1. HONKING PROBLEMS

Waymo, a company with driverless cars, has a problem in San Francisco. Their cars are parked in a lot near some apartments, and they’ve been honking at each other during the night, waking up people nearby. The cars honk when they think another car is too close, which is a feature meant to prevent accidents. One person noticed the honking early in the morning and shared a video of it online. Waymo said they didn’t expect the cars to honk so much in the parking lot, and they’ve updated the software to make the cars quieter. Even though some people find it funny, others wish the cars would stop making so much noise, especially when it happens at 4 a.m. How would you handle this situation if you were being woken up by a company’s cars honking every night? Write a list of steps you could take to try and correct the situation so you could get better sleep.

2. GREECE FIRES

Recently, a big wildfire near Athens, Greece, caused a lot of problems for locals and tourists alike. The fire started 24 miles away from the city and quickly spread through dry forests, burning over 124,000 acres. It damaged around 100 homes and forced many people to leave their houses. Firefighters and volunteers worked hard to put out the fire, which was fueled by strong winds. Greece is having a tough summer with lots of wildfires because it's extremely hot and dry. This year has been one of the hottest on record. Scientists say climate change is making these fires worse. Wildfires have also caused water shortages in some areas, affecting tourists and local resources. If you’re planning to visit Greece or any area affected by wildfires, it’s important to stay safe. Listen to emergency alerts and follow advice from locals and officials. Avoid lighting any fires and be careful with water use. Greece is trying to use new technology to help control fires and keep people safe. Write a summary that includes at least five facts you learned from this story.

3. IN THE PITS

Some NASCAR racing teams are hiring former college football players for their pit crews. These players have strong bodies and quick reflexes that help them change tires and refuel cars very fast during races. NASCAR races can be won or lost in the pit stop, where every second counts. The teams hold special tryouts to find the best athletes, who then learn the new skills they need for racing. Former football players like D.J. Twitty and Ben Wilson are examples of athletes who switch from football to NASCAR pit crews, where they use their athletic skills in a new way. Teams are also investing a lot in training and equipment to make their pit stops faster and better. This story is an example of how the skills you learn in one area can be used in others. Can you think of any examples from your life where you learned something in one subject, activity, or sport and it helped you in another? Write a paragraph about your experience.

4. WOMEN IN POLITICS

A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that women politicians face a lot of mean and hurtful comments on Instagram. Researchers looked at over 421,000 comments and found that 1 in 25 of them were very likely to be "toxic," meaning they were rude, disrespectful, or could make someone want to stop talking. They used a special tool from Google to figure this out. The study showed that women politicians often get these toxic comments, which makes it harder for them to take part in important conversations online. The report also tested how well Instagram handles these mean comments. They reported 1,000 abusive comments to Instagram, but after a week, 93% of the comments were still there. This means Instagram didn't do much to remove the harmful comments, even when they were really hurtful. This might make some people think they can be mean to women politicians without any consequences, and the bullying and harassment can affect whether women decide to enter politics and run for office. Why is it important to be kind to others, even online when you can post anonymously? Think about how saying mean things can have consequences even if you don’t directly get in trouble for it. Write a paragraph about this and share with your classmates, listening to their different ideas and perspectives.

5. TROUBLE IN COURT

A judge in Detroit got in trouble for making a 15-year-old girl wear jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip to his courtroom. The girl, named Eva, fell asleep in court because she was tired from not having a stable place to live. The judge, Kenneth King, didn’t like her attitude and wanted to scare her by making the situation feel real, even though he wasn’t planning to put her in jail. Eva’s mom, Latoreya Till, was upset and said the judge was being a bully. The judge has now been taken off his duties and will go through special training. The court said what he did wasn’t right and that they want everyone to feel safe and respected in court. The group that organized the field trip also said the judge’s actions were wrong and that the students should have just been asked to leave if they were being disrespectful. How would you feel in this situation? Write a paragraph about how it would feel to be singled out like Eva was and what the judge could have done differently to make it a learning moment without making her wear jail clothes and handcuffs.