
Have You Ever?
Have you ever wondered why some studies show results that just aren’t consistent with reality? This can happen for many reasons, and one of them is when the subject...
Status Quo Bias: If It Ain’t Broke, Why Fix It?
Have You Ever?
Ever heard the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? As you probably well know, that saying refers to the idea that if things are fine the way they currently a...
Stanford Prison Experiment: Role-ing With It
Problem
Knock, knock. It’s late, but you open the door anyway and find police officers standing outside. They inform you that you’re under arrest for armed robbery. You try to ins...
The Bobo Doll Experiment: Kids See, Kids Do
Have You Ever?
One day, your uncle has to work late, so your dad volunteers to take care of both you and your younger cousin. All in all, besides the addition of another person, y...
The Asch Conformity Experiments: The Line Between Independence and Conformity
Problem
Your school is having students take their annual vision test, but to save time, they’re having multiple students go at once. In each group of four, students will go down a...
Philosophy
- prev
- next
Intelligent Design: Appeal to Purpose
Introduction
Nature is full of patterns and artful composition. Snowflakes exhibit sixfold symmetry, and many of us are familiar with naturally occurring Fibonacci spirals, such a...
Just War Theory: It’s Hard to Fight if the Fight’s Not Fair
Problem
Imagine that your sibling steals your sweatshirt. It was wrong of them to take, and the only way to right that wrong is to take it back. So you sneak into their room and g...
Prichard, “Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?”: The Gut’s Guide
The Problem
While studying moral philosophy, it’s not unusual to start questioning our own moral impulses and intuitions. Are we really obligated to tell the truth, repay our debt...
John Taurek, “Should the Numbers Count?”: Less Is Equal To More
The Problem
You’ve recently created a lifesaving drug. You’re on your way to meet up with your investors, drug in tow, when disaster strikes. After the immediate danger has passed...
Determinism vs. Free Will: God’s Plan
Why Are You Reading This Right Now?
Why are you reading this right now? Did you choose to open up your laptop, type “Academy 4 Social Change” into your search bar, and click a ser...
Thomas Aquinas’ 5 Arguments for God: Natural Reasoning
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue? You know something is true - namely, the sky is blue - yet might not be able to explain it. Philosophers ask questions to ...
Socialist Feminism: Recognizing a Monopoly of Violence
Introduction
Barbara is an African-American mother of two who performs most of the household chores. She works as a cashier at the local grocery store for minimum wage. The other ...
Retributive vs. Deterrence Punishment: Why We Punish
Introduction
Eric and Pablo are at the snack counter in the school lunchroom. Eric tells Pablo that they can get more candy than they can afford by sneaking some into their pocket...
Is-Ought Gap: From Facts to Values
Introduction
Imagine you are watching a meat-eater and a vegan debate whether we should eat animals. The meat-eater says that eating meat can’t be bad because we evolved to eat me...
Economics
- prev
- next
The IMF: Protector of the World Financial Order?
Introduction
Did you know that the combined national debt of every country in the world hovers at approximately sixty-nine trillion dollars? This is a testament to just how compli...
Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life
How Do You Quantify “Quality of Life”?
How are you doing, really? Beyond the knee-jerk reaction of “I’m fine, thanks,” if you pause and give this question some true consideration,...
The Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy: All the Money in the Economy
Have You Ever?
Imagine a world where money was free-flowing, and there were no rules on how to spend, borrow, or lend it. Sounds kind of nice, right? Well, hold on to your seat fo...
Prisoner’s Dilemma: It’s You or Me
Problem
Maggie and Lou are found at a crime scene. Given the physical evidence, they’re each looking at about one year in prison. However, the cops want more than that. They take ...
Introduction to Behavioral Economics: Acting Irrationally
Have You Ever?
Picture yourself at the mall. When you go shopping for clothes or electronics, how do you make the choices that you make? What’s influenced you to make these decisi...
World Bank: The Purse Strings of Global Development
Introduction
Currently, about 10 percent of the global population lives in extreme poverty. This is approximately 700 million people living on less than $1.90 per day. To put this...
The Federal Reserve and Interest Rates
Have You Ever?
You’ve heard it before on the news: “The Federal Reserve lowers interest rates to 0.50 percent” or “The Federal Reserve raises interest rates to 3.0 percent”. All t...
The Role of the Federal Reserve: What is the Fed?
Have You Ever?
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Where does money come from?”, “Who produces it?”, and most importantly, “Who the heck controls it?” These are questions that mos...
Supply and Demand: I Want It, I Got It
Have You Ever?
Have you ever wondered about how companies decide on prices for their products? Well, if you’ve ever gone into a dollar store or a discount party shop, you have pro...
