Here it is — part one of a recap of all the current events I’ve covered in class so far. It’s incredible for me to be able to step back and see what’s been covered in class, considering I always start each semester with barely any current events curriculum. Because, y’know, it’s current events. This is what I covered in August:
The Improving Economy and Job Market: There have been over 2 million jobs added to our economy since the beginning of the year. The 7.0% unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in five years. The auto industry is seeing its best sales since before the recession. Our GDP has been positive for the past 16 of 17 quarters.
Government and Law Enforcement Surveillance: It was an amazing feat of law enforcement to find the Boston Marathon bombers in under a week. They were able to do so with the latest technology. Police and politicians across all parts of the U.S. are pushing for more surveillance in their cities. Edward Snowden has released and continues to release documents about the surveillance activities of our government. The National Security Agency sweeps up records of telephone calls and records of Internet activity on foreigners overseas.
The Rana Plaza Building Collapse in Bangladesh: Over 1,100 people died in the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry.
The Retirement of Coach Alex Ferguson: When one of the best coaches in any sport retires, its newsworthy.
Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere Hit A Milestone: There’s science behind the claim that humans are contributing to the increasing amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Suicides in the U.S. Military: In 2012, suicides of active-duty troops surpassed the number of American troops killed in Afghanistan.
Tornadoes: Earlier this year, a tornado left a huge trail of destruction in Oklahoma — then in November, it happened in the Midwest.
Xbox One: Over the summer, Microsoft unveiled their contribution to the eighth generation of game consoles — the Xbox One. It has already sold over 1 million units.
Why Conspiracy Theories Exist: There are some outrageous conspiracy theories about JFK’s assassination, 9/11, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and the Boston Marathon bombings. There’s an underlying psychological reason for why conspiracy theories will always be around.
Childhood Obesity: A third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Schools need to be doing more to improve the physical education and activity programs in school.
Pope Francis: The newest pope has brought many positive changes to the Vatican and is well-loved around the world.
Indy 500: On a cool and sunless afternoon in Indianapolis, Tony Kanaan won the Indy 500 for the first time in 12 tries.
Winning the Lottery: Some people are lucky enough to get rich fast. Some of those people are foolish enough to spend it all. There are ways to stay wealthy.
PlayStation 4: Sony followed Microsoft with an announcement of their own — the PlayStation 4. It too has sold over 1 million units.
Genetically Modified Organisms: I keep hearing about GMOs in the news and decided to give it some coverage in class.
Demographics: Our country is becoming increasingly racially diverse. If current trends continue, whites might become a minority by 2050.
Protests in Brazil: Over 100,000 citizens in Brazil took to the streets to protest heavy tax burdens and inadequate education, health, security, and transportation.
NBA Finals: LeBron James and the Miami Heat became the NBA champions for a second time.
Voting Rights Act: In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that because it is using outdated information, the Voting Rights Act no longer needs to have states and municipalities with a history of discrimination clear changes in voting procedures with the federal government. The rest of the law remains intact, but many were outraged that the Supreme Court struck down Section 5. To enhance my students’ understanding of the Supreme Court, we did an activity about 10 Supreme Court cases every teen should know.
Gay Marriage: I have to recuse myself from covering this topic in class, but there has been significant progress in the gay rights movement this year. The Defense of Marriage Act was struck down and Proposition 8 in California was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in June. There are sixteen states where same-sex marriages are legal now that Rhode Island, Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Illinois have expanded rights. 68% of Americans are on board with these changes.
"I Have A Dream": Fifty years is a long time for a dream to still resonate — I hope my students come to realize the monumental significance of Martin Luther King Jr.