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Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support. FOR THE WEEK OF FEB. 19, 2018 ‘Black Panther’ makes a big impact on movie screens and beyondPick another topic that reflects the cultural and political climate now. How is it timely?
Now find coverage of other entertainment or an activity of interest. Tell why it appeals to you.
Read about someone you consider a real-life hero. Summarize her or his achievements.
The new Marvel superhero film "Black Panther" lives up to the hype in its year-long marketing campaign. Audiences, critics and cultural scholars like what they see, and the pioneering movie that opened last week fuels discussions about Africa, film industry changes and racial pride. Donations to more than 70 online fund drives let students see the film for free, and some groups pay for group viewings by African-American children. The reasons for intense social media buzz and other national attention are clear: This is a big budget ($200 million) Disney film with a black writer-director (Ryan Coogler) and a mostly black cast. Not a typical Hollywood blockbuster, in other words. "Simply going to the movie can be interpreted as a small gesture of protest and a grand expression of cultural pride," reporter Salamishah Tillet writes in The New York Times. Here’s the basic story: The smooth, brilliant title character, also known as T'Challa (played by Chadwick Boseman), is king of the fictional African nation of Wakandan -- the globe's most advanced state. From drinking the nectar of a mystical flower, he has super-human strength. Wearing a suit woven of bullet-proof vibranium, he is virtually indestructible. His princess sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, creates technology that defends the advanced country untouched by war or colonialism. Killmonger, Black Panther's nemsis (actor Michael B. Jordan), is a warrior with exceptional intellectual power. It's a special-effects thriller with inspiring themes – strong women, African self-development, black heroes. "In its emphasis on black imagination, creation and liberation, the movie becomes an emblem of a past that was denied and a future that feels very present," writes New York Times reviewer Manohla Dargis. Actor says: "This Halloween, the first time I see a little kid -- a white kid -- dressed up as Black Panther, I'm taking a picture. You better believe I'm taking a picture, because that’s the crossover." – Sterling K. Brown, a star of the film Professor says: "There's not a whole lot of black superheroes, so this is a really important thing, especially for black kids growing up." -- Brigitte Vittrup, associate professor of early childhood development and education at Texas Woman's University Teen actress says: "I'm so fortunate that my younger brothers and I are growing up in the era of 'Black Panther' — an era in which our blackness is not only being normalized but honored." -- Yara Shahidi, 18, co-star of "Grown-ish," a cable TV comedy series Front Page Talking Points is written by
Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024
Front Page Talking Points Archive►Schools vs. phones: Bans surge to keep focus on learning rather than screens ►Election drama: Democratic convention will pick a nominee as Biden ends campaign against Trump ►President Biden, 81, resists calls to let a younger Democrat run against Donald Trump ►Turning point: Supreme Court says presidents have 'absolute immunity' for official acts ►First Biden-Trump debate of 2024 airs Thursday from Georgia ►Health experts monitor the jump of bird flu to cows and a few farm hands, but see no wide risk ►Negro Leagues stars from a bygone era gain new standing in Major League Baseball records ►Justice Samuel Alito adds two flags to Supreme Court ethics storms |
Step onto any school campus and you'll feel its energy. Each school is turbocharged with the power of young minds, bodies, hearts and spirits.
Here on the Western Slope, young citizens are honing and testing their skills to take on a rapidly changing world. Largely thanks to technology, they are in the midst of the most profound seismic shift the world has ever seen.
Perhaps no time in our history has it been more important to know what our youth are thinking, feeling and expressing.
The Sentinel is proud to spotlight some of their endeavors. Read on to see how some thoroughly modern students are helping learners of all ages connect with notable figures of the past.
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