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Lesson of the Day: ‘“What’s the Point?” Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘“What’s the Point?” Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On’

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Featured Article: “‘What’s the Point?’ Young People’s Despair Deepens as Covid-19 Crisis Drags On” by Isabella Kwai and Elian Peltier

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect countries around the world, mental health professionals are concerned about the mental well-being of young people. Experts say that lockdowns and school closings have created a “mental health pandemic” that should be treated as seriously as containing the coronavirus.

In this lesson, you will learn about why so many young people seem to be struggling. Then, you will think about how friends, parents and schools can better support young people’s mental health and well-being.

Note to teachers: The featured article deals with anxiety, depression and suicide in young people. Please read it and this lesson plan to make sure they are appropriate for your class.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, and you live in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can find a list of additional resources at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. Additional resources in other countries can be found here.

The featured article begins with the story of Philaé Lachaux, a 22-year-old business student in France. Read this quote from Ms. Lachaux, who talks about the loneliness and despair she has been facing:

“The pandemic feels like a big stop in our lives,” she added. “One that puts us so low that I wonder, ‘What’s the point?’”

In your journal, reflect on Ms. Lachaux’s words:

  • What does this quote mean to you? How do you understand what Ms. Lachaux is expressing? How does it make you feel?

  • Does any part of the quote resonate with how you feel or how you have felt at any point during the pandemic? Does it make you think of things that friends or family members have expressed feeling?

  • What insight does this quote give us into the experience of young people during the pandemic? Why might teenagers and young adults, in particular, be feeling this way?

Read the article and then answer the following questions:

1. What are some of the causes of the mental health issues that young people are facing? Are there any other reasons, not listed in the article, that you would add?

2. What have mental health professionals across Europe noticed about the pandemic’s toll on young people’s mental health?

3. Dalia Al-Dujaili, 21, a student at the University of Edinburgh, says that one good thing about her generation is that “everybody talks about their therapists and their meds.” Do you and your peers talk openly about mental health? Do you agree with Ms. Al-Dujaili that this is a good thing?

4. How do social class and poverty intersect with mental health issues for young people?

5. Choose one of the solutions detailed in the section headlined “A search for remedies” and evaluate it. Do you think this is an effective strategy to support young people’s mental health? Why or why not?

6. Choose one statistic from the article that you find particularly meaningful, troubling or interesting. Then, explain why you chose it and what it illustrates about young people and mental health.

Option 1: Create an emotional well-being tool kit.

It’s important to take care of your mental health, especially in challenging times like these. While we will all have times when we are stressed, anxious, sad or angry, there are things we can do to help ourselves feel grounded, balanced and supported.

Create an emotional well-being tool kit to help you navigate challenging moments. These might be strategies you can employ yourself (“I can reach out to a friend” or “I feel calmer when I take a walk”), or they might be forms of support you need from others (“I would like my family to check in with me regularly” or “It’s easier for me to share when I know someone will listen without judgment”).

First, brainstorm a list of strategies that have worked for you in the past when you have struggled with your mental health.

Then, read some of the advice from experts in one or more of the following articles. Add any ideas that resonate with you to your list.

If you are in a classroom context, you might share your ideas with the class to create a crowdsourced list of strategies that you can draw on anytime, whether to help yourself in times of need or to support a friend.

Option 2: Brainstorm community solutions.

How can society — schools, the government, the media — better support young people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, loneliness or depression during the pandemic?

The article includes several suggestions, such as reopening schools, offering free therapy sessions for students and sharing resources on TV or social media. Do you think any of these ideas could be particularly helpful? What else do you think should be done to help young people?

On your own or with your class, brainstorm some steps your community could take. You might consider:

  • Your school. What resources does your school offer to support students’ mental health? How could the administration better support students? For example, should counseling be more widely available? Should students get mental health days off from school? If schools are closed, should they reopen? What else?

  • The federal or local government. What responsibility, if any, do you think the government has in ensuring the mental health of young people during the pandemic? Do you know of any government programs or services that support young people and mental health?

