USA TODAY Education

July 11 – 15, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:59:20 +0000

There is still no agreement in Washington D.C. about how to handle the Nation’s "debt ceiling." Using articles from a recent USA TODAY, try to determine what the debt ceiling is, how each party would like to avoid crossing it, and what will happen if no agreement is reached before the deadline. Write a paragraph explaining how you think this gridlock should be handled.

June 27 – July 1, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:44:44 +0000

The 2012 presidential campaign season has begun. Using images from USA TODAY articles, create a collage of the candidates currently running for president. Reading articles from USA TODAY, try to determine what distinguishes these candidates from one another. Find images from USA TODAY or other sources that highlight these differences and include them in your collage.

June 20 – 24, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 01:27:05 +0000

Recent weeks have seen a number of cyber attacks from so-called "Hacktivists" – computer hackers who attack organizations with whom they disagree. Scan USA TODAY newspapers this week for articles about such cyber security breaches. Use specific examples from recent weeks to inform a class discussion. Do you believe that such attacks are justified in these particular cases? Are there other instances in which such hacking would be justified? What penalty should there be for those who are caught participating in these attacks? Who really suffers when computer hackers carry out these attacks?

June 13 – 17, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:59:42 +0000

Wildfires have engulfed over 650 square miles of Arizona and are now crossing the border into New Mexico. Follow the wildfires over the course of this week, using USA TODAY articles to inform you on its development. For each day that you read about the wildfires, create a song that expresses the developments of the day. You could use an instrument, your voice, or technology to create a melody that represents the fear, danger, or hope of any day’s progress fighting the wildfires. Or instead, you could focus on writing lyrics to express the emotions that this event stirs.

Music can be a powerful tool for communication — see if you can communicate the complex emotions of the Arizona wildfires with the music you create.

June 6 – 10, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:39:04 +0000

With the NBA and NHL Finals in full swing, it is a good time for a "Career Championship Tournament." As a class, generate a list of 30 professions/careers on the board (students could look through copies of USA TODAY to help them brainstorm the list). From the list, each student chooses eight careers that he/she would be most interested in pursuing and records them in a tournament-style bracket. For each head-to-head career match-up, students identify both the winning career and the game count (for example, "mechanical engineer beats veterinarian in game seven with a final game count of 4-3"). Each student follows through the tournament and identifies the winning career.

As an extension, ask students to read a USA TODAY article summarizing a recent championship series game. Then challenge the students to write a similar article describing one of the fictional games played between two top careers in their Career Championship Tournament.

U TODAY June 7, 2011

admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:37:31 +0000

U TODAY June 7, 2011.

May 30 to June 3, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 01:03:28 +0000

Several towns throughout the Midwest have been devastated by severe weather over the past weeks. None has been harder hit than Joplin, Missouri where a tornado ravaged the town and took over 100 lives. Read articles from USA TODAY and explore this web interactive to learn how extensive the damage has been and to research how residents of this community have been impacted by the storm.

Host a role-play of a town-hall meeting in your classroom, where each student takes on the persona of a resident of a town like Joplin that has been ravaged by natural disaster. The topic of the town-hall meeting is whether the community should rebuild or relocate. Assign students specific roles such as the mayor, farmers, business owners, housewives, children, and the elderly. For added realism, ask students to come to class "in character" and perhaps even wear clothing appropriate to their role. By the end of the meeting, ask students to vote as their persona and then again from their own perspective.

May 23 to 27, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 30 May 2011 00:30:57 +0000

The ongoing struggle for peace in the Middle East has once again reached the headlines. Using articles from a recent USA TODAY as a starting point for your research, investigate the main causes for continued unrest between Israel and Palestine. Create a table listing the three most divisive issues preventing peace. For each issue explain Israel’s position, Palestine’s position, and the position that is currently advocated by the United States.

May 16 – 20, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:50:35 +0000

The second-to-last launch of a NASA Space Shuttle is scheduled for this week. To commemorate the conclusion of this successful program, USA TODAY Education has partnered with the National Institute of Aerospace to create Because It Flew. This series of four fun, interactive, hands-on activities introduces students in grades 4-12 to the legacy and importance of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program and culminates with students creating a submission to the NASA Space Shuttle Art Competition, where students and their teachers can win cash prizes.

Visit the Because It Flew website to learn more.

May 9 – 13, 2011

Andrew — Mon, 16 May 2011 00:18:04 +0000

The Mississippi River is reaching near-record flood stages, and many communities that have never before experienced floods are watching as the waters of the mighty Mississippi creep closer and closer to their homes. Using articles from recent USA TODAY newspapers, read about families who have been asked to unexpectedly abandon their homes. Then consider what you would do if you were asked to evacuate suddenly. Plan out the last day in your home and make a to do list for your evacuation.