For Grades 5-8 THE WEEK OF Oct. 07, 2019

1. Impeachment

The decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to launch an impeachment inquiry into the actions of President Trump has divided Democrats, Republicans and much of the nation. The House made the move to start impeachment proceedings after a “whistleblower” who had worked at the White House alleged Trump sought the help of the president of the European nation of Ukraine to dig up “dirt” on political rival Joe Biden and his son. The House, which is controlled by Democrats, will now call witnesses and investigate the allegations of this and other actions by the President. If the House votes to impeach the President, the U.S. Senate will hold a trial to determine if Trump should be removed from office. Two-thirds of the Republican-controlled Senate would need to support removal for it to happen. In the history of the United States, just two presidents have been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives (though a third resigned before the House could vote on impeachment). No president has been removed from office after being impeached. The impeachment investigation by the U.S. House is causing great debate around the nation. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read stories about how people are reacting. Use what you read to write a political column analyzing the merits of the different arguments, and predicting what you think will happen.

Common Core State Standards: Writing opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information; reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it.

2. Social Media Health

From YouTube and Facebook to Twitter and Instagram, social media are growing in popularity. But can the use of social media affect your mental health? Yes, according to a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and other institutions. The study found that that 12- to 15-year-olds who spent three or more hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience depression, anxiety, loneliness, aggression or antisocial behavior as were adolescents who did not use social media. And the more you use social media, the greater the risk. The study found that teens and pre-teens who spent more than six hours a day on social media were four times more likely to have mental health problems than non-users. The study was based on a survey of 6,595 adolescents living in the United States. Social media can be a great way to connect with others, but too much use can have negative effects. In teams or pairs, use the newspaper or Internet to find and closely read stories about the effects of social media use. Use what you read to draw up a list of guidelines for healthy use of social media for students your age. Share with the class and discuss.

Common Core State Standards: Conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.

3. Fastest Woman

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the fastest woman competing in track today. She proved that again at the World Championships in the Middle East nation of Qatar. Fraser-Pryce ran away from a world class field to win the women’s 100-meter sprint and came within 0.01 seconds of tying her best time ever for the event. Her time of 10.71 seconds gave her a fourth world championship to go with six Olympic gold medals. At age 32, Fraser-Pryce is the oldest woman ever to win a world or Olympic 100-meter title — and the first mom to achieve the feat. Two years ago, she took a break from running to give birth to her son Zyon. Fraser-Pryce represented the Caribbean nation of Jamaica in the World Championships. She has won more global 100-meter titles than any other sprinter in history, male or female. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is one of the top female athletes in the world. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about another top female athlete. Use what you read to write a sports column discussing this athlete’s achievements, how she attained success and any obstacles or challenges she had to overcome.

Common Core State Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task; citing textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.

4. Milestone for China

The Asian nation of China celebrated a milestone this month — the 70th anniversary of its founding as the People’s Republic of China. In doing so, it also became the longest-running communist government in the world. The People’s Republic was founded in 1949 after the Chinese Communist Revolution led by Mao Zedong. Mao’s Communist Party defeated the Nationalist Party, and the course of history was changed forever in the Asian nation. At the time of the revolution, China was poor and backward. Today it is one of the leading economic and political powers in the world. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about China that reflects its increased economic and political influence around the world. influence. Use what you read to write a paragraph or short paper analyzing China’s expanding influence.

Common Core State Standards: Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement and disagreement.

5. Gator on the Move

Hurricanes and tropical storms cause huge problems for communities. But most don’t make people as fearful as many were when Tropical Storm Imelda hit Beaumont, Texas. The storm dumped 43 inches of rain on the area and flooded the Gator Country alligator adventure park, among other areas. And that allowed one of the largest alligators ever caught in the United States to escape. When the water went down, a 14-foot, 1,000-pound gator named “Big Tex” was missing. He apparently had swum over the top of the barriers at the park and made his way out into the neighborhood. That caused alarm and anxiety among nearby residents, but fears subsided when Big Tex was spotted after a few days near a pond on the 15-acre sanctuary’s property. Animals and wildlife often are affected by severe weather like hurricanes or tropical storms. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about animals being affected this way. Use what you read to write a letter to the editor offering suggestions on ways people could help these animals recover from the effects of the weather event.

Common Core State Standards: Producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task; citing textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.