  • The community. How might your community come together to support young people? What could parents at your school do? How might institutions like the library, the recreation center or local businesses help?

Then, write a letter to your school administration, government or community leaders that explains how you have felt emotionally during the pandemic and provides three suggestions for how they can better support you and other young people.

Option 3: Discuss: Is this a moment for vulnerability or strength?

Do you think that the pandemic has been a time for young people to become stronger and more resilient? Or has it been a painful year that shows the importance in being emotionally vulnerable and OK with experiencing sadness and loneliness? Is it both?

Look at these two perspectives on the pandemic’s effects on young people. The featured article ends with these words from Philaé Lachaux, the 22-year-old business student in France:

Still, some young people see a silver lining. “At least the pandemic has given us the right to be sad,” said Ms. Lachaux, the French student. “We don’t have to show all the time how strong we are.”

Another article about young people’s mental health ends with these two paragraphs from Laura Anthony, a child psychologist and an associate professor:

Much as the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II forged what is known as “the Greatest Generation,” she said the challenges of the pandemic could strengthen today’s young people.

“I think we are going to have a generation of really remarkably resilient kids and teens who grow up to be really remarkable human beings as adults.”

Discuss with your classmates or reflect on your own in writing:

  • What do you notice about the difference in opinion between Ms. Lachaux and Ms. Anthony? Why do you think they might have different perspectives on this moment?

  • Do you tend to agree with one viewpoint more than the other? If so, which one and why? If not, how do you see this moment and why?

About Lesson of the Day

• Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
• Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

Introducing the Black and Brilliant & Codecademy AI Accelerator

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Introducing the Black and Brilliant & Codecademy AI Accelerator

Here at Codecademy, we believe that the future is brighter when the power of technology is equally attainable by all. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Black and Brilliant on an Artificial Intelligence Accelerator program, starting March 15, 2021.

Training a new generation of AI superstars

The Black and Brilliant Advocacy Network is united in creating a more diverse workforce and this 10-week AI Accelerator course seeks to upskill the next generation of AI Superstars. “AI is both a once in a generation opportunity, and a threat for Black and Brown communities,” says Black and Brilliant co-founder Tony Effik. “Now is the time to prepare a new generation of Black and Brown superstars for the world of AI to benefit from the upside and to also protect from the downside.”

“We want to upskill people who have potential to be the next generation of AI Superstars — regardless of their backgrounds or educational attainment. This ranges from people that did not graduate High School, to those with advanced STEM degrees looking to change lanes. We believe in human potential. We believe people with aptitude and drive can achieve great things when given this kind of opportunity.”

Codecademy CEO Zach Sims shares, “When I met Tony, we connected over our shared belief that education can transform people’s lives. That’s why we’re thrilled to collaborate with the Black and Brilliant team on this one-of-a-kind course, which will empower students with both the technical skills and confidence to accomplish big things in AI.”

Participants will make their way through Codecademy’s Data Science curriculum to hone their programming and data science skills. Plus, participants will explore topics including AI Ethics and Social Justice, the Business of AI, and User Experience with the assistance of industry coaches.

Coaches include industry leaders in AI, Data Science, Emerging Experiences, Research, and Design including Marc Maleh, Quincy Olatunde, Toju Duke, Dr. Claudia Igbrude, Matthew Adeiza, Bashir Mohammed, Mahir Yavuz, Sakinah Adebola Abdul-Ibiyeye, Michael Horn, and others.

How to participate

Interested in taking part? Fill out the application to let us know more about your previous technical experience and why you want to participate.

Ten applicants with previous technical experience will be selected to participate in the full program with one-on-one mentoring from industry coaches. There will also be a self-guided second track for 100 applicants without existing technical experience that are looking for an on-ramp into the world of AI and machine learning.

Applications for the course are open here through the end of the month.

Learn more about Black and Brilliant

The Black and Brilliant advocacy network was started in 2020 by Tony Effik, a global managing director at Google and adjunct professor at Columbia University, and his wife, educator Perky Noah-Effik. Check out the interview below for more from Tony on the organization and the inspiration behind the AI Accelerator course.

