For Grades 9-12 THE WEEK OF Mar. 11, 2013

1. Wiretap Challenge Nixed

The U.S. Supreme Court has been repeatedly killing or ending lawsuits challenging government anti-terrorism programs, including secret surveillance, mass arrests of Middle Easterners and drone strikes abroad. Now, it has thrown out a suit contending that the secret wiretapping of international phone calls and e-mails is unconstitutional. The ruling was not based on the merits of the case, however, but on the ground that none of the plaintiffs has “standing” to sue because they can’t prove that they themselves had messages intercepted. The plaintiffs were civil rights advocates, who describe the 5-4 ruling as a Catch 22, since the government will not reveal just whose messages have been involved. The practice, they insist, violates the ban on unreasonable searches in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The expanded wiretapping, believed to be conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA), is one of the steps begun secretly by the Bush Administration after the 9/11 attacks on America, but since has been ratified by Congress and supported by the Obama administration. As a class, review the wording of the Fourth Amendment. Debate whether you agree or disagree to the challenge to wiretapping. Use the discussion to craft an editorial for the newspaper, expressing your view.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

2. Watch That Diet

A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet may raise the risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as 28 percent, at least if you’re a woman between ages 30 and 49. That’s the group whose diets were studied recently by a research team in the European nation of Sweden. The absolute increase of risk is small, the researchers agree, but they warn that many young women trying special weight-reducing diets could develop cardiovascular problems later. For a healthier diet, nutritionists suggest less meat and animal protein, and more beans, edamame, tofu, nuts, nut butters, low-fat or nonfat yogurt, cottage cheese and milk. In your newspaper, find news about diets or nutrition Pick one story and discuss with the class. Then use the food ads, to design healthy meals for one day — breakfast, lunch and dinner.

3. The Real “Shake?’

Those “Harlem Shake” videos that have attracted more than 200,000 YouTube hits are usually not the Harlem Shake at all. The real Harlem Shake is a raw, fluid, frenetic dance born in New York City more than 30 years ago. It’s believed to have originated with a man known as “The Al.B,” who would entertain the crowds in Harlem’s Rucker Park during halftime at streetball basketball games. It was then popularized by a four-man dance crew, Crazy Boyz. The current explosion of videos on YouTube has inspired a song from the producer Baauer, now in its second week at the top of the Billboard charts. The videos include sky divers doing the dance while falling through the clouds, a swim-and-dive team doing similar moves under water and Norwegian Army officers, in camouflage and berets, breaking into their version of the dance. Back in Harlem, folks are not amused. “It’s like they’re disrespecting the whole style of dancing,” one local commented. Check out the videos, and read up on the “Harlem Shake” in your newspaper and online. Then think like a newspaper dance or music critic, and write a review of one video, giving your opinion of it. Remember to use specific items from the performance to support your opinion.

Common Core/National Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue; producing clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to the task, purpose and audience.

4. ‘Seeding’ the Coral Reefs

Conservationists are planting different fast-growing species of coral in a desperate effort to reverse what appears to be the slow death of the coral reefs off Jamaica’s north coast in the Caribbean Sea. Undaunted by skepticism that the measures may not be effective, advocates insist the “seeding” will restore the reefs and that the only other option is to permit an ecological catastrophe. The demise of Jamaica’s coral has been caused by mats of algae and seaweed that have shrouded the coral in the shallow reefs. That has trapped warm ocean waters and bleached out and killed the living coral. The sea urchins and plant-eating reef fish have mostly vanished, replaced by snails and worms that bore through coral skeletons. Across the world, coral reefs are in serious decline, degraded by overfishing, pollution, coastal development and warmer ocean water. In Jamaica and other Caribbean nations, this is a threat to the economy, which is based on tourism and fishing. As a class, talk about ways that climate change is affecting other species besides coral. Do some research using the newspaper and Internet and design an informational ad for the newspaper highlighting the effects of warming on one species or habitat.

Common Core/National Standard: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarizing points of agreement engaging and disagreement; engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

5. Age 27 Not Unlucky

Rock musicians appear more likely to die young than people in the general population. Statistics support this observation, indicating that rockers in their 20s and 30s are two to three times more likely to die young, probably because of the rock-and-roll lifestyle. But a commonly held belief that age 27 is especially unlucky (several big-name stars have died at that age) does not hold up. These are conclusions in a study of 1,046 British musicians, compared to the population of the United Kingdom. The musicians all played on No. 1 albums in the U.K. charts between 1956 and 2007. As a class, discuss lifestyle choices that rock musicians make that may make them more vulnerable to early deaths. Then use the newspaper and Internet to research health risks for teens and people in their 20s. Use what you find to design a poster outlining ways that teens and twentysomethings can avoid common health risks. Give your poster an eye-catching title to attract attention.