Close Up’s educational resources help students and teachers investigate current events, research pressing issues using reliable sources, and develop real-world skills for effective community engagement. Below, you’ll find a sampling of our balanced current issue discussions, in-depth policy units, ready-to-use lesson plans, and weekly blog posts—all for free. Please click on the boxes below to learn more about all the different types of resources available.
Post | January 15, 2021
The fallout continues to mount from the January 6 attack on the Capitol. In previous blog posts, we offered a collection of resources and articles and explored the question of accountability for elected officials. In this post, we examine a thorny issue that is also emerging as institutions respond to riots: the power of private […]
Podcast |
This episode of Building Bridges looks at the history of the Monroe Doctrine.
Post | January 13, 2021
The events at the Capitol on January 6 are forcing voters and elected officials to face some challenging questions. In a previous blog post, we provided some resources to help you begin to address some of these questions; in an upcoming post, we will examine other questions related to free speech. In this post, we […]
Post | January 8, 2021
On January 6, 2021, Congress convened to certify the Electoral College results of the 2020 presidential election and to affirm the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. Although there has been no evidence of voter fraud, a group of Republican legislators planned to object to the certification process, saying they wanted Congress first to create an […]
Post | January 4, 2021
The 117th Congress was sworn in on January 3, 2021.1 This is the most diverse Congress ever,2 with a record number of women and LGBTQ members, a slim Democratic majority in the House, and a Senate that is still up for grabs due to runoff elections taking place this week in Georgia.3 READ MORE: “Here’s […]
Videos | December 17, 2020
During this Close Up Conversations webinar, available on-demand, Close Up’s, Joe Geraghty, discusses the iconic National Press Club with journalist, author and professor, Gil Klein.
Post | December 15, 2020
As journalists, historians, and political commentators reflect on the administration of outgoing President Donald Trump, one word keeps coming up: norms. To his critics, this is cause for concern. But President Trump’s supporters sometimes see his norm-breaking actions as efforts to change the political culture of Washington. Here, we will offer definitions and examples of […]
Issue Discussion | December 14, 2020
Gain an understanding of why health care reform is one of the most controversial issues in the United States. Consider several enduring tensions in health care policy, and learn about the programs and laws that have been proposed throughout history and those that still exist today.
Podcast |
This episode of Building Bridges looks at the history of the Civil Rights movement in the United States with one of its original leaders, Dr. Frank Smith.
Post | December 4, 2020
Public health officials are offering good long-term news about the prospects of making a COVID-19 vaccine widely available during the first half of next year,1 but they are also cautioning Americans that this winter could be very “rough.”2 In addition to having worries about illness, death, and social isolation, many people are also feeling significant […]