1. A Senate Surprise

In the state of Massachusetts, retired Congressman Barney Frank was interested. So was the widow of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy. But Governor Deval Patrick surprised everyone by choosing his former chief of staff, William “Mo” Cowan, to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by John Kerry, the nation’s new Secretary of State. It’s an interim appointment, which means Cowan will serve only until the voters elect a permanent replacement in a special election June 25, and Cowan says he will not run. But the appointment makes Cowan one of just two African Americans in the U.S. Senate. The other is also a gubernatorial appointee, Republican Tim Scott of South Carolina. Cowan is not the first black U.S. Senator from Massachusetts — Republican Edward Brooke served for two terms. President Obama also served in the U.S. Senate before becoming the nation’s first African American president. February is Black History Month. In the newspaper, find another African American achieving success. Write a summary of the person’s success.

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

2. Leapin' Lizards

Ten years ago in Beijing, China, scientists with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology discovered the fossilized remains of a dinosaur with four feathered wings. The Microraptor was about a yard long, lived about 130 million years ago and gave further evidence that some dinosaurs were the ancestors of modern birds. Every day scientists discover new and interesting things about the world. Read about a scientific discovery in this week's newspaper. Then, give an oral presentation to the class about the discovery. Be sure to use the appropriate scientific terminology, explaining it as you go along.

Common Core/National Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; recognizing and using levels of conversation and terminology appropriate for various contexts, purposes and audiences.

3. ‘My Kingdom for an Automobile!’

If Shakespeare is to be believed, among the last words of England’s King Richard III were, “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!” That’s what His Unhorsed Majesty is supposed to have cried before being defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Ironically, the field is now apparently the site of a parking lot — not for horses, but automobiles. Now a skeleton found there during an archaeological dig has been identified through DNA testing as Richard’s. Four months of tests also revealed other evidence, including battle wounds and signs of scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. Shakespeare’s Richard was a villainous fellow, but some historians today say he has been misjudged through exaggerations and false claims. There is even a Richard III Society, which urges a new look at His Majesty. People often have differing opinions about leaders. Find a leader in the newspaper and write out qualities supporters think he/she has and qualities opponents see. Finish by doing some research on King Richard III. Write a few paragraphs offering your view on whether he was a good guy or a bad guy.

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

4. Sacred Carvings Returned

The carvings are sacred to Paiute-Shoshone Indians, but not especially valuable monetarily on the black market. So no one is quite sure why thieves chiseled and sawed away at a volcanic escarpment in the Eastern Sierras in California to steal five ancient petroglyph panels. Or why they have been returned anonymously, after a tip sent in the mail. Federal investigators who recovered them say they have no motive for the theft and return, but no suspects, either. The carvings depict animals like deer, snakes and sheep, and geometric shapes. As a class, talk about the importance of sacred relics to ancient and modern societies. Find an example in the newspaper or online. Write a paragraph describing the object’s significance to its culture. Then pick an object in our culture and write how it could be considered sacred or special to people.

Common Core/National Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

5. Tobacco and Longevity

Longtime smokers can expect to lose about 10 years of life expectancy, researchers have concluded, but the sooner they stop smoking, the longer they may live. A recent study concluded that people who stop smoking between ages 25 and 34 may regain almost all of the 10 years they might have lost, compared to those still at it. People who stop between 35 and 44 gain back about nine years; and those between 45 and 59, from four to six years. The finding, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, was drawn from government data on more than 200,000 Americans whose lives had been tracked since 1997. Use the newspaper and Internet to learn more about this study. Then design a public service ad for the newspaper highlighting its findings.

Common Core/National Standards: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.