Q: What inspired you to start Black and Brilliant?

A: My wife and I have always been passionate about inclusion, but we worked in small private ways. Last year when George Floyd happened that was a turning point for us. My 13 year old daughter was distraught and we were giving her “The Talk” all Black parents give to their children. We were tired of it. We marched but felt that was not enough.

Perky and I did a Linkedin post debunking the myth of the lack of Black talent out there by tagging people we believed were Black and Brilliant, and the hashtag went viral across Linkedin. A core of around 100 of us jumped on a call and started to organize. That was the genesis of the organization.

Q: What have you focused on with Black and Brilliant so far?

A: We’ve focused on being a kind of virtual mentor by sharing insights and access. That’s manifested in the form of panels, networking events, and content.

We believe there are cheat codes for every career and industry, so we share ideas about those from people who have broken through the middle and have ideas to share. These cheat codes and careers are usually hidden. I talk about careers behind fences. You can see them, but can’t access them. Cheat codes and allies help you get over the fence and start to dismantle the fence.

Breaking Through the Middle is one of our key themes. Too many talented individuals never ever make it through the middle, which creates problems at the top and at the bottom.

Another key theme is AI as a key industry and career path. We did several live events on Are You ready For AI? last year. [These events can be viewed here and here.]

Q: Why did you choose a course on AI specifically?

AI is generating huge interest in how it will impact the “future of work and jobs.” I’ve been fascinated with AI since I was a child reading about Marvin Minsky at Media Lab and as a child attempting to code a chess game on my Commodore CP64.

AI is too important and too big to be ignored. When we say AI, we use the name liberally to also embrace specific disciplines in machine learning and data analytics — it depends on where you on-ramp from.

There will be jobs across the whole economy impacted by AI from new jobs in project management to law, analytics, and strategy, through to jobs in systems, as well as in engineering.

To learn more, visit the Black and Brilliant website or join The Black and Brilliant Advocacy Network on LinkedIn.

Word + Quiz: modus operandi

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Word + Quiz: modus operandi

: an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

_________

The term modus operandi has appeared in 36 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 11 in “‘To All the Boys: Always and Forever’ Review: Love Sweet Love” by Maya Phillips:

The final installment of the Netflix rom-com (adapted from the book by Jenny Han) about a high school romantic’s secret love letters and her faux-fling-turned-real-thing with a popular jock finds our star couple in their senior year … Lara Jean and Peter are still going strong and have a plan for college: They’ll both go to Stanford, natch. But when Lara Jean is rejected from Stanford and starts considering the other shapes her future could take, happily ever after gets a bit more complicated.

“This is a little dramatic, even for you,” says Kitty (Anna Cathcart), Lara Jean’s little sister and professional heckler, observing the conflict. But that’s also this trilogy’s modus operandi: Its drama consists of adolescent trifles that never have real stakes, especially in the eyes of those who have left high school far behind. It doesn’t matter if you can see the tiny heartbreaks and grand gestures of love from a thousand miles away. “Always and Forever,” directed by Michael Fimognari with candy-cute sets, distressingly stylish costumes and vivacious cinematography, doesn’t have a hint of cynicism. Like Lara Jean herself, this bright-eyed pubescent lovefest is an earnest romantic, admiring every rote route to “I love you.” (The references to “Say Anything” and “Pride and Prejudice” are almost too much.)

_________

Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands?

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Are Sports Just Not the Same Without Spectators in the Stands?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1.

Are you a sports fan? Have you been watching many games this year?

When professional sports resumed after their seasons were cut short or delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, there were few fans, or no fans, present in the arenas and stadiums. How much does this matter to you as you watch the games from home? How do you think the athletes feel about this change? What role, if any, do you think the audience plays in the sports you love?

In the essay “Trust Me, Sports Without Fans Is Not Sports,” Matthew Futterman, a veteran sports journalist, writes about covering the 2021 Australian Open, first from the stands and then during the “snap lockdown” when he watched the matches on television. The essay begins:

MELBOURNE, Australia — For roughly the past two decades, the analytics crowd has peddled the idea that sports is essentially math, that what unfolds on the field of play is predictable and intelligible if viewed through a proper algorithm. Occasionally that crowd has even been right. And in many ways the pandemic sports environment was an analytics aficionado’s dream, a chance for games to unfold in a laboratory, free of the noise, both literal and figurative, that can turn an expected outcome into a beautiful mess.

