Weekly Features (updated every Monday)
Newspaper NIE Home Page | Video of the Week | Headline Geography | Front Page Talking Points | Use the News | Last Week in the News
This Week in History Cartoons for the Classroom | Special Report | Pulse of the Planet
Words in the News | The Green Room: Conservation for the Classroom | NASA's Night Sky Network
This Week in History Cartoons for the Classroom | Special Report | Pulse of the Planet
Words in the News | The Green Room: Conservation for the Classroom | NASA's Night Sky Network
Common Core State Standard
L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, 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.
L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, 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.
01/02/2023
Authorities investigate continued attacks on the power grid
Attacks on power substations in Washington state knocked out electricity to about 14,000 customers over the holidays in the latest rash of such incidents. Politico reports 2022 had the highest number of attacks on the nation's power grid in a decade, with more than 100 physical and cyber strikes through August. Some attacks have been linked to extremists trying to spread chaos. Electric utilities, law enforcement and lawmakers are scrambling to find ways to better protect the nation’s vital power supply.■Class discussion: Has your family experienced power outages? How long did the blackouts last? What causes most power outages? How could the loss of electricity threaten lives? Could an extended and widespread blackout lead to a breakdown of law and order? If someone is caught attacking the power grid, should they be treated as a vandal or a terrorist, facing severe penalties? Could a foreign cyberattack on our power system trigger a war? Should we raise electric rates or taxes to harden the security of the grid?