1. Feel-Good Story

People have many unusual interests, but perhaps one of the most unusual is that of New York architect Gil Schafer. This designer of buildings is fascinated by doorknobs. Schafer — who specializes in fixing up and renovating historical homes and building “new houses that look like old houses” — spends a lot of time finding just the right hardware for each of his projects. “Different kinds of knobs say different things,” says Schafer, and he’s not just referring to their appearance. “It may be beautiful,” he says, “but that doesn’t matter if it doesn’t feel good in the hand.” In teams or as a class, talk about unusual hobbies people have. Then find something in the newspaper that you would like to collect. Design an ad for the newspaper asking people to help you find examples of your item.

Common Core/National Standards: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

2. Election 2012: A Very Important ‘Non-Issue’

The future of our planet may seem like an issue of huge importance, but it’s been practically ignored in this year’s race for president. As voters go to the polls on Tuesday, both President Obama and his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, agree that the world is warming and that humans are at least partly to blame. But neither has made clear what he plans to do about it — nor has he been challenged on the matter by his opponent. None of the moderators in the presidential and vice presidential debates asked about global warming and climate change, and none of the candidates raised the issue. Many scientists are dismayed by what they see as a lost opportunity to inform the public about this problem. So is the United Nations’ top climate change diplomat, Christine Figueres, who sees the question as “not only the cost of climate change to everyone … on the planet [but] the cost of not doing enough.” As a class, discuss the problem of global warming, and what can be done about it. Should people pay more attention to it? In what ways? Write your views in a short editorial for the newspaper.

Common Core/National Standard: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

3. Monkeying Around

For years, a wild monkey avoided capture as it roamed through the neighborhoods of St. Petersburg, Florida. But it finally has lost his freedom. Trappers recently captured the male rhesus macaque, after a wildlife official shot the monkey with a tranquilizer dart and drove him into nearby woods. Residents of the Florida neighborhoods had grown familiar with the monkey, and many had befriended and fed him. But when he bit a woman who had previously fed him, officials felt it was time to move in. What will happen next has not yet been determined. As a class, read stories about this monkey’s situation in the newspaper or online. Or read about another situation involving humans interacting with animals. Finish by writing a paragraph describing what you think should be done next in Florida’s “monkey business” case.

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

4. She’s a Competitor

Lolo Jones is aiming for her third Olympics, but in a sport that couldn’t be much further from her specialty in the past. Jones is a track and field hurdler who finished seventh in the hurdles in the Beijing, China, Summer Olympics in 2008 and fourth in the London, England, Games this past summer, Now, she’s in Lake Placid, New York, competing for a spot on the U.S. bobsled team in this winter’s World Cup circuit and looking ahead to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. She hasn’t given up on hurdles, however; she still plans to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a class, talk about athletes you think would be good in another sport. Pick one from the newspaper and write a paragraph explaining which other sport he/she could be successful in.

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

5. A Tradition

Madrid, Spain is a big modern city, just like New York or London. So imagine the surprise of people when they saw shepherds leading more than 2,000 sheep through some of the Spanish capital’s streets one recent Sunday. Actually, it’s an annual event in the European city, designed to defend ancient grazing, migration and driving rights for sheep that are threatened by modern urban life. Each year, following an age-old tradition, a group of shepherds pay the city government 25 maravedis (coins first minted in the 11th century) to continue to use the sheep route and crossing. In the newspaper or online, find a story about a tradition in a community. Discuss how this tradition could be threatened by modern lifestyles, and how it could be protected.

Common Core/National Standard: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.