Now, nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, we really do know the roar of the crowd is as vital to sports as a ball or a net. The artificial crowd noise that Major League Baseball, the N.F.L., the N.B.A. and the N.H.L. have piped in, both for those in the stadiums and arenas and for people watching at home, is a terrible facsimile that makes the spectator-free games feel nothing like sports at all. What stage actors refer to as the “fourth wall” — the metaphorical barrier between performers and spectators — doesn’t exist in sports. A crowd’s passion can seemingly help power comebacks. Its scorn can smother one, too.

For five glorious days at the 2021 Australian Open, I got to experience that noise again, because government officials allowed up to 30,000 fans, about 50 percent capacity, to attend the tournament each day. It was both a joy and a revelation to rediscover the power of what quantum physicists call the “observer effect” — the fact that any observation, however passive, alters an outcome — even in a half-capacity crowd of tennis fans. Sports felt like Sports once more.

Then on Friday, the coronavirus did what it has done so relentlessly for the past 11 months: It shut down the party. A recent outbreak was what much of the world would consider a nuisance. But in Australia, which has managed the pandemic more effectively than any other major economy, it qualified as a critical mass.

The cluster of coronavirus cases grew to more than a dozen, and the state government of Victoria, where Melbourne is, declared a “snap lockdown” of five days, beginning at midnight Friday.

Everyone, except those deemed essential workers, must stay home, though two hours of outdoor exercise and one hour to go to the grocery store or pharmacy are permitted. Players and people considered essential in running the Australian Open will be allowed at Melbourne Park. Spectators, sadly, must stay away until perhaps the singles semifinals, scheduled to start Thursday.

The essay concludes:

So, here is one big reveal of the past week: All those star athletes who have always insisted they are so locked in that they do not hear the crowd? Well, it seems pretty clear they have been lying.

Here was Novak Djokovic, who has won this championship eight times. He has described Rod Laver Arena as his backyard. He was getting ready to play a game the other day, when a clump of women with a Serbian flag stood up and serenaded him with the “Ole-Ole” tune, culminating with, “Novak Djokovic is hot, hot, hot!”

Djokovic gave up on trying to play cool. He stepped back from the court, started giggling, then shook his head to regain his focus.

Here was Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, trying to serve out the third set for what would have likely been the biggest win of her career, an upset of Simona Halep, the No. 2 seed. She was in front of a hometown crowd that carried her all night but couldn’t will her to victory.

“I felt that rush of people just cheering for you,” Tomljanovich said, her voice breaking following the loss. “I’m afraid to say it, but it could be the highlight of the year with the atmosphere and the crowd.”

She is not the only one. I do not know what I am dreading more about the end of this assignment — the last freezing month of a winter in the Northeast, or the largely empty version of sports that the pandemic has wrought.

It’s something, yes, but it is not sports.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Mr. Futterman writes that “the roar of the crowd is as vital to sports as a ball or a net.” Do you agree? Are sports just not the same without spectators in the stands? Do you miss the screams and boos and the roaring of the crowd? Or is the thrill of the game still a source of comfort and joy during these difficult times?

  • What do you think about the use of artificial crowd noise or cardboard cutouts of fans in the stands to recreate the feeling of packed stadiums and arenas? What other creative ideas would you recommend to sports leagues and teams to bring the excitement of crowds to live events?

  • Mr. Futterman mentions the “observer effect”: Any outcome will be different if there is a person or people present and watching. When have you experienced this? Was it in athletics or a performance of another kind? What do you think would have been different in your experience if there had been no audience present?

  • The essay states, “All those star athletes who have always insisted they are so locked in that they do not hear the crowd? Well, it seems pretty clear they have been lying.” What do you think about that? Do you think athletes play differently when the crowd cheers them on — or tries to get under their skin? Have you ever experienced this? Can fans give their team energy, or it that wishful thinking?

  • Do you have a favorite memory as a sports fan — either cheering in the stands or watching on television? What stands out and why? How does that memory compare with sports spectating during the pandemic?

About Student Opinion

• Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column.
• Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it.
• Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Gas or Electric? Thinking Algebraically About Car Costs, Emissions and Trade-offs

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Gas or Electric? Thinking Algebraically About Car Costs, Emissions and Trade-offs

Provide a written response: At approximately what year does the Camry start to become more expensive to own than the Tesla? Use evidence from both the table and the graph to support your answer.

Answer: At about eight years of ownership, the Camry surpasses the expenses of the Tesla in the table of values. In addition, the lines in the graph representing our models “cross” at Year 8 — at this point, the Camry’s higher rate of cost per year finally “catches up” with the Tesla (which had a higher starting cost).

In addition to costs, we can also model the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with each vehicle over time. Although Tesla is better for the climate over time, the Camry puts out less emissions during its production. Answer the next questions to explore the emissions trade-offs for these vehicles:

1. The upfront vehicle and battery production for the Tesla creates emissions in the amount of 11,074 kg CO2-eq (this unit of measurement means “emissions equivalent to the global warming potential of 11,074 kilograms of CO2”). The power sources that create electricity to charge the battery expend about 1,368 kg CO2-eq per year. Create a mathematical model to determine total emissions (in kg CO2-eq) for the Tesla:

Answer: Where x represents the number of years you’ve owned the car:

Tesla: Total Emissions =1368x+11074

2. The upfront vehicle production for the Camry creates 7,402 kg CO2-eq of emissions. The production of fuel and burning of fuel needed to drive the car produces 4,525 kg CO2-eq per year. Create a mathematical model for the Camry:

Answer: Where x represents the number of years you’ve owned the car:

Camry: Total Emissions=4525x+7402

3. Approximately how many years will it take for the Camry to produce more total emissions than the Tesla? Show your work using a table of values and a graphical sketch.

Answer: The Tesla becomes more emissions-efficient shortly after the first year of ownership. By Year 2, according to the table, the Tesla has lower overall emissions. In the graph, we see the lines “cross” shortly after Year 1, as the Tesla begins to have lower total emissions because of its lower rate of emissions per year. Hands down, the Tesla is the more environmentally-friendly option, and it grows more environmentally friendly with each passing year.

Our interview with 5-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber about his Sports Activism online course, new on Coursera

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Our interview with 5-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber about his Sports Activism online course, new on Coursera

By Shantelle Williams-Valadié, BOLD ERG Chair and Associate Director, University Partnerships, Coursera

In the 1968 Olympics, medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos punched defiant fists into the summer air, decrying oppression of Black communities in the country whose colors they wore on their tracksuits. The act seized the world of sports and was widely condemned by mainstream media. Nevertheless, more than 50 years later, the image of those men holding their fists high atop that podium is one of the most iconic in our collective cultural memories, sports or otherwise. What can we learn from this story today, and from the decades of sports activism that have followed?

In a new course from Morehouse College, 5-time NBA All-star and guest lecturer Chris Webber gives us a rare opportunity to hear and examine the stories of John Carlos, and others who risked ostracism and isolation for a cause. Through the lens of sports, learners will explore questions like: “What is protest?” “What is a just cause?” “Did these athletes’ actions make a long-lasting impact?” “How did athletes use their platforms before social media existed?”

In the course, Chris Webber welcomes guests and notable athletes and activists such as Spencer Haywood, Dr. John Carlos, and others, to help us examine issues of leadership, progress, inequality, collaboration, justice, and problem-solving. 

On an unusually quiet Monday morning, I sit down virtually with Chris. He greets me with a wide smile, humble and visibly passionate about the course he’s about to launch on Coursera. As we begin to talk, the story of how this course came to be flows naturally from him. There is the occasional interruption when he stands up to show me a photo or, (my favorite), a framed Nelson Mandela quote in his room. In his own words, he tells me what this course, and the new Morehouse partnership it debuts, means to him and what it will bring to Coursera learners. 