History
- prev
- next
Shirley Chisholm: ‘Unbought and unbossed’
Introduction
Though the U.S has yet to have a woman president, the presence of women in the political arena is a powerful statement regarding the ongoing fight for gender equality...
National Woman Suffrage Association: Split Opinions about Suffrage
Introduction
Sara’s high school is choosing a new mascot, and the administration has decided to put it to a student vote. However, since it is a large school and the administrator...
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Cooperative Contracts
Introduction
Your principal decides she’s going to hold a meeting to get student feedback on how to improve the school. She decides it will be at three o’clock on Wednesday. Unfor...
The French Revolution: Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité
Have You Ever?
Your teacher assigns you to work on a group project with Joris and his friend Lena. Joris was chosen by your teacher to lead the group, and he’s very particular abo...
Lavender Scare: Banning Homosexuality in the Federal Government
Introduction
Molly’s history class is doing an activity where they pretend they are U.S. government officials, and they need to protect against enemy spies who could carry back da...
Constitutional Convention: The Birth of the Constitution
Background
Although Americans gained their independence with the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783, winning the war was only the first step toward building a strong and unified...
Twelve Tables: Equal Access to the Law
Problem
Imagine you are a citizen living in a society that is governed by laws that are not written. Suppose your neighbor breaks a law, and the government official who is in char...
Declaration of Independence: A Necessary Break
Introduction
When the Revolutionary War began in April 1775, most colonists were fighting for increased rights from Great Britain, not for independence. As the war continued, howe...
The NAACP: A National Fight for Equality
Introduction
Have you helped get an unfair rule or policy changed? Maybe you convinced your school to update its dress code, or you talked your local soup kitchen into staying ope...
U.S. Government
- prev
- next
Department of State: Furthering Foreign Policy
Introduction
Lian’s neighborhood is planning a party for the summer, and they want to use the nearby park for space. However, the neighborhood behind them is planning a baseball g...
First 100 Days: A Presidential Benchmark
Introduction
Have you seen a presidential candidate give a speech before? Usually, hopeful politicians use a variety of strategies to make their speeches compelling to a broad pub...
United States v. Virginia (1996)
Case
In 1976, the Supreme Court decided Craig v. Boren, a case which declared that sex classifications were subject to intermediate scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of t...
Inauguration Day: A New Chapter in American History
Introduction
You may have seen pictures of a newly elected American President standing in front of a crowd, raising one hand as if taking a pledge. Their family might have been lo...
Voter Turnout: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Casts Their Ballot
Introduction
If you had to explain how the United States government works to a friend, what would you say? Would you explain how our government is different from a monarchy or a d...
CDC: Control and Prevent
Have You Ever?
Before each school year starts, you likely visit your pediatrician for a check-up that includes vaccinations. You probably dread the shots, and all the while, wonde...
Presidential Mandate: The Right to Govern
Background
You may have heard the word “mandate” before, probably in terms of rules or regulations. For example, students are mandated to attend school for a given number of years...
Peaceful Transfer of Power: A Democratic Mandate
Background
You probably know about elections - a vital democratic process in which voters select one candidate over another to serve in political office. Because elections are a c...
Supreme Court Nominations: And the Nomination Goes To…
The Problem
A vacancy arises in the Supreme Court, either by retirement, impeachment, or the passing of a Supreme Court Justice. The nation may celebrate or remember the Justice b...
Global Issues
- prev
- next
UN Security Council: To the Rescue!
Have You Ever?
Have you ever mediated a fight or disagreement between family or friends? What was the fight about? Did it involve differing ideas, beliefs, values, and interests, ...
Carbon Offsets: Where Does the Carbon Go?
Introduction
Elijah has a lot of chores to do before the weekend is over, but he wants to have fun. Instead of working all day, he decides to pay his friends to do chores for him ...
Access to Healthcare and Affordability: Uneven and Unstable
Problem
Jackson is fourteen years old and lives in New York City with his dad, Emmanuel. The family isn't particularly wealthy, but Emmanuel's job as a construction worker provide...
Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Introduction
It is estimated that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, will cost five to seven trillion U.S. dollars each year. Consequently, SDG 17 aims to build...
Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Introduction
Having strong institutions in place is essential to the success of all of the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. Working towards a society where people are free ...
Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land
Introduction
Every year, thirteen million hectares of forests are lost. Land degradation has led to 3.6 million hectares of desertification, or the loss of fertile land. Forests c...
Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water
Introduction
The ocean is essential to life as we know it. In 2019, over three billion people relied on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. Three million people...
Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
Introduction
Over the past few years, you may have noticed rising temperatures and more extreme weather conditions. These are symptoms of climate change, which is driven by increa...
Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Introduction
The term “material consumption” refers to all the materials used by an economy in a specific timeframe. Imagine the size of worldwide material consumption, such as al...