UNITED STATES The Common Core State Standards have vaulted into the national consciousness lately thanks to some high-profile dissenters, like Louis C.K. (“Kids teachers parents are vocally suffering.”) and Stephen Colbert (“Common Core testing is preparing students for what they’ll face as adults—pointless stress and confusion.”) NPR wades through the confusion by answering questions about the standards. (NPR) Love them or loathe them, we can … Continue reading Common Core FAQ
BUSINESS Some families of victims are infuriated at the “crass commercialism” of the gift shop at the new National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Washington Post) Use our resources to understand methods of teaching through tragedy. Discussion Ideas Like almost all museums, the new 9/11 museum in New York City has a gift shop. This has made some people uncomfortable. However, the Washington Post article reports, … Continue reading Tough Sell at Ground Zero
BUSINESS Just in time for National Poetry Month—and the Stanley Cup Playoffs—the Boston Bruins are using a Rudyard Kipling poem in a new ad. (Boston Globe) Learn more about The Law for the Wolves (and Bruins). Discussion Ideas Listen to the poem “The Law for the Wolves” in the ad above. Do you think this poem was a good choice to represent the Boston Bruins? Why … Continue reading Kipling on Ice
WORLD The climbing season on the Nepalese side of Mount Everest may be over, according to those on the scene. On Friday, 16 Nepali mountaineers were killed in the the single deadliest accident on the mountain. (National Geographic News) Use our resources to learn more about Mount Everest and the dangers of avalanches. Discussion Ideas Watch our video, “Avalanches 101,” above. It describes two types … Continue reading Is Everest’s Climbing Season Finished?
BUSINESS A race is under way to unlock one of the world’s biggest untapped sources of clean energy—the ocean—with China emerging as an important testing ground. (Wall Street Journal) Use our resources to better understand tidal energy. Discussion Ideas Look at our MapMaker Interactive displaying use of solar, tidal, and wave energy. Why do you think these diverse energy sources are grouped together? Solar, tidal, … Continue reading China Invests in Tidal Energy