“Sport has the power to change the world, it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.” – Nelson Mandela

Chris, can you tell us about the course and who it’s for?

Activism in Sports and Culture is a course that, through first-hand narratives of athletes, aims to provoke thought and argument about the place of sports in our economy and civil society. This is a course for everyone, in particular those who love discussion, love history, and who want a fresh look and perspective on what’s happening at the intersection of sports and society today. But, this is not just about sports and entertainment; we’ll be learning and analyzing stories of perseverance, selflessness, and sacrifice. 

I want [learners] to be inspired and informed, hearing from the people who have made the greatest sacrifices in order to influence global conversations. I also want them to take a look at societal issues because sports is a microcosm of society: you’ll find players of all beliefs, political affiliations, and backgrounds. We are just a part of society.

Why bring this course to Coursera, and why now? 

I wanted to launch this course with Morehouse and Coursera because of the massive reach to learners of all walks of life. On Coursera, learners can have thoughtful, respectful dialogue together and a safe space for discussion through the forums. 

It’s exciting to see this launching during Black History Month, and I love that we have a month to celebrate accomplishments of Black people. However, history belongs to all of us and these accomplishments should be celebrated throughout the year.

Tell us about why you chose to create this course in partnership with Morehouse and what HBCUs have meant to you personally?

Creating this course with Morehouse is symbolic—this is a school with a legacy of speaking to progress and human rights even as many in the U.S. have denied Blacks education. Morehouse has been a pillar in our society and community and in these social justice movements. There is no better partner with whom to launch this course, and no better time than during Black History Month. 

The connection to and pride for HBCUs in general is personal. I went to a predominantly white college prep high school and although I ultimately went to University of Michigan (which I loved), HBCUs were what I aspired to. College years are among the most vulnerable and fun times of your life. 

When we learn, we’re vulnerable. And it’s so important to feel understood, and that you’re not judged by the color of your skin. I’ve appreciated my various education experiences, and especially the opportunity to take courses with HBCUs more recently. My wife and father-in-law are graduates of HBCUs…I owe a lot to these institutions.

How did your personal experiences with education and of this history influence your decision to create this course? 

Personally, through this course, I get to honor my heroes like Dr. John Carlos, who’s like a big brother to me. From him, I’ve learned forgiveness and how to stand for something when others are too afraid. I’ve learned from the life practice of so many of these activists. 

I also want to bring others into the conversations that I have with mentors, family, and friends all the time. Sports gives us common spaces to start these conversations because it brings us together regardless of our backgrounds or color. Sports brings comfort and trust to this discussion and hopefully let’s cooler heads prevail. 

Let me also say something about the way history has been taught in this country. Growing up, my mother was a teacher, and I learned Black history at home and at school. But I had friends who never learned the same history I did and had to be taught it—as if it were something separate and apart. While I love that we have a month to celebrate Black history and the accomplishments of Black Americans over time, this is American history, and we all should learn it. It’s for everyone.

How can athletes and non-athletes be more effective activists? 

That’s exactly what this course is built to help people with. I hope people from all over the world enroll today and share their ideas and thoughts in the forums. 

Shantelle is Associate Director of University Partnerships and the chair of BOLD, Coursera’s ERG for Black Employees. She has been instrumental in expanding access to world-class education for learners everywhere, leading ground-breaking advancements in global education like launching Coursera’s first degree partnership in Europe with HEC Paris’ Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, first Bachelor program with University of London, as well as bringing to life Coursera’s first partnerships with HBCUs like Morehouse and Howard University.

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Free Black & White Gift Tags Printable For Every Occasion!

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Free Black & White Gift Tags Printable For Every Occasion!

Black & White Free Tags Printable For Every Occasion!

Wouldn’t it just brighten your day to receive a cute little box of goodies decorated with such black & white gift tags? We created this adorable set to help you share some love with those around you. There are six different design and shapes to make sure you will always find something to match your box.

