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Decisions, Decisions Online
https://teachtsp2.com
GRADE LEVEL: 5-10

CONTENT:
Bring contemporary issues alive in your classroom with the new Internet version of the award-winning Decisions, Decisions series. This is the kind of site that will stimulate discussions that start inside your classroom and continue outside in the hallways as students role-play legislators faced with critical decisions.

AESTHETICS:
The site is plain and uncluttered. The teaching materials have strong graphic and multimedia content.

ORGANIZATION:
Decisions, Decisions Online is not for older systems. It requires a 100+ Mhz processor, a newer browser (4.0+), Apple Quicktime (3.0+), Adobe Acrobat Reader, and a high-speed Internet connection. Teachers with standard modems (56K or less) should download and save the movies in advance. Look for a navigation bar at the top of the pages.

REVIEW:
Decisions, Decisions Online is an excellent resource for encouraging critical thinking skills in young people. Users must register (free) to have access to vote on the topics. The set of downloadable movies is a key aspect of this curriculum. The films are set up to make the students feel as though they are participating in a video conference call and that they are senators hearing arguments for and against the current topic. The films allow students to have an emotional connection to the facts, and they provide understanding about the possible consequences of their decisions. Teachers should be sure to read through the Teacher Instructions section for valuable tips for using Decisions, Decisions in the classroom. This site is an excellent resource for debate, social studies, government, and civics classes.

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