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For Grades 5-8 , week of May 08, 2017

1. Search for ‘Lost’ Species

Many wildlife species have become extinct around the world, and many others haven’t been seen for years. Species that have dropped out of sight are especially frustrating for scientists, because they don’t know whether they have died out completely or not. This year, the Global Wildlife Conservation group will attempt to find 25 “lost” species it says are on the “most wanted” list of biologists around the world. None is officially extinct, but together the 25 species have not been seen in more than 1,500 years. Starting this summer, expeditions will fan out around the Earth to find such exotic species as the bullneck sea horse, scarlet harlequin frog, pink-headed duck, tree kangaroo, and a giant tortoise on the least explored island in the Galapagos. Wildlife species all over the world are threatened by extinction. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about one species that is threatened or endangered. Use what you read to write a short editorial, detailing problems the species faces and what people could do to ensure its survival.

Common Core State Standards: Writing opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information; reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it.

2. Declaration Discovery

In a remarkable discovery, a second parchment copy of America’s Declaration of Independence has been found in an obscure records office in Sussex County in the European nation of England. The only other hand-written parchment copy of the historic document is housed behind glass at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Made for ceremonial purposes, both parchment versions measure 24 by 30 inches, although the Sussex copy is laid out to be read horizontally. It is not known how the newly discovered parchment made its way to England, but researchers believe it was created in the United States. It was produced about 10 years after the version in Washington, which was created in 1776. The newly discovered copy of the Declaration of Independence is a historic artifact that offers clues about the time in which it was created. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about the discovery or study of another historic artifact from the past. Use what you read to create a multi-media presentation detailing what the artifact reveals about the time it was created. Use images from the newspaper or Internet to illustrate your presentation.

Common Core State Standards: Integrating information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic; conducting short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.

3. A Wildlife Hero

An African man who was forced to fight as a soldier as child has been honored with a top environmental prize for fighting to protect endangered wildlife and habitats. Rodrigue Mugaruka Katembo of the Democratic Republic of Congo was honored for his work as a park ranger at Virunga National Park, which is home to one-quarter of the world's remaining mountain gorillas and has the world's largest lava lake. He was recognized particularly for opposing oil exploration inside the park and for undercover investigations in which he exposed bribery and corruption among officials. Conservationists say oil exploration would have threatened the habitat of the park's critically endangered gorillas, elephants and lions. All over the world, people are working to preserve habitats that are important to wildlife species. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about one such effort. Use what you read to brainstorm an idea for a short film or video telling the story of the effort. Write an outline for your film, including images you would use. Then write the first scene.

Common Core State Standards: Writing narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events; reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it.

4. Moving Confederate Monuments

Like many cities in the American South, New Orleans, Louisiana supported the Confederacy during the American Civil War. And after the war, it erected monuments to Confederate heroes. Like other cities, New Orleans today is reconsidering what to do about monuments to the Confederacy, whose 11 states fought to uphold the institution of slavery. Late last month, after four years of controversy, the city removed the first of four monuments it has targeted for relocation. Opponents of the removals had gone to court to block them, but in March a federal judge ruled the city had the right to ahead with its plans. Among the memorials scheduled for relocation are monuments to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Many communities and institutions are rethinking how to deal with symbols of history that commemorate painful events or are now considered offensive. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about one situation. Use what you read to write a letter to the editor giving your opinion on whether you think it is a good idea to make changes to the way communities or institutions commemorated events of the past.

Common Core State Standards: Writing opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information; reading closely what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it.

5. A Saturn First

The Cassini spacecraft is nearing the end of its mission exploring the ringed planet Saturn, and this spring it has done something that has never been done before. Cassini has successfully dived through the 1,500-mile-wide gap between Saturn and its rings. Between now and September Cassini will make 22 dives through the gap, collecting data on the makeup of the rings and Saturn’s gas core. The mission will end September 15 when Cassini plunges into the atmosphere of Saturn and burn up. The Cassini-Huygens mission was launched in 1997, as a joint effort of America’s NASA space agency, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. Space missions like that of the Cassini craft have given scientists much new information about the solar system and the universe. In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story about a space mission. Use what you read to write an essay or short paper detailing the key discoveries made by the mission, and why they are important to scientists.

Common Core State Standards: Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly; citing specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions.