1. FRANCE TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD

President Emmanuel Macron of France announced that his country will recognize Palestine as an independent state, becoming the first major nation in the Group of 7 to do so. This decision comes while a war continues in Gaza and many countries debate how to bring peace to the region. Macron said the goal is to help end the conflict and support a long-term two-state solution, where both Israel and Palestine can exist peacefully. But not everyone agrees — Israel’s government reacted angrily, and U.S. leaders, including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, strongly opposed the move. France’s announcement sets it apart from its usual allies and shows that it wants to take a different path to solving the crisis in the Middle East. Working in pairs or small groups, research which countries currently recognize Palestine as a state and which do not. Create a color-coded world map to show the differences. Then, write a short paragraph explaining why some countries choose to recognize Palestinian statehood while others do not. Include how this connects to what you learned about France’s recent decision and what it might mean for global politics.

2. A VICTORY FOR SANCTUARY CITIES

A federal judge in Illinois has ruled that the state and local governments are allowed to keep their sanctuary policies, which limit how much they cooperate with federal immigration officials. The Trump administration had sued the leaders of Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County, saying these policies interfered with national immigration laws. But the judge said the Constitution protects these local policies and that the federal government can’t force cities or states to help with immigration enforcement. Leaders in Illinois argue that sanctuary policies make communities safer because immigrants feel more comfortable talking to police without fear of deportation. Critics of sanctuary cities say they make the country less safe. This case is part of a bigger debate happening across the country about how much power states and cities should have when it comes to immigration. After reading about the court case involving Illinois’ sanctuary policies, write a paragraph explaining how local and federal governments sometimes disagree on laws. Then, create a short script for a mock debate between two students: one representing a city mayor who supports sanctuary policies, and one representing a federal official who opposes them. In your script, each person should give at least two reasons for their opinion. Perform or read your debate aloud with a partner.

3. THE PROBLEM WITH STEEL

All around the world, steel factories are making more steel than people actually need. Steel is used in many everyday products, like buildings, cars, electronics, and even canned food. It’s also important for national defense, which is why countries are afraid to slow down production. But now there’s so much steel being made that prices are dropping and companies are struggling. One big reason is that China makes a huge amount of steel and sells it at very low prices, which makes it hard for factories in other countries to compete. In Europe, many steel companies are laying off workers, and U.S. tariffs are making it even harder for them to sell steel to American buyers. Some factories are trying to switch to cleaner, more environmentally friendly methods of making steel, but those are expensive. Governments around the world are trying to balance keeping jobs, protecting the environment, and staying strong in global trade—but there’s no easy answer. Imagine you’re a government leader trying to help your country’s steel industry. In a paragraph, explain one decision you would make to support your steel factories—would you add tariffs, give money to help build cleaner factories, or limit how much steel can be made? Why did you choose that option, and what do you think the outcome would be? Then, research what steel is used for and write down five things in your daily life that include steel.

4. IRAN’S WATER CRISIS

Iran is facing one of its worst water crises in history. After five years of drought and decades of poor water management, major cities like Tehran are close to running out of water. Some reservoirs are nearly empty, and the government is asking people to use less water. In Tehran, many people don’t have running water for hours—or even days—and must store water in tanks when they can find it. The water pressure is so low that water can’t even reach upper floors in many buildings. Temperatures are extremely high, and scheduled power outages make it hard for people to use fans or air conditioning. Experts say that the crisis is made worse by climate change and government mistakes, like building too many dams and using too much water for farming and industry. Protests have broken out in some cities, with people demanding access to water, electricity, and basic needs. Many fear the situation will continue to get worse without major changes. Think about what it would be like to live without reliable access to water. In a short paragraph, describe how your daily life would change if you could only use water for a few hours each day. What would you have to do differently at home or at school? Then, research one way people or countries are working to save water during droughts. Write a few sentences explaining that solution and whether you think it could help a place like Iran.

5. COGNITIVE STANDARDS

Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat from Washington, is raising concerns about aging members of Congress who may no longer be able to do their jobs well because of mental decline. She believes this is a serious issue that makes people lose trust in their government. Perez recently proposed a rule that would create basic cognitive standards for lawmakers, but her idea was rejected. Still, she says many voters, including those in her own district, support having mental fitness checks for elected officials. She plans to keep pushing for this idea by working with other lawmakers and trying again next year. The issue comes as more members of Congress are over age 70 and as debates continue about how long officials should serve and who decides when it’s time for them to step down. Write a paragraph explaining your opinion: Do you think there should be rules to check whether members of Congress are mentally fit to serve? Why or why not? What might be some fair ways to do that without being unfair to older people? Then, do a short research task: Find out the average age of U.S. senators or representatives and compare it to the average age of U.S. citizens. What do you notice about the difference?