1. Invasion of the Zombies

Zombies are invading television and movies in droves, but a small, parasitic fly is turning bees into zombies in real life. According to a Seattle Times article, a Washington state man found his honey bees dead or flying around in jerky patterns and falling to the floor. Their condition is caused by an infection called "zombie bee" syndrome. It is caused by a female parasitic fly landing on a bee, and then injecting its eggs into the bee's abdomen. The eggs hatch into maggots, which essentially eat the bee from the inside out. Find a newspaper article about an issue affecting insects or other wildlife. Or find one online. Research the issue and present your findings to the class.

Common Core/National Standard: Using technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing, as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

2. Taj Mahal

On October 3, in 1678, the Taj Mahal was completed in what is now the Asian nation of India. The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous and beautiful buildings ever created. The Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan built the gorgeous building as a tomb for his wife. It took 22 years to finish and is widely regarded as one of the most romantic things someone has done for another person. Find two stories in the newspaper about people who have done something out of love. The love can be romantic love, friendship or love between family members. Write a short paragraph comparing the two stories.

Common Core/National Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience; describing and discussing the shared human experiences depicted in literature and other texts from around the world. Examples include birth, death, heroism and love.

3. What's New in Learning?

In every classroom, there are students who excel and students who struggle — and everything in between. How can teachers help students when there is such a large range of abilities and so many needs to be met? The Education Achievement Authority of Michigan decided it's best to meet students where they are, rather than hoping each will be able to keep up in a standard classroom. The approach is called student-centered learning. With it, each child works at his or her own speed and ability, rather than at a pre-determined grade or age level. Students get their lessons on computers with help from the teacher, and every student in the school gets a computer to use in class. When a student masters the content of a lesson, he/she gets to move on. In teams or alone, find a newspaper article on new educational ideas. Or find one online. As a class, discuss the merits of some new ideas. Than write a short summary of one.

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.

4. Bouncing Bumps and Bruises

How high can you bounce? High enough to get injured? That is the concern of children’s doctors across the United States and Canada when it comes to backyard trampolines. The pediatricians recently released an updated policy statement that said backyard trampolines are "intrinsically dangerous" and should be strongly discouraged, according to a USA Today article. In 2009, there were an estimated 98,000 trampoline-related injuries, resulting in 3,100 hospitalizations. About 75 percent of the injuries occur when multiple people are jumping. Fractures and dislocations make up about 48 percent of the injuries, the article said. Head and neck injuries make up about 15 percent. Netting erected around trampolines has improved the safety somewhat, but not enough, the pediatricians said. Find a newspaper article about activities that kids your age like to do. Write an opinion essay discussing ones you think are safe and ones you think are not.

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

5. Election 2012: War of Words on War

Since the attack on America on September 11, 2001, the United States has been in a war against terrorists, and in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. War strategy and the country's defense will be a topic of debate in this fall’s presidential debates, the first of which is Wednesday at the University of Denver in Colorado. President Barack Obama ended the war in Iraq, increased the number of troops in Afghanistan and will pull all troops out of that country by 2014. He also approved the mission to kill terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, approved the air strikes on Libya that toppled dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s government and has made an agreement with congressional Republicans to reduce the size of the military to cut $487 billion in spending over 10 years. Republican candidate Mitt Romney endorses the 2014 end to U.S. combat in Afghanistan in concept, but says final pullout will depend on conditions at the time. He would increase the number of troops and warships in the U.S. military and add almost $100 billion to the Pentagon budget in 2016. Search your newspaper for stories about the war in Afghanistan. Hold a mock presidential debate between Republicans and Democrats on how the U.S. should proceed there.

Common Core/National Standard: Propelling conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate a current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas.