1. No Medal for Drone Pilots

The U.S. Defense Department has decided to scrap a controversial new military medal for drone operators and cyber-warriors. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has canceled creation of the Distinguished Warfare Medal, which had been established by his predecessor, Leon Panetta, to honor service members who make a major contribution to a military operation without actually being in a combat zone. Some lawmakers and veterans had objected, especially since the medal for operators of unmanned drone aircraft would have been ranked higher than some traditional combat medals. Hagel says remote-control warriors deserve recognition, but with a pin or device attached to existing decorations, not a stand-alone medal. The use of drones by the U.S. military is on the rise. It also is sparking debate and discussion. In the newspaper or online, find a story about the use of drones by the United States. Read the story closely and write a summary of its key points, using evidence you find in the text of the story.

Common Core/National Standards: Reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.

2. Another Oil Spill Suit

Florida has become the fourth U.S. state to sue the oil company BP and the cement contractor Halliburton for damages in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi filed suit a few days earlier, joining Alabama and Louisiana. Florida’s suit faults BP for — among other things — not changing the batteries on the oil rig’s blowout preventer and accuses Halliburton of installing faulty cement barriers before an explosion at the rig released millions of gallons of oil into the water off the gulf coast. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Panama City, Florida, which has jurisdiction under the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990. After disasters cause damages or loss of life, lawsuits often are filed seeking cash payments as penalties. Find an example of such a suit in the newspaper or online. Write a short summary of the case, including what happened, what damages were caused and what penalties are being sought.

Common Core/National Standards: Conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic; citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions; writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

3. Selena Offends Hindus

When Selena Gomez danced at the MTV Movie Awards, she apparently (and probably unknowingly) offended Hindus. The Universal Society of Hinduism wants her to apologize for wearing a sparkling bindi decoration on her forehead, because it is “an ancient tradition in Hinduism and has religious significance.” There were other traditional motifs in her India-themed performance, but it was the bindi that was found offensive because, the Hindu group said, “it is not meant to be thrown around loosely for seductive effects or as a fashion accessory.” As a class, discuss cultural traditions of different ethnic groups and why they are important. Then talk about whether entertainers or people outside an ethnic group should use a tradition for entertainment purposes. Use the Internet to do a little research about the bindi decoration and write a letter to the editor of the newspaper stating whether you think Selena Gomez should apologize for using the decoration.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; writing opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

4. Overweight? Sleep More

A new medical study suggests that adolescent obesity would decease if teenagers got more sleep. In the study, reported in the children’s health journal Pediatrics, researchers speculate that less sleep discourages physical activity and affects hormones that regulate expenditure of energy. The heaviest children benefit the most from sleep, the researchers said, averaging a 0.28 reduction in body mass index for every extra hour. The data in the study indicates that increasing average sleep times to 10 hours would lead to a 4 percent reduction in obesity. Many American teens and adolescents are overweight, according to health studies, but many could reduce their weight with more exercise. Use the newspaper to find an activity that could provide a way to get exercise. Write a paragraph summarizing why the activity would be beneficial. Then design a poster that would make students your age want to try the activity. Give your poster a fun, eye-catching headline.

Common Core/National Standards: Conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic; writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points.

5. The Cinnamon Danger

If someone asks you to take the “Cinnamon Challenge” — DON’T. Lots of adolescents have taken this dare, which challenges people to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon spice in 60 seconds without water. Don’t do it, doctors warn, even if you have seen it in hundreds of YouTube videos. According to a report in the children’s health journal Pediatrics, at least 30 American teens have required medical attention after taking the challenge. Doctors say it can cause choking, breathing problems and even collapsed lungs. The spice itself is caustic, so gulping it down can be dangerous. A Michigan teen, who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the Cinnamon Challenge, started a website advising other young people to “just say no.” As a class, talk about the dangers of taking dares like the Cinnamon Challenge and why people do them. Then divide into teams and use the newspaper and Internet to do some research on the effects of the Cinnamon Challenge on teens or pre-teens. Use what you find to create a multi-media presentation and deliver it to the class.

Common Core/National Standards: Using technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently, as well as to interact and collaborate with others; integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.