The Common Core State Standards highlight five shifts that should be happening in every classroom. Teachers should:
1. Lead high-level, text-based discussions
2. Focus on process, not just content
3. Create assignments with real audiences and with real purpose
4. Teach argument, not persuasion
5. Increase text complexity
Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People?
Several Academy Award contenders like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “American Hustle” glorify white-collar criminals and scammers, and many reality TV shows embrace the wealthy, too. A new series, “#RichKids of Beverly Hills,” is the latest example of our enthusiasm for “ogling the filthy rich.” Why are we so obsessed with watching the antics of the 1 percent?
If you’re tired of the Should students wear school uniforms? prompt, check in with the NY Times on their latest Room For Debate installment. It’s a good resource for students to engage in argumentative/persuasive discourse.
Tracking Injuries on Roller Coasters and Other Theme Park Rides
In 2009, a cable broke on the Xcelerator roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Vista, Calif. The cable ripped through the ride’s car and slashed the leg of a 12-year-old boy. The roller coaster ranks among the park’s fastest, with a top speed of 82 miles per hour. Injuries on Southern California amusement park rides are rare. But when they do occur, the most common ones actually are fainting, nausea and dizziness. People are more likely to get sick or hurt on older rides than on newer ones. And about 1 in 8 accident reports, as they are called, are about riders who were hurt while getting on or off …