Six Flags Qiddiya unveils plans for world’s longest, fastest and tallest roller coaster

(Image:  Six Flags Qiddiya)

https://www.newsweek.com/fastest-roller-coaster-world-speeds-155-mph-will-open-this-six-flags-1566747 

1.  In what ways are numbers used in this article?  How might one's knowledge of engineering limit or create apprehension for wanting to ride this roller coaster?  

2.  To what degree does the location matter for this story?  Why might a teenager in Saudi Arabia fell differently about this than a person in Mexico?

3.  In what ways is this connected to environmental sciences?  How might we connect this to the last book you read?

4.  What would you do if you won tickets to be the first person to ride this roller coaster?  What factors change in order for records like this to be broken? 

5.  What might be the long-term effects of building this roller coaster? Is there something more important I should be considering in this story? 

Extension Activities:  

1)  Students can compare previous record-breaking roller coasters and present their findings in a visually appealing way?

2)  Students can design their own dream roller coaster and present their findings to the class.  

Stolen Copy of World's Most Expensive Painting Is Found

(Museum of San Domenico Maggiore)

https://www.newser.com/story/301485/stolen-copy-of-worlds-most-expensive-painting-is-found.html 

1)  What numbers are used in the article as evidence of authenticity?  How is evidence used in art to determine authenticity? 

2)  Whose perspective is represented in this story?  Whose perspective is left out?  Why might an Italian feel differently about this than a Brit?

3)   In what way is this connected to science?  In what way is this connected to the last movie you saw?

4)  How might this have been different if it happened one year from now?  In what ways might this situation have been resolved quicker?

5)  How is this significant for students?  In what ways might this be significant for Italy?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research famous art heists and rank them on a scale of significance.

2)  Students can research the most valuable pieces of art and plot the figures on a chart where they get to choose the x and y axis labels.  

Family of Teen Sues School to Play on JV Team

He was cut from the Ladue High soccer team. First his family cried foul. Then they sued.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/he-was-cut-from-the-ladue-high-soccer-team-first/article_a8eb5429-4355-5357-9aa2-a3c6eababeaf.html

1)  What evidence is being used to prove discrimination or non-discrimination?  What evidence do you find most convincing? How are numbers used in this story to persuade the reader?

2)  To what degree is one perspective promoted over another in this story?  In what ways might the teen's perspective differ from his parents'?  How could you view this story from both the school's and the family's perspectives?

3)  To what degree is this connected to your school?  How might this be connected to Harry Potter?  To the Academy Awards? 

4)  How could the coach's rationale change if this was a different sport?  How could this be different if the student was 2 years younger?  Older?  In Colombia? 

5)  In what ways is this significant to you?  What are the long-term consequences for the school?  For the student?  What is a piece of information that could make this significant for a student at this school in the future?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research and report about famous athletes/artists who got cut/rejected from teams early in their career trajectories.

2)  Students can devise an equitable plan/policy/advice for students who find themselves in a similar situation.

Authorities Investigating Tourist Riding Crocodile

https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/incredible-moment-tourist-jumps-on-the-back-of-massive-saltwater-crocodile/news-story/697f1ce15e6672b963f96f34e80461ff
Picture: Niels Jensen/Caters NewsSource:Caters News Agency

1)  What makes this story credible?  What more information do I need to understand this problem better?  What numbers are used in this story to give a value judgement of the tourists actions?   

2)  Were the perspectives in this piece generally positive or negative about the man's actions?  How is my own perspective limited in making a judgement about this story?  How might this story be perceived differently in different parts of Australia?  In different parts of Denmark?

3)    Have you seen something like this before?  In what ways is a connection to "Crocodile Dundee" or "The Crocodile Hunter" appropriate?  To which classic fairly tale or story is this most connected?   

4)  How might this story be different if the tourist's nationality were changed?  To what degree would this be newsworthy if there were fewer media outlets in Australia? 

5)  What might be some ways this story is significant for Australian tourism?  Environmental efforts?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can study tricks of zoologists to keep animals docile when humans are around and look for patterns between groups of animals (reptiles and mammals)

2)  Students can list animals common to their area and rate on a continuum "most dangerous" to "most friendly".  

Driver Pays More than Half Million for Parking Space

Hong Kong just set another property-price record.


Photo via @busrep

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/prized-hong-kong-parking-space-sold-record-664-104700211.html


1)  In what ways are proper nouns used as evidence in this story?  What might convince someone that this was purchased for investment and not personal use?  

2)  In what ways might an American's view on this story be different than a Chinese person?  Why might an American 16 year old think about this differently than a 12 year old?

3)  In what ways is this connected to the last book you read?  To what degree is this connected to your last experience at a store?

4)  How might this story have been different if it were written 20 years ago?  In what ways would this change if the buyer was not a native of Hong Kong?

5)  What are the most significant numbers in the article?  What are some basic assumptions about parking?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research the most expensive cities in the world based on a variety of characteristics (etc. GDP per capita, housing, food) and identify primary reasons for the economic conditions.

2)  Students can research and propose alternative parking plans for their school at changing populations.  

A Guide to What Teenagers Think is Cool

What is Lit?

Just some teens, enjoying the coolest brands. (Getty Images/ISTOCKPHOTO)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/04/teens-think-axe-body-spray-is-cooler-than-espn-mcdonalds-or-vice/?utm_term=.d39e2f77f4a1

https://storage.googleapis.com/think/docs/its-lit.pdf

1)  What evidence is presented in these resources?  Is it compelling for the conclusions the authors come to?  What are the limits in surveying people for research?  To what degree can one trust the conclusion of YouTube being the "coolest" brand?  

2)  Whose perspective is represented in the articles?  Whose perspective is not represented?  In what ways are teenagers' perceptions different than their parents?  Why might a Pewdiepie subscriber think about this report differently than someone who has never heard of this YouTuber?        

3)  In what ways can this report connected to the environment?  To government and politics?  Education?

4)  To what extent would this report have been different if they extended the age range 3 years above and below?  How might these resources be    

5)  In what ways is this significant to you?  What are some assumptions about teenagers?  About the field of advertising?  What are the long-term consequences of this report?  Short-term?  

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research the techniques used to sell products and bring in ads that use these techniques.  They can then compare them to early techniques in marketing (i.e. Listerine).  

2)  Students can create an guidebook of new words for teachers to be aware of and update it throughout the year.  They can then chart the use and disuse of slang words throughout different periods of time through research or by interviewing family members.

AoK:  Human Sciences

WoK:  Language

Wasteful Spending? US Gov Spends $2M, Finds Out Kids Like Food Un-Sneezed On

Senator Questions the Value of Scientific Research

 (Getty Images/mammamaart)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/30/should-the-u-s-spend-200000-on-how-500-year-old-fish-bones-relate-to-tanzanian-social-status/?utm_term=.6218dd1cef44#comments

1)  Which numbers are used as evidence in this article?  What evidence is used by politicians as "appropriate" or "too much" spending?

2)  Why might a scientist have a different opinion on this than that of a builder?  Whose perspective is left out?

3)  In what ways is this connected to sports?  Instagram?

4)  How might this be different if it was written by a scientist?  What would happen if the government did not fund scientific research in the non-STEM related field?

5)  What are some basic assumptions about government?  The role of science in society?  How are those assumptions reinforced in this article?  How are they undermined?  

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can research the history of breakthroughs/inventions that have their roots in seemingly trivial experimentation and create a top ten list.

2)  Students can research Bell Labs/Raytheon and NASA/NSF for the various ways the government and the private sector approach research and development.  

AoK:  Natural Sciences

WoK:  Emotion