The news media has the responsibility to provide citizens with information. In what ways does providing news through print, broadcast and the Internet help citizens to be self-governing, better informed and engaged in the issues and events of their communities? In what ways is radio an important means of conveying information to individuals in countries around the world? The news peg for this guide is the establishment of WTWP radio station by The Washington Post Company and Bonneville International. We include a wide array of other stations and media that are engaged in utilizing First Amendment guarantees of a free press. Activities in this guide, take students into the pages of The Washington Post where readers learn of the latest developments in technology, media personalities and the significance of radio in transmitting information and serving different audiences at home and abroad.

The Civil War spurred inventions and innovations that moved America into the industrial age, transformed naval warfare, and called for new modes of leadership.

Photography can be a cross-disciplinary tool for verbal literacy development, aesthetic and technical visual literacy instruction, and a study of the human condition.

The Declaration of Independence and First Amendment. Boston Tea Party and Tea Party movement. Resurrection City and Occupy K Street. Through solitary pleas, marches, sit-ins and protests at home and in D.C., Americans have demonstrated they have the right to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Their causes have encompassed all sides of the social, economic and political spectrum — taxes, suffrage, civil rights, wars, more government and less government involvement.

Since their rights to voice opposition and to seek change have limits, the parties involved have sought a balance between practicing guaranteed rights and protecting the public safety, security and order.

At the one-year anniversary of the Arab Spring, protests, armed revolts, government uncertainties and first elections are taking place across North Africa and the Middle East. This tumultuous change was activated by one man’s act of self-immolation.

Activities in this guide cross disciplines to study protests at home and around the world. Resources include a vocabulary development, study questions, and two lessons written by a Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project fellow. Post reprints provide news, commentary, editorial cartoons, maps and informational graphics. Two e-Replica suggested activities in this guide focus on researching global protests and evaluating Occupy D.C. coverage.

The qualities that define leaders are ageless yet refined each generation. The census, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and gerrymandering impact elections every ten years.

Embrace wellness, from top to toe, inside and out. Health is examined through concussions, hair products, microbes, and the function and fashion of shoes. Students learn to read, apply and communicate for a healthier, informed community.

Letters to the Editor provide a brief and effective forum for citizens to express their views. Students employ their skills of comprehension, analysis, comparison, synthesis, and persuasion through reading and writing letters to the editor. They may also be used to understand attitudes of the past.

As explorers discovered new plants, they brought back drawings, specimens and seeds. Today, these once-exotic edibles are part of our daily lives as we stop at the grocery store, the coffee shop and nursery. Activities in this guide encourage interdisciplinary lessons in botany, nutrition, art, mathematics and community engagement.

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan impacted thousands and challenges accepted theories and practices. These include plate tectonics activity, construction methods, energy and fuel provisions, effective communication, economic and human resilience, and disaster preparedness. Suggested activities in this guide include studies of the stock market, nuclear reactors and tectonic plates. Informational graphics of maps, pie charts and illustrations are incorporated into lessons. In the midst of physical destruction, the human story cannot be lost: thousands have perished and relief workers seek survivors, residents without homes live in shelters and seek necessities, and many near and far from nuclear reactors face contamination of water and food.

Students who know their rights will help ensure that those rights are not ignored. Posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools and zero-tolerance policies provide in-school cases to study due process and the balance between individual liberties and the public interest. Activities include a crossword puzzle, e-Replica searches, opinion survey, Establishment Clause Tests, poster project and holding a public hearing

The most populated country in the world, The People’s Republic of China is a fascinating mix of history, geography, culture and demography. Activities and reprinted Post editorial, commentary, articles and photography focus on modern China — its social, economic, political, scientific and technological dimensions — against the backdrop of its heritage.

The business side of producing a newspaper is discussed in "INSIDE Journalism: Keep the 'Ad'itude." Students are asked to classify advertisements as display or classified and to critique their effectiveness as consumer communication and as works of art. Randy Mays answers questions in "Meet the Ad Designer." Ad design artist Donna McCullough reveals the steps involved in creating a display ad in "The Making of a (Fake) Ad." Students are given guidelines to produce their own ads in "How to Design a Display Ad." "A Changing Community, A Changing Role" takes a look at Janet Cooke and one of the darkest chapters in Post history. Music censorship is the lesson focus of "You and Your Rights." Vocabulary and resources are included.

Study of arthropods and recent insect infestations has many interdisciplinary expressions. Beginning with observation and research, students may engage in scientific and journalistic writing and the creation of field guides, wanted posters and display cases. Post article reprints focus on bedbugs, stink bugs, beetles, borers and ants.

As the United States commemorates the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, reflection on the causes and consequences, people and events involved, and impact on culture, technology, economy, and legal and social dimensions of the nation takes place. In addition to selected reprints from The Washington Post, this guide provides resources, vocabulary, study questions and a wide variety of suggested activities: a Lincoln quiz, personality and technology research projects, and a business-related advertising study. One project combines the research of Civil War personalities, creation of timelines and sending tweets.

Third parties, interest groups and political movements add to the debate of issues, influence policy decisions and reflect the attitudes of citizens. This guide provides activities to examine their role and the impact of the Tea Party movement, interest group funding and the media itself on the 2010 campaigns and elections. Suggested activities incorporate Post news coverage, commentaries, editorial cartoons and graphics. Students are also guided to create a third party.

The newspaper provides more than today’s news. It is the source of opinion, analysis and suggestions for daily living. Activities in this guide focus on photographic composition, the FED PAGE, guest commentary, incorporating history into news coverage, and finding the local angle in national and world issues. The articles in the guide provide points of discussion and models for student composition.

The massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that began on April 20 has been described as the “greatest environmental disaster” in American history. The on-going news story has economic, environmental, marine biology, health, lifestyle, technology, policy and political ramifications. Activities, vocabulary, resources and reprinted Post articles cover all of these disciplines and encourage students to continue reading.

The national initiative to combat childhood obesity is the catalyst for articles and activities in this guide. News coverage of the kick-off and subsequent actions provides the public with information to evaluate the decisions of officials, to educate about health and nutrition, and to change behavior. Teachers will find activities in which comparsion and contrast can be used for before-and-after evaluation, style analysis and media assessment.

Advertisements highlight products, services and a corporation’s community involvement. Readers learn about the latest styles, sales and social issues. Suggested activities in this guide introduce the different types and purposes of ads and provide resources to evaluate, write and design ads. Legal and public notices provide a glimpse of economic and social conditions in a society. In Meet the Ad Manager, Carolyn Monroe provides insight into another career option.

The family stories that are passed from one generation to the next, those that are created within a family and those that are shared with a wider readership entertain, inform and educate. Activities in this guide provide approaches for collecting, composing and comprehending personal narratives. Two reprinted First Person Singular narratives capture the voices of their subjects and serve as models for young writers seeking family stories. Post articles relate family survival stories — a Suitland teenager with an injured heart, Haitian families living in a tent city, Afghani sisters seeking an American education, and a child of the “disappeared” redefining love.

Reading the Sunday Washington Post expands horizons, informs and provides educators with material to use in every classroom. Highlights and activities in this guide cover each section of the Sunday Post. They include the ethics of decisions made in selecting photographs for publication, using Dr. Gridlock’s tips, exploring the business side of the Olympics and writing for different audiences.

The economic condition of the U.S. can be told in economic indicators and government reports. It is also revealed in the personal stories of the public and in their faces. Washington Post stories provide activities in reading charts, using data and maps, and investigating the impact of the stimulus package on students’ communities. Students will do a close reading of Anne Hull’s feature to reveal the writer’s craft. They will examine Michael Williamson’s photographs to explore storytelling in light and dark

They entertain, educate and provoke you. An American art form, ranging from panels to continuity strips, comics provide storytelling and self-expression. A crossword puzzle, activity sheets and the works of Herblock, Tom Toles and Ann Telnaes are in this guide. Work on symbolism, syndication and freedom of expression add depth the study of comics.

This online guide is composed of previous and new activities for incorporating the Washington Post e-Replica Edition into the classroom. An exact digital copy of the newspaper accessed online with a password, the e-Replica may be read at school, at home, wherever there is an Internet connection. The activities in this collection apply to many disciplines. In addition to the reading, writing, mathematics and critical thinking skills that are exercised using The Washington Post, the e-Replica Edition utilizes technology and electronic information gathering skills.

Students examine the right to vote and from whom this right may be taken. Voting patterns of American voters in presidential and off-year congressional races are studied and used in planning a mayoral campaign that will increase voter turnout. Commentary by former president Jimmy Carter focuses attention on the conducting of elections, in particular those in Florida. Two political cartoons by Post editorial cartoonist Tom Toles stimulates discussion of the role of media in campaigns. After reading a Post article, students discuss the eligibility of individuals with dementia to vote. Online resources, books to read, a word find and vocabulary are provided.

Editorial cartoonists provide a visual commentary on the current events, policies and issues that confront government officials and citizens. They provide an engaging means to study American history, allusions and personification, and art techniques. This guide features 16 of Herblock’s more than 14,000 cartoons for study in history, art, journalism and English classes — and by all who engage in civic discourse. Current events and history influenced the work of Herblock; he also exercised an influence on events as they unfolded. During a time when newspapers are letting go of their staff editorial cartoonists, it is important for society to re-examine the important role that insightful and observant cartoonists play in a democracy and a free press.

The sea is a place of solitary joy and stormy waters, maker of mayhem and source of mystery, a haven and home to plants and animals. In “The Sea — Rich and Strange” changes are reported in Post articles, editorial and graphics. Science, art, home economics and economics lessons include study questions, a herbarium mount, a cake to bake and maps to explore. Concerns about sustainability, environmental impact, scarcity, and supply and demand impact the debate between livelihood and protecting the natural environment of the sea. E-replica activities focus on the Contents, Calendar and Search features.

Learning does not take a break in summer. Find physics at a baseball game, swimming pool or amusement park. Take a Road Trip to lighthouses, find a fossil or count dragonflies. Many of The Post articles serve as models for writing assignments. Write about people, summer icons and group activity.

Mexico, a country with a rich cultural heritage and history, remains closely tied to the U.S. Lessons in economics, global health provisions and international policy are provided as Mexico confronts the epidemics of drug trafficking, violence and the A/H1N1 virus. For journalism teachers, the coverage of these issues by The Post provides lessons in depth reporting and breaking news coverage.

Ethical, legal, business, cultural and societal issues related to using social networking technology are covered in this guide. Post articles and suggested activities cover a variety of social networking topics — blogs and micro-blogs, digital gaming and netiquette, benefactors and imposters, texting and sexting, and personal and business communication. Internet safety and test-taking practice are combined in “You and Gaming” for younger students. Student activities cover business and marketing applications of social networking by educators and students, cartoonists and technology firms.

As illustrated in On the Brink found in this guide, the Washington region has its share of endangered and threatened species. Current Post coverage, activities and resources for further examination are provided. Suggested activities include personal, state and government involvement. Case studies ask students to focus on the different points of view and policies influencing species on the brink.

In a democracy, the president and his appointed officials provide leadership, set policies, give direction and carry out initiatives for the common good. The First 100 Days of an administration are examined, especially in the times of economic crises and war, for evidence of success in addressing public need, in laying the foundation for policies and communicating with Congress and the public. Activities and resources in this guide cover the executive branch. Students chart the Cabinet and conduct a “Bureaucracy Scavenger Hunt.” Students of all ages are encouraged to collect photographs from the pages of The Post to illustrate concepts that form the foundation of our democracy. News and Style section articles, an editorial and Bob Woodward commentary, and a Sally Jenkins column are reprinted.

The Constitution provides the framework for the inauguration of a president, but the individual adds his own mark on the ceremony, expresses his philosophy in his address and begins his legacy that may impact the lives of future generations and the character of American society. In this NIE guide, teachers will find resources and worksheets to guide annotation of past presidents’ and Obama’s 2009 addresses, to report on Inauguration Day, to study Lincoln’s legacy and to test one’s knowledge of past inaugurations. Reprinted Post articles cover the Lincoln-Obama connection, the role of the speechwriter, Lincoln’s cottage and conservation of artifacts, another dimension of preserving a legacy.

Book World is awhirl with possibilities for teachers and students: To meet new authors and their books, to visit with familiar works from a new perspective, to attend mini-lectures on varied topics and to study models of book reviews. Writing a book review enhances reading skills; critical thinking; analytic, evaluative and explanatory abilities; and composition fluency. This guide’s content includes book reviews to use in the classroom, a close reading technique, guidelines to writing a book review, and exercises in reading charts and doing online research of publishing companies.

The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. was not its first nor its last, but it was the one that preserved the Greek-influence on the arts and culture of the Roman Empire. This guide provides close reading activities using The Post review of the National Gallery of Art Pompeii exhibit and a travel article, a Road Trip of mosaics in the D.C. area, and an art project to make mosaics using patterns found in the excavations of Pompeii. An e-Replica worksheet is provided.

The 2008 presidential election is a time of historic decisions and new approaches. History will be made as either an African American is president or a female is vice president of the U.S. It is also a turning point in new uses of technology by candidates to attract donors, to communicate their message and to organize campaign workers and by media and citizens to examine financial contributions and to fact check the candidates.

It is time to review the driving forces of a market economy. As motorists and other petroleum product consumers face increased prices, The Post in the Oil Shock series reports on the supply and demand for oil, alternative sources of fuel and the latest technology for oil recovery. In this guide, discussion questions, a crossword puzzle, a supply and demand activity and online resources are provided. The Washington Post resources to use with the suggested activities include a Tom Toles editorial cartoon, charts and graphs, guest commentary, and six articles.

In May 2008, The Washington Post published a five-day series on childhood obesity, Young Lives at Risk: Our Overweight Children. Students, parents, the school and greater community need to address the issue of childhood obesity to create healthy citizens now and in the future. This 37-page online guide provides reprints of many of the Post articles, graphics and photographs. Activities, a close reading guide, insight into the creation of the poster/graphic, and resources are provided for use in health, mathematics, art, government, English and mathematics classes.

Staying safe and keeping fit requires healthy decisions about the foods you eat, the exercise you get and the precautions you take. In this first of two NIE guides to feature fitness, Post reprints cover and the suggested activities focus on: Keeping safe while involved in sports activities, making the right food selections at home and school, enacting legislation and guidelines for healthier students and knowing what’s recommended to be healthy at each stage of life.

The primaries and the party conventions that nominate the 2008 Republican and Democratic candidates for president provide an array of opportunities to meet the people who want to be the next president and to focus on the issues that are important to individuals and the country. Reprints of Washington Post articles put into perspective summer’s nominating conventions (“The Ballot Brawl of 1924”), campaigning (“Permanent Campaign?”), the first woman to win a presidential primary (“The Force of Gender”), race in America (“Obama Urges U.S.: ‘Move Beyond Our Old Racial Wounds’”) and Internet influence (“Campaign.USA”). The Washington Post editorial cartoonist Tom Toles has used his pen and wit to provide visual commentary on the candidates, election process and issues. Twenty of his commentaries are included in this guide to give a visual timeline, to highlight events and issues during the race toward nomination, to stimulate discussion and to inspire students to create their own images.

Renewed interest in the environment and living by eco-friendly standards has influenced the building industry, consumer products and business ventures as well as our language and attitudes. A word puzzle, Green Scene quiz, suggested activities and study questions provide options for English, ecology, economics and health classes. Reprints of Post articles come from News, Style and KidsPost, Washington Business, Real Estate, Home and Sunday Source. Vocabulary, print and Web resources included.

Debate trains students to look at all sides of an issue, to examine complex ideas and to develop oral, research and critical thinking skills. Debate is intrinsic to American culture, from debating societies to Lincoln-Douglas debates and televised debates of candidates for president. Activities in this guide include a Socratic seminar, analysis of a televised debate and an in-class debate. The Washington Post provides resources to use with the suggested activities — a Tom Toles editorial cartoon, guest commentary, movie review and two articles covering Campaign 2008.

Informational graphics communicate information quickly and accurately, explain complex ideas, and draw the reader into text. The Washington Post News Art department produces thousands of artworks each year — the maps, charts and informational graphics that help readers comprehend stories. Examples, activities and an interview with a graphics editor are provided to inspire projects, stimulate visual acuity and introduce career opportunities.

The Sports section of The Washington Post provides lessons in meeting deadlines, mathematics and statistics, photography and graphics, language arts and journalism, and geography. This guide encourages teachers to use the Sports section to study the work of Post reporters as models for students to write and to compare ledes, sports news and columns, to prepare charts and graphs using the scores and other data, and to read maps. Post photographer Jonathan Newton’s pointers are illustrated with his photos of high school and professional athletes. Two of Fred Bowen’s Friday sports columns in KidsPost introduce younger students to opinion writing and serve as models for assignments. Student handouts include “Take the Lede,” “It’s About You … and Sports,” and “Out the Door Every Day.”

A caring environment is a precursor to a nonviolent society, tolerance of differences is a necessary component of a caring environment, and a caring environment reacts to a community problem. Staff and students of Newport Mill Middle School, recipient of one of ten 2007 National Schools of Character awards, share some ways to create a caring school community. Ellen Turverey, school counselor, and Beth Shevitz, seventh grade World Studies teacher at the Kensington, Md. school, share a lesson they developed that demonstrates how a news story can be the starting point to discuss social issues, traits that lead to a better society and how bad situations might be improved. Post and KidsPost articles and resources are provided.

Plankton, at the bottom of the marine food chain, has emerged as an important component in scientific, technologic and economic efforts to slow climate change and confront global warming. Through lab reports, research papers, editorials, displays, debates, and research proposals, students explore the different modes of presenting their findings and perspectives to different audiences for different purposes. Steven Mufson's article from the Post Business section is the anchor piece. A Q and A with him clearly reflects the importance of a reporter being a life-long learner and the interdisciplinary (science, business, economics) nature of his energy reporting. A Tom Toles cartoon is included as is a PowerPoint presentation prepared by Lisa Wu, director for the oceanography/geophysical systems lab at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, Va.). Three Post reprints, student worksheets and resources are provided.

All students should experience art — as producers, viewers and critics. Students create an artwork after reading about animals; attend an art exhibit to collect data and to evaluate works of American and international artists; and produce their own exhibit. The suggested activities and student handouts in this guide utilize KidsPost, Style & Arts and Weekend sections of The Washington Post. Activities include viewing parts of a work and completing a zigsaw puzzle to develop observation skills, writing a review, wall text and a press release, and reading about art and artists.

The foreign correspondent provides eyewitness accounts, on-sight interviews and reports of the trends, events and ideas from locations around the world. This guide provides an interview with the Post’s Foreign Editor Keith Richburg and two articles written by experienced reporters that set the foundation for understanding the job of the foreign correspondent. Articles by Post foreign correspondents illustrate correspondents covering war, giving context and insight into another culture, and providing perspective and background on political actions in other countries.

The commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America provides lessons in survival and death, cooperation and conflict, culture and archaeology, government and independent spirits. This second of a two-part Jamestown at 400 guide provides Washington Post articles, illustrated bio of a young Jamestown settler, an archaeologist’s profile, and suggested activities for a study of Jamestown, yesterday and today. Articles can be categorized under four main themes: The convergence of three cultures, the invention of America, the realities of survival and daily life, and the significant contributions of archaeology in understanding the Jamestown settlement and its inhabitants.

The commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America provides lessons in survival and death, cooperation and conflict, government and independent spirits. This first of a two-part Jamestown at 400 guide provides Washington Post articles, editorial cartoon, maps, illustrated Godspeed, and suggested activities for a study of Jamestown, yesterday and today. Read about and discuss the recreation of Virginia Algonquian, tobacco as the seed of empire and vice, and travel along the James River.

The Chesapeake Bay and its watershed provide an important case study of environmental and political decisions, the interaction of communities and species, and the balance between recreation, business and natural environment. The Washington Post articles, editorial and graphics in this guide offer a wide range of avenues into a study of the Chesapeake Bay. Activities include a symposium of the animals, role playing significant roles in the clean-up effort, and a writing exercise. Use them as a starting point for further study of the bay, clean-up efforts, and means to reach the 2010 goals.

World and local leaders, celebrities and the kid across the aisle — all have the potential to amuse, instruct, exasperate and inspire you. They can be the subject of an article, a feature, a short story, play or poem. In this guide we focus on Washington Post columns (Life Is Short, A Local Life), obituaries, and KidsPost mini-profiles. This guide includes a biography project with five parts: research an American, write a news story, present an oral report, make a puppet and entertain parents in character. Bart Barnes gives a first-person account of being an obit writer at The Post.

School safety includes an awareness of germs and the prevention of illness. Students explore the smallest microbes, cleaning methods and their treatment of their schools’ custodial staff in this guide. Students are provided Post articles about the Redskins locker room, a local high school’s football player, care of wind instruments and a hotel’s response to norovirus, and KidsPost’s articles about bacteria and a student in Japan. Discussion questions, a word find and writing projects are included.

On Dec. 26, 2006, Betty Ford released in a written statement the “difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, has passed away at 93 years of age.” In the days that followed, the family — and the nation — would mourn and remember the 38th president of the United States, the longest living and the only one not to be elected to the presidency or the vice presidency. The personal choices and traditional ceremonies that compose the final farewell to an American President are presented in this guide through a sampling of Washington Post coverage of the state funeral, timeline and photographs. The impact of Gerald Ford, the individual who held the office, is reflected in columns and letters to the editor. Activities are suggested and additional resources are provided.

