Social Education StaffWill this year’s congressional elections force a change in control of the House or Senate? This informational feature reviews influential midterm elections in the past and identifies 24 key House races and 8 competitive Senate races for classes to monitor.

Lisa Prososki/PBS NewsHour ExtraThis lesson plan helps students understand the significance of midterm elections, learn about election issues in depth, and create projects that teach their fellow classmates about selected issues.

C. Frederick RisingerThese websites provide an array of resources, lesson plans, and information for teaching about the midterm elections.

Ernest Morrell and John RogersAfter studying about Brown v. Board of Education in textbooks, high school students in L.A. examine the decision’s impact on their local community.

Ted EngelmannA close analysis of the Chieu Hoi pass, dropped over areas of Viet Nam to encourage enemy surrender, provides a unique approach to studying the Viet Nam war.

Prentice T. ChandlerSome parents were mightily displeased when this teacher included documents from Howard Zinn’s compilation in an advanced history class. The author provides tips for educators assailed for breaking out of the mold.

Lee Ann PotterProgress and development has sometimes led to the destruction of landmarks. The featured document highlights the struggle to preserve historic sites and leads students to consider the value of their own community’s landmarks.

Charles F. WilliamsRecent Supreme Court decisions showed that the new Court is split on hot-button issues. Topics this Court will tackle in 2006 include race and schools, the partial birth abortion ban, and punitive damages.

Diana E. HessMost Americans misunderstand the function of the Supreme Court. Correcting students’ misconceptions promotes engaged citizenship and will foster a better understanding of the institution’s influence on U.S. society.