1. Ice Cream in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in hot water with his political rivals for spending too much government money on … ice cream. More precisely, pistachio ice cream for him, French vanilla for his wife, the First Lady. Ice cream for the prime minister’s residence in the Middle East country is costing the Israeli taxpayer $2,700 a year. Provided by the nearby ice cream shop Metudela, the treat presumably is also offered to guests and served at official dinners. Instead of standing by the ice cream budget, however, Netanyahu agreed it was an “exorbitant expenditure,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement, and “gave an instruction that [the order] be canceled at once.” Ice cream or no ice cream, Israel is often in the news, as a major U.S. ally and for its relationship with the Palestinian ethnic population and neighboring Arab countries. Find a story about Israel in the newspaper or online. Write a paragraph summarizing what is happening, why it is important to Israel and why it is important to other counties, including the United States.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

2. Equality in Education

March is Women's History Month. Pretend you are a parent of a daughter who will be graduating from high school in the next five years. Look through the stories, photos and ads in newspaper for information about fields of education that will be important in the work world over the next 20 years. Write a letter to your daughter recommending which of these fields of education she should pursue, and why. Finish by discussing as a class which of these fields might have been blocked to girls 25 or 50 years ago.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience; evaluating employment and career opportunities in light of economic trends; using research to organize and create texts to persuade others to take a particular position.

3. Can’t Bid on Banksy

A stenciled mural by a London graffiti artist known as Banksy appeared last May on a wall in a suburb of the English city. But recently it disappeared, leaving only a patch of brick. Just as mysteriously, it reappeared a short time later as an item up for auction in Miami, Florida. The mural, titled “Slave Labor (Bunting Boy),” was removed from the auction after the council that governs the English borough of Haringey sent an open letter to Fine Auctions Miami requesting its return. The piece — expected to fetch from $500,000 to $700,000 at auction — shows a young boy using an old-fashioned sewing machine to create English Union Jack flags. The mystery remains unsolved. As a class, talk about different kinds of art and how outdoor art like murals or statues adds interest or beauty to communities. Then find a picture of an outdoor scene in your city or state in the newspaper. Brainstorm an idea for a mural or artwork to install in that space. Draw a sketch of your work and write a paragraph describing how it would benefit the community.

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement engaging and disagreement; engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions;

4. Teddy Bears! Duck!

A border guard has been sentenced to two years in prison for not protecting the eastern European nation of Belarus from foreign teddy bears. Two Swedish rights activists recently piloted a light plane into Belarus’s heavily guarded air space and dropped hundreds of teddy bears decked out in slogans supporting human rights. Officials in Belarus, which is a tightly controlled dictatorship, were not happy. Human rights issues often make news in countries around the world. Find an example in the newspaper or online. Write a paragraph describing the human rights issues in one nation, the history of the issues and what actions could improve the situation. Then do some research about the history of human rights issues in Belarus and discuss them as a class.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement engaging and disagreement.

5. Come Back to the Office

You’d think that Yahoo!, whose customers operate online, would look favorably on employees working at home. Not so. The company has abolished its work-at-home policy and ordered everyone into the office. A memo from the company’s Human Resources Department says face-to-face interaction among employees fosters a more collaborative culture. Despite the national trend to greater workplace flexibility — with employees (especially younger ones) preferring to work remotely — many companies are rethinking the policy. In addition to Yahoo!, Bank of America is requiring employees in certain roles to come back to the office. As a class, discuss the pros and cons of working at home or working in an office. Then use the newspaper or Internet to find stories about the benefits of working at home or in an office. Write a short letter to the editor, supporting the Yahoo! move or opposing it. Either way, be sure to give specific reasons for your position.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.