Current Issues

Close Up’s resources can be used for civics, government, history, debate, social studies, and humanities courses. Most of Close Up’s lesson plans and issue discussions last one or two class periods, although teachers can extend that time to allow students to do additional research on their own to support classroom discourse and projects.

Many schools also use these materials in homeroom or advisory groups to introduce students to current issues, and help navigate challenging conversations.

Our resources are for use in middle school and high school classes, grades 6-12. Certain Current Issue Debates and Deliberation materials are available in two reading levels – middle school and high school. Typically, the Background & Context resources fit best in a high school classroom, although some middle schools use these resources for in-depth civics units.

Yes, Close Up’s resources offer students a balanced and multipartisan look at controversial issues by using a selection of primary sources (speeches, op-eds, videos, current legislation) drawn from decision-makers and experts on all parts of the political spectrum. We encourage students to carefully consider both sides of a debate before developing their own opinion, and we aim to foster a culture of civility, respect, and understanding.

New resources are added monthly, and include thoroughly sourced and cited information.

Close Up’s resources support each dimension of the C3 Framework.

• Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries: Our materials make connections to long-standing tensions in American government, encouraging students to investigate the root cause of unresolved issues in today’s society.
• Applying Disciplinary Tools and Concepts: Our lesson plans coach students to use democratic principles as they debate and deliberate on current issues with their peers.
• Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence: Students develop an ability to analyze arguments and make well-founded claims about their political world.
• Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action: Close Up’s classroom materials include resources for students to actively engage with their communities and express their views to leaders and decision-makers.

Close Up’s materials also fulfill several significant Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and state standards across the nation. They also align with a number of College & Career Anchor Standards:

• Key Ideas and Details: Close Up Resources asks students to examine the evidence in their readings and use it to develop their own persuasive arguments.
• Integration and Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Students must analyze the reasoning on both sides of a central question to evaluate the strongest arguments.
• Comprehension and Collaboration: Close Up Resources helps teachers facilitate productive classroom discussions and collaborative deliberation on diverse viewpoints.

For more information about matching to standards, please visit our methodology page.

Close Up’s experiential approach to civic learning appears in our resources and moves students from passively reading and processing facts about an issue to actively deliberating, debating, and engaging with members of their community. All our materials are:

• Based on real-world debates and draw on the opinions of political leaders, activists, journalists, and other experts.
• Comprehensive, balanced, and always multipartisan in their approach to major issues facing policymakers.
• Easy to use and offer variety so teachers have the flexibility to integrate lessons into their curriculum as best fits their needs.

Supplemental videos from policymakers allow students to hear different perspectives directly from the lawmakers who create key policies.

To learn more about Close Up’s unique approach to current issues and civic education, please visit our methodology page.

If you’re interested in learning more about Close Up’s resources, sign up for a free preview account! You can also contact us at classroom@closeup.org if you have questions about a specific course, grade level, or topic.

• Current Issues Blog: Our free weekly blog frames major issues in the news to spark instant classroom discussions.
• Professional Development: Close Up offers professional development trainings for teachers on framing controversial issues, integrating classroom resources into the curriculum, media literacy, and community engaged classrooms.
• Monthly Deliberations for Students: Once a month, middle and high school students will have the opportunity to engage with other students nationwide to discuss a current pressing issue.
• Close Up Conversations: Join us for bimonthly webinars to hear from experts on American History, the media’s role in political discourse, current policy, and a variety of other topics.