Print these babies out on sturdy card stock and then attach them to a beautifully wrapped goodie box for a delicious, heartfelt gift. It is sure to put a smile on the face of the person who receives it.

Preview of the Free Black & White Gift Tags Printable

For Personal Use Only.

Do you like decorating gifts or do you prefer premade boxes and wraps? I would love to know that so please let me know in the comments below! I think that such cute details as black & white gift tags can add some personal touch to even small and simple presents.

If you are looking for more Printable Freebies, make sure to check our free printables library

Looking for something specific?

If you have an idea for a printable, let us know in the comments! We are always looking for inspiration. If you decide to print today’s Things That Matter Most poster, make sure to share photos of your decorated room with us via Instagram or Twitter.

Word + Quiz: stolid

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Word + Quiz: stolid

: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited

_________

The word stolid has appeared in 17 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 24 in “The Evening News Is Back” by John Koblin:

Sober and straightforward, evening news programs were a chief information delivery system for decades, led by stolid anchors who guided viewers through triumphs and tragedies alike.

But they long ago lost their agenda-setting influence, supplanted by cable news networks that performed roughly the same function 24 hours a day. And they have been pushed further into the background in recent years by digital media, with its minute-by-minute chronicling of events.

The pandemic has brought back millions of viewers. For now, at least, a concise, crisply produced news program, devoid of the punditry and histrionics typical of many cable broadcasts, seems to match the national moment.

_________

What Is Your Reaction to the Senate’s Acquittal of Former President Trump?

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What Is Your Reaction to the Senate’s Acquittal of Former President Trump?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1.

On Saturday, 57 out of 100 senators cast votes finding former President Donald Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. That tally included seven Republican senators along with all 50 Democrats in the chamber. However, that majority fell short of the 67 votes needed for a conviction, as the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to convict a president — something that has never happened in history.

Did you watch the news of the Senate impeachment trial? What is your reaction to the president’s acquittal? If you were a member of the Senate, how would you have voted?

In “Trump Acquitted of Inciting Insurrection, Even as Bipartisan Majority Votes ‘Guilty,’” Nicholas Fandos writes:

A Senate still bruised from the most violent attack on the Capitol in two centuries acquitted former President Donald J. Trump on Saturday in his second impeachment trial, as all but a few Republicans locked arms to reject a case that he incited the Jan. 6 rampage in a last-ditch attempt to cling to power.

Under the watch of National Guard troops still patrolling the historic building, a bipartisan majority cast votes finding Mr. Trump guilty of the House’s single charge of “incitement of insurrection.” They included seven Republicans, more members of a president’s party than have ever returned an adverse verdict in an impeachment trial.

But with most of Mr. Trump’s party coalescing around him, the 57-to-43 tally fell 10 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict, and allow the Senate to move to disqualify him from holding future office.

Among the Republicans breaking ranks to find guilty the man who led their party for four tumultuous years, demanding absolute loyalty, were Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania.

The verdict brought an abrupt end to the fourth presidential impeachment trial in American history, and the only one in which the accused had left office before being tried. But it was unlikely to be the final word for Mr. Trump, his badly divided party or the sprawling criminal and congressional investigations into the assault.

It left behind festering wounds in Washington and around the country after a 39-day stretch unlike any in the nation’s history — encompassing a deadly riot at the Capitol, an impeachment of one president, the inauguration of another and a brief but rancorous trial in the Senate.

It took only five days to reach a verdict, partly because Democrats and Republicans were united in their desire to avoid a prolonged proceeding and partly because Mr. Trump’s allies made clear before it even began that they were not prepared to hold him responsible. Most of the jury of senators had themselves witnessed the events that gave rise to the charge, having fled for their own lives, along with the vice president, as the mob closed in last month while they met to formalize President Biden’s victory.

Party leaders and even the president’s most loyal supporters in the Senate did not defend his actions — a monthslong campaign, seeded with election lies, to overturn his decisive loss to Mr. Biden that culminated when Mr. Trump told thousands of his supporters to “fight like hell” and they did. Instead, in the face of a meticulous case brought by nine House prosecutors, they found safe harