Speciety

Perspectives on science, politics, education, and society from a social scientist and educator

About

Speciety is managed and edited by Dr. Shane Markowitz (PhD, Political Science, Central European University). The site provides a space for analysis and discussion of developments in the areas of science, politics, education, and society. It also serves as a platform for sharing teaching materials that motivate curiosity, critical engagement, and understanding of phenomena in the world.

Profile and Context

Teaching Resources

Shane Markowitz

Feb 92 min read

Current events lesson: El Salvador

The recent election in El Salvador provides an opportunity for a mini-lesson or bellringer current events discussion.

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Geography lesson plan: the legacy of European colonialism

Shane Markowitz

Feb 24 min read

Geography lesson plan: the legacy of European colonialism

This lesson engages students with different examples of European colonialism and the effects of these practices on people past and present.

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Geography lesson plan: Lebanon's sectarianism, turbulent governance, and Hezbollah

Shane Markowitz

Feb 13 min read

Geography lesson plan: Lebanon's sectarianism, turbulent governance, and Hezbollah

This lesson focuses on Lebanon, familiarising students with the country's sectarian divisions and its effects on the country's governance.

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Geography Lesson Plan: Borders in South Asia

Shane Markowitz

Jul 11, 20202 min read

Geography Lesson Plan: Borders in South Asia

Students, in this lesson, explore the creation and consequences of political borders in the South Asia region.

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Geography Lesson Plan: the Ice Stupas of Ladakh

Shane Markowitz

Jul 9, 20202 min read

Geography Lesson Plan: the Ice Stupas of Ladakh

As Ladakh grapples with climate change, this lesson engages students with a local solution that reflects cultural and economic patterns.

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Shane Markowitz

Jul 7, 20203 min read

Lesson Plan: the Gender Fishbowl

In this lesson, students learn about the impact of gender roles and practice empathy by participating in a “Gender Fishbowl” activity.

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Lesson plan: Turkification, prejudice, and integration in Germany

Shane Markowitz

Jul 6, 20203 min read

Lesson plan: Turkification, prejudice, and integration in Germany

This lesson plan examines the story of Özlem Gezer to engage with the impact of stereotypes and prejudices on the lives of people.

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Lesson plan: Understanding the danger of the single story

Shane Markowitz

Jul 5, 20202 min read

Lesson plan: Understanding the danger of the single story

Employing Adichie's Ted Talk, The Danger of a Single Story, this lesson guides student engagement on stereotypes and prejudices.

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Lesson Plan: Hurricane Katrina, Race, and an Unequal Recovery

Shane Markowitz

Jun 23, 20203 min read

Lesson Plan: Hurricane Katrina, Race, and an Unequal Recovery

This is part three of a lesson plan series on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. It is focused on exploring the unequal recovery that ensued

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Contemporary Issues in China and Japan Lesson Set: Political, Economic, and Environmental Patterns

Shane Markowitz

May 3, 20202 min read

Contemporary Issues in China and Japan Lesson Set: Political, Economic, and Environmental Patterns

This set of lessons engages with central themes of world and human geography (environment, politics, and economy) in China and Japan.

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Enhancing student resilience through collaborative activities during pandemic

Shane Markowitz

May 1, 20201 min read

Enhancing student resilience through collaborative activities during pandemic

Remote learning poses challenges for student well-being and mental health but schools can help students through collaborative assignments.

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Contemporary Issues in South Asia: Political and Economic Patterns, Nature, and Society

Shane Markowitz

Apr 24, 20202 min read

Contemporary Issues in South Asia: Political and Economic Patterns, Nature, and Society

South Asia is a dynamic region that provides an effective vehicle for student exploration of core themes of world and human geography.

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Global Poverty and Sustainable Development Lesson Set

Shane Markowitz

Apr 21, 20202 min read

Global Poverty and Sustainable Development Lesson Set

This lesson set was designed to enhance student knowledge of and engagement with the themes of global poverty and sustainable development.

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Stereotypes, prejudices, and gender roles lesson set: power and change

Shane Markowitz

Apr 15, 20202 min read

Stereotypes, prejudices, and gender roles lesson set: power and change

This set of activities was designed to enhance student knowledge of and engagement with the topic of stereotypes, prejudices, and gender rol

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Lesson Plan: Hurricane Katrina, Its Impact and the Physical and Social Vulnerability of New Orleans

Shane Markowitz

Jan 5, 20203 min read

Lesson Plan: Hurricane Katrina, Its Impact and the Physical and Social Vulnerability of New Orleans

Natural disasters are complicated phenomena that are, in fact, not simply "natural" but rather often also social in their origins and...

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Lesson Plan: Hurricanes as Natural and Social Disasters

Shane Markowitz

Jan 5, 20203 min read

Lesson Plan: Hurricanes as Natural and Social Disasters

This is part one of a Hurricane Katrina lesson plan series and is focused on background information about hurricanes and their impact.

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Lesson Plan: Settlements and the Status of Jerusalem in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Shane Markowitz

Apr 19, 20193 min read

Lesson Plan: Settlements and the Status of Jerusalem in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

As students work through the Israel-Palestine Conflict, two of the central topics worth examining are the matters of Israeli settlements...

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Lesson Plan: Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict through Drama in Education

Shane Markowitz

Apr 11, 20198 min read

Lesson Plan: Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict through Drama in Education

My school - C.S. Lewis Bilingual High School - recently hosted the EDUdrama organization and their team provided a powerful pedagogical...

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Geography Lesson Plan: Examining China's New Silk Road

Shane Markowitz

Jan 30, 20194 min read

Geography Lesson Plan: Examining China's New Silk Road

The question of space - both internal and external - is a central theme constituting the rise of China. And the Belt and Road Initiative...

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Lesson plan: Population pyramids and India's gender imbalance and dowry system

Shane Markowitz

Jan 16, 20195 min read

Lesson plan: Population pyramids and India's gender imbalance and dowry system

The ability to analyze population pyramids and understand the underlying demographics of particular societies is one of the core skills...

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