This guide presents activities to use with the maps that can be found daily in The Washington Post. Use them in your classes to enhance the reading of the newspaper and understanding of international and local events. Use them to help students improve their geography skills, to learn the role of environment in human activity, and to picture historical and political perspectives. Post cartographer Richard Furno gives insight into map making. Younger students create a personal Handland, and through maps older students study Latin America and the leftist leaders who are mapping a new political course and contrast fertility rates in Africa and Europe. “Types of Maps” provides examples of a dozen different ways to map the earth and “Know Your Maps” encourages students to find and explore maps.

Many health issues provide stimulus for lessons in economics, privacy vs. public health concerns, illegal vs. legal transport of goods and medicines, laws and ethics. This guide focuses on the current news: an outbreak of mumps in the Midwest and the spread of the H5N1 strain of the influenza virus. The concerns about avian flu also provide opportunity to teach students about the Spanish Flu that killed more than 50 million people around the world and to introduce students to careers in virology and epidemiology. The activities in this guide suggest the range of approaches that can be taken using Washington Post news articles, features, graphics and commentary. Studying etymology, reading of maps and bar graphs, and comparing the Spanish flu to today’s spread of disease — many of the activities cross disciplines.

Poetry, whether found or written hard-sought word by word, allows a multitude of voices, expresses many emotions and provides insight into history and contemporary life. One doesn’t usually think of a newspaper as a textbook or resource for poetry study, but they share many of the same characteristics: brevity, conveyance of human experience and a framework for history as well as perspective on contemporary life. In April KidsPost holds it annual poetry writing contest. On April 16, 2006, Book World featured poets and poetry in celebration of its tenth anniversary. Several articles from that issue and previous columns are gathered in this guide for teachers’ convenience and inspiration. Suggestions are made for their use, but are only a few of the ways this material might be used in your classroom. Word Find and found poetry will appeal to your youngest students. Pairing of “A Stock Idea” and “Poetry in Motion” or combining “A Simile Is …,” “Comparable to What?” and “Fast Break” in “A Decade of Poet’s Choice” will provide advanced students a synthesis exercise.

Take a look at language and the work of linguists. Activities in this guide encourage students to consider the importance of language in interpersonal communication and international exchange, to appraise the benefits and hazards of a limited knowledge of languages, and to discuss its impact on globalization. In legal and policy matters, the work of a linguist can help speakers to understand past usage and its impact on current connotation and denotation as seen in "A Linguist's Alternative History of 'Redskin.'" Two activities provide a study of etymology. Washington Post and KidsPost articles, suggested activities, reproducibles, and other resources are provided in this guide.

After a review of hurricane basics and the historic Atlantic hurricane season, teachers may use KidsPost and Washington Post articles to discuss the influence of tropical storms and hurricanes at the personal, media, business and government levels. Washington Post articles, suggested activities, reproducibles, a crossword puzzle and other resources are provided in this guide.

Post science writer Rick Weiss puts the watermelon into its historic perspective and introduces the how and why of its genetically engineered seedless variety. Illustrations, glossary and an interview with a U.S. Department of Agriculture plant breeder are also provided. The suggested activities range from drawing and writing to devising recipes, to researching the development of other seedless fruits and vegetables. This online guide is related to a new series of science-focused KidsPost articles. Students ask the questions, scientists and Washington Post science writers give the answers. In addition to suggesting activities for using the KidsPost articles, timelines, and illustrations, activities are provided for older students in related disciplines.

In March 2005, the Supreme Court held that the death penalty was unconstitutional as applied to juveniles. As the Court composition changes in late 2005, how might future rulings on issues concerning juveniles be modified? This guide considers the relationships and interests of the court system, law enforcement, news media and the public when juvenile justice is addressed. Washington Post articles from KidsPost, the Outlook section and excerpts from Metro and news sections and an ombudsman column are provided to stimulate discussion and to give examples. A background sheet and suggested activities present Roper v. Simmons, the most recent Court decision concerning juvenile offenders. Vocabulary and suggested additional reading are included.

Whether a classic, a family favorite or a recent release, books can influence the lives of young readers. This guide offers KidsPost and Post articles, activities and resources to encourage your students to be readers, examines propaganda and sweepstakes, and provides an introduction to Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico (1982). Post writer Michael Farquhar explores the use of propaganda in children’s literature in a KidsPost article. Middle school and older students can explore the use of sweepstakes to promote products aimed at children in Caroline Mayer’s “Young Eyes on the Prize.” Background information on a Supreme Court decision prepares students to role play, making decisions about school library content and acquisitions.

Bullies are a safety and health threat to more than three million school children annually. This lesson addresses ways to confront bullies, stop bullies and communicate the facts about bullying. Past Post articles, including two from KidsPost are included. A survey for administration to students and class discussion will give insight into your students awareness of and experience with bullies. “Bully for You!” covers etymology and changing language. You and Your Rights focuses on two Supreme Court cases that considered student-on-student and adult-on-student bullying.

Whether in the Cradle of Civilization or an emerging democracy, voters are rejecting fear and choosing freedom. Students examine the force of freedom found in voting and its impact of various forms of government, a diverse religious and ethnic population, and economic, social and political forces without and within a country. The articles from The Post and activities in Force of Freedom can be used to focus on one country—Iraq—for its current events, recent election and its history as a cradle of civilization and center of learning. Get a perspective on Iraq in the reportage of Anthony Shadid, in the Q and A with Rajiv Chandrasekaran, and maps and infographics created by the Post staff. Journalism students can use Shadid’s ledes as stylistic models. “You and Your Rights” activities compare democracies around the world and debate compulsory voting. The suggested activities lend themselves to discussion and debate, to mathematics, theatre and art projects, and to interviewing and desktop publishing.

Long Arms of the Law focuses on the judicial branch of U.S. government — the role of the Supreme Court and attributes of its justices. Suggested readings and activities are appropriate for grades 4-12. Several variations are suggested for using “Giving Order to Important U.S. Supreme Court Cases,” a timeline activity utilizing seven significant cases. The history and notable judges of the Court are the subjects of one quiz; law clerks and procedures are the subjects of another. Two commentaries from The Post provide perspectives on the current Court’s balance and the justices’ roles in interpreting the law. Resources for writing the profile of the perfect Supreme Court nominee include profiles of the current justices, a chart of the role of the Court and Web sites.

In order to become informed participants in a democracy, students should learn about the women and men who make decisions concerning their lives. The president of the United States and the Cabinet that he appoints are such people in the executive branch. Through Washington Post articles and activities using “Cabinets of President George W. Bush,” students are introduced to members of the Cabinet and their roles. David Broder’s commentary “Tight Little Cabinet” provides stimulus for an evaluation of Cabinet members. “Spotlight on the Attorney General’s Role” gives historic perspective, current expectation and an activity focusing on a current issue. Quiz your students’ knowledge using “White House Families” and “Presidential Trivia.” Read a review of presidential memoirs, “All the Presidents’Books,” or select a book to read from suggestions.

Should the Electoral College Count? Six weeks after voters have indicated their choice for president and vice president, electors meet to cast their ballots. Through activities in this guide students review why the writers of the U.S. Constitution devised the Electoral College and evaluate if electors are still necessary. In addition to a brief history of the Electoral College, factual information includes “Electoral Votes in Proportion,” a map; “Distribution of Electoral College Votes,” a chart; and “How the Electoral College Works,” a Post graphic. As students evaluate the electoral system and contemplate alternative approaches, they have three opinion pieces to stimulate discussion: “The Non-College Try,” a Washington Post editorial; “Improve on Red vs. Blue,” a commentary by Post columnist William Raspberry; and “Repair the Electoral College,” by guest columnist Peter Shane.

In “What Determines Election Outcomes?” students examine the influence of the 2000 presidential election results, political parties, issues and campaign advertising. Excerpts from David Von Drehle’s Washington Post Magazine article begin a look at the changing face of America’s political parties. Elie Wiesel in “Mean Season” asks readers to question the tone of campaign rhetoric. An editorial cartoon by Tom Toles gives students visual commentary on the battleground states, media coverage and their influence on the election. Data from the 2000 presidential election, current campaign advertising targets and costs and Web resources are provided. Reproducibles to accompany activities include “Analysis of Campaign Advertisements,” “ Where They Stand,” and “Whose Vote Really Counts?” After a study of the battleground states, students are asked to predict the election winners, and, after Nov. 2, to determine the 2008 swing states. A First Ladies quiz puts the focus temporarily on the other running mate in today’s campaigns.