Literature, Literacy and Current Events

Astronauts one step closer to return to Moon
Astronauts one step closer to return to Moon

Aug. 19, 2019 - Reminiscent of NASA's successful Apollo program in the 1960s and 1970s that landed 12 astronauts on the Moon, NASA announced Friday that Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama will lead the development of a human lunar landing system for NASA's return to the Moon by 2024, named the Artemis program.

Word of the Day
Artemis: noun;In Greek mythology, the Greek goddess of the Moon and the daughter of Zeus; Find it in blue in today's top story!

Writing Practice

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Featured Text Set (with Audio)

Pathfinder pilot recalls D-DayPathfinder pilot recalls D-Day
May 24, 2019 - David Hamilton was 21 years old when he was one of 20 pilots flying the first missions on D-Day.

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Questions
  1. Why is Rosa Parks called the 'Mother of the Civil Rights Movement?
  2. What prepared Rosa for the action she took on Montgomery City Bus #2857 on Dec. 1, 1955?
  3. Why was the life Rosa led such a courageous one?

Douglas Brinkley, author of Rosa Parks: A Life, speaks at the Student News Net Symposium on Sept. 14, 2018..

Weekly VOCAB

Week of August 19

adequate: adjective; enough, sufficient;
Storm system soon to be Hurricane Barry

gunky: adjective; slimy; unpleasant;
Why is western Lake Erie a gunky green color?

nutritious: adjective; good or beneficial to the human body;
Strawberries: one super summer fruit

unattainable: adjective; not able to be attained, done, realized, accomplished;
Happy Birthday NASA!

Today In History

August 21

1965: NASA's Gemini 5 mission launched with two astronauts - Colonel Cooper and Lieutenant Commander Conrad - who broke a new international record by orbiting the Earth for 8 days.

1912: Library of Congress: Arthur R. Eldred of Oceanside, New York, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. He was the first person to earn the award. He did not receive the actual badge until September 2 (Labor Day), as the badge had not yet been made. The Boy Scout movement began with the 1908 publication of British Lieutenant General Robert S. S. Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys.

1858: The first debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas was held in the town square of Ottawa, Illinois. Lincoln was running against Douglas for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Douglas had been one of the two senators from Illinois since 1847. After a series of debates, the events are now known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln lost to Douglas but two years later beat him in the presidential race.

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Featured Unit

Chemical Elements "Off the Wall"

Studio glass art is a recent development but creating functional glass from silica sand is thousands of years old. Through this Student News Net video, tour the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, Washington to marvel at the beauty of glass and the chemical elements! Student News Net was there in 2017.

Read More: Seattle sights are simply stupendous

Pink diamonds are rare
Pink diamonds are rare

Sept. 3, 2013 (update: 2016) Over 90 percent of the world's pink diamonds come from The Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia. Pink Diamonds are very rare and very expensive, but all diamonds are tetrahedrons of carbon atoms.



In The News

   
Extra! Extra! Writing Practice Practice your writing skills by summarizing the information contained in the story at the left. What is the main point of the story? What are the key findings? Why is the story an important one? What are its implications? When finished, you can either print or email your document.
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