Fair elections are at the heart of American democracy, but many people argue that politicians have been undermining this American ideal through the practice of what is called gerrymandering. Gerrymandering has been described as the process of politicians picking their voters instead of the voters picking their politicians. In order to really understand this concept, you need to know how voting districts work. In this episode of Above the Noise, host Myles Bess breaks down gerrymandering, and how politicians on both sides of the aisle use sophisticated software to rig the voting system in their party's favor. [5:17]

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, chronicles the education of leading chemist Percy Julian. Although Julian began his elementary school years in the Deep South under Jim Crow laws, he became one of the few African Americans of his time to earn a Ph.D.

You can read about Ghana's struggles with its economy over the past 40 years, and how it is working to strengthen the economy currently to improve the lives for its citizens. Information from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes.

This article gives a good look at the government of Guinea and its problems since 2003. Read about the dictatorial president and the recent rebukes to his presidency. Information from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes.

This lesson follows girls in India and Benin to evaluate their access to education, a basic human right.

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at the future of global warming as developing nations, including India and China, increase their need for energy.

Thanks to technology, the world is changing faster than ever before. Unfortunately, many of these changes are probably having a negative impact on the global climate. This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE takes a look at what the future might hold for the environment as a result of the expanding use of technology. [1:53]

Explore the challenges Iraqi refugees face and the tough decisions they make to either stay in a host country or return home. [3:28]

This lesson plan reviews how the government spends money. It shows how the government's needs have changed over the years. To learn more about this area of economics use this informative website.

Infrastructure is critical to the functions of the country, in particular the shipment of commodity crops such as soybeans. This unit introduces students to several types of infrastructure that are important for the movement of soybeans from grower to processor to consumer. Students analyze data and calculate capacity for each method of transportation. This unit features 2 lessons and 10 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

Many people are thinking about these questions prompted by the mantra “Buy Local.” But much of our food has been shipped by barge, ridden on rails and rolled on the road in trucks. Without infrastructure and supply chains, most of our goods and services, and in particular food, would not be available for us to consume.

This set of lessons helps students to answer: What is the function of global trade and what are the terms associated with trade? Why is global trade important? Why and how does agricultural trade link world economies and what different careers are available because of this? This unit features 4 lessons and 13 files. Lessons are aligned to NGSS.

Correspondent Martin Smith travels to Haiti to bear witness to this humanitarian crisis and the ill-coordinated relief efforts on the ground.

In this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, meet an American Muslim as he prepares for Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that commemorates the Abrahamic roots of Islam.

Performed with over two million other Muslims, the rites of Hajj, the required pilgrimage to Mecca, have a profound personal impact on each pilgrim. In this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, a Muslim from America experiences Hajj for the first time.

Students learn about an American Muslim's impressions of his first pilgrimage to Mecca in this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

A dining hall at Dartmouth College accommodates the religious dietary requirements of Muslims, Jews and Hindus as explained in this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

In this lesson, learners will use the Membit app to explore and experience artifacts within an augmented reality. The purpose of this lesson is to explore the rich history of African American changemakers of Harlem, New York. Learners will examine primary and secondary virtual artifacts and use inquiry to analyze why the contributions of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg might be seen as historically significant. This is the first in a series of four lessons designed to aid learners to place the individuals of Harlem into a broader historical context and to consider how society decides whose achievements are worthy of remembrance and how to memorialize such figures.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Internet Connectivity, Tablet or Smartphone.

In this lesson, learners will use the Membit app to create a memorial / museum exhibit within an augmented reality. Learners will curate an exhibit of primary and secondary virtual artifacts and analyze why the contributions of someone might be seen as historically significant. This is the fourth in a series of four lessons designed to aid learners to place the individuals of Harlem into a broader historical context and to consider how society decides whose achievements are worthy of remembrance and how to memorialize such figures.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Internet Connectivity, Tablet or Smartphone.

In this lesson, learners will use the Membit app to explore and experience artifacts within an augmented reality. The purpose of this lesson is to explore the rich history of African American changemakers of Harlem, New York and to consider how society decides whose achievements are worthy of remembrance. Learners will examine primary and secondary sources and analyze why the contributions of Lillias White might be seen as historically significant. This is the second in a series of four lessons designed to aid learners to place the individuals of Harlem into a broader historical context.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Internet Connectivity, Tablet or Smartphone.