1. Other Nations Are Healthier

Americans like to believe we live in the world’s healthiest nation, but it’s apparently not so. The National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine have reported that among men in 17 wealthy countries, Americans have the lowest life expectancy, and among women, only the Danish fare worse. What’s more, Americans have higher rates of infant mortality, injuries and homicides, sexually transmitted infections, obesity and diabetes, heart disease and chronic lung disease, among other categories. “Even Americans who are … insured, college-educated and seem to have healthy behavior are in worse health than similar people in other nations,” according to the chair of the research panel. The panel called for further research, including coordination with other countries to see whether any of their successful strategies could be adapted in the U.S. In your newspaper or online, find a story about this health report, or a health issue affecting teens. Draw an editorial cartoon for the newspaper expressing an opinion on one issue.

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

2. Age of Aquarius

The astrological sign of Aquarius begins on January 20 each year. Check out the horoscopes in today's newspaper and then find an interesting newsmaker on the front page. Write a horoscope for the newsmaker for tomorrow in the form of a prediction of what her day may be like.

Common Core/National Standards: Using drawings or visual displays when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or points; demonstrating the ability to use different voices in oral and written communication to persuade, inform, entertain and inspire audiences.

3. Is ‘Energy’ Worth It?

Hospital emergency rooms report a surge in visits from young people suffering complications from highly-caffeinated energy drinks. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that hospital visits involving these drinks doubled between 2007 and 2011, when emergency rooms reported a total of 20,783 visits in which an energy drink was the primary cause or a contributing factor to anxiety, headaches, irregular heartbeats, and even heart attacks. In almost half of these cases, the drinks had been consumed along with alcohol or other stimulants, and the largest group of patients were between 18 and 25. “Consumption of energy drinks is a rising public health problem,” the federal report says. As a class, discuss why teens and young adults choose caffeinated energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster Energy and others). Talk about how companies market them to make them attractive. Then design a health and safety ad for the newspaper detailing health risks high energy drinks can present.

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

4. Teen Activist

Malala Yousafzai is out of the hospital, and with her parents in Birmingham, England, where her father has been hired as an education attaché at the Pakistani Consulate. In a few weeks, she will undergo further surgery. Malala is the teenage activist shot in the head by Taliban militants for advocating the education of girls in the south Asian nation of Pakistan. She has made “excellent progress,” British surgeons say, but it’s unlikely she or her family will be returning to Pakistan soon, especially since the Taliban has vowed to attack her again. She has a good chance of making a full recovery, medical experts say, but they are unsure about the long-term impact of her head injuries. The shooting took place in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, when militants boarded her school bus and sought her out. In the newspaper or online, read about the Taliban’s extremist views and actions. As a class, discuss what it would be like to live in a society where such views can inspire violence against teens or families.

Common Core/National Standards: Engaging effectively in a range of collaborative discussions;

5. The QB’s Girlfriend

After leading Alabama to a lopsided victory over Notre Dame in college football’s national title game, A.J. McCarron saw his number of Twitter followers jump to 116,000. But he was far from No. 1 for his gains in the Twitterverse. That honor went to his girlfriend, Katherine Webb, whose Twitter fan total jumped from about 2,200 to more than 160,000 after TV showed her in the stands with A.J.’s mother during the game. Webb was 2012 Miss Alabama USA, and a graduate of Auburn, which is Alabama’s traditional college rival. “What a beautiful woman!” broadcaster Brent Musburger remarked when the camera focused on her. This prompted ESPN to apologize the next day for the “commentary [going] too far.” Webb didn’t agree: “It was kind of nice,” she said. Newspapers pay a lot of attention to celebrities in their entertainment sections because people are interested in their lives. In today’s newspaper, find a celebrity in the news. Use what you find to draw a comic strip featuring this celebrity.

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