Debate,
The legal and historic background of copyright, public domain and provenance — encouragement to create in the arts and sciences and to be rewarded — are introduced against the historic and current examples of looting of art, book banning and burning, and banishment and firing of those who make literature and arts accessible. Weekly means for inspiration and access to the arts, books and culture are also explored in Post Arts, Style and Entertainment.
When Associate Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement from the Supreme Court, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson, the first Black female, to fill the pending vacancy. The Senate hearings, Court history of all White men until the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall and all male until the confirmation of Sandra Day O’Connor, Court influence on society and recusal option provide lessons, resources and activities.
From animals, sweat bees and monarch butterflies to horseshoe crabs, manatees and white sharks to veterinary careers and zoos, articles and activities provide students with many examples of tracking movement and tracing survival. Students read and write a photo essay on a theme.
The articles and suggested activities in this guide focus on the content and challenges in today’s children’s literature and the content of the character and challenges to Dreamers to remain in America, the only home they have known.
Students are introduced to five countries that form North Africa as that region reflects on the ten years after the Tunisian Jasmine Revolution and the beginning of Arab Spring and evaluates its success. Western Sahara provides a case study as the Biden administration faces foreign policy challenges.
The U.S. Constitution provides the framework for governing, including the oath of office the president takes every four years as a peaceful transition of power occurs. Realizing the rituals of inauguration faced challenges during pandemic surges but creative plans took shape to include the entire country in safe celebration. President-elect Biden rolled out his nominees for Cabinet leadership. Attacks on the Capitol on January 6 reminded everyone that democracy requires vigilance and commitment to protect it.
From Abigail Adams to Febb Burn women asked men to remember the ladies in their legislative endeavors. Along the difficult journey to their enfranchisement, women took their pursuit into their own hands — they organized, petitioned and protested in front of the White House; they marched, they sang, and were arrested. They voted and ran for office. We focus on the 19th Amendment, women in the Supreme Court and a 2020 Election Toolkit.
There is always change, but 2020 was a year of extraordinary changes — global deaths due to a pandemic, marches for racial equality and justice, name changes of schools and teams, a woman of Indian and Jamaican heritage on the Democratic ticket, NASA’s return to space shuttles — and mundane curtailments that influenced culture. Students read, discuss and debate, and write about these changes and those who made a difference.
After the FBI announced charges against 50 people in a college admissions scam, we take a closer look at college admissions (legacy, development, regular applicants), admissions essays (approaches to writing with authentic voices) and the effect of wealth on society and on determined parents (bribes, payments, sabotage), their children and other college applicants.
Understanding the origins of its use and historical context in which blackface emerged will help students to understand why photographs in old yearbooks and its use in Halloween costumes are offensive and part of centuries-old degradation of one race by another.
