Seventh graders are served with notices of jury duty and are chosen through the Voir Dire process. Trials are held in courtrooms within the community. After research and creative exercises, each team takes a test to determine which boat reaches Ellis Island first. Those students become the inspectors as the others are processed through Ellis Island. Homeland conditions that prompted immigration, events during the crossing, and conditions once on US soil become the background for investigation of prejudice, gang membership, and violence that carries into modern times.
Students also investigate their own ethnic roots.
Archeology is, at best, a good guess based on the best available information. Using archeology as a base, students refine advanced research skills as they investigate the scientific and historical basis of famous myths and legends, such as the Loch Ness Monster, Troy, Atlantis, or the Shroud of Turin. Presentation is made orally, using PowerPoint or Hyperstudio and overheads to add to the audience's understanding. Students journey through the Great Pyramid, as they investigate the civilization of ancient Egypt, emphasizing factors that contributed to its longevity. Teams complete chamber projects designed to aid understanding of ancient Egyptian government, belief systems, the process of mummification, etc.