Let's Discuss: Second-Language Learners Share Ideas (Student Edition)

Description

We all wonder what the future holds. Some people are satisfied to simply wait and see what happens. Others understand that they can play a major role in shaping their own future — they don’t have to sit back and let it happen to them. Building your own future means making many decisions — some small and others big. Some decisions affect only our own lives, while others involve our community, our country, or even the entire world.

In history classes, we learn about the decisions individuals and nations made in the past and the consequences of those decisions. In other social studies classes, we examine the decisions that became laws and continue to shape how people live today in our local area and across the country. However, we often don’t have time in these classes to consider decisions about the future. How might the choices and decisions we live with today be different? How could they be improved?

With this book, students have an opportunity to think about these decisions — for themselves and together with their classmates. The book encourages students to begin with topics they choose, whether it’s a decision about their personal future or one that affects their community, their country, or the world. For each decision, students will be encouraged to think carefully and deeply, both individually and collaboratively, sharing ideas and exploring answers to questions that will help them make the best possible decisions — decisions that can help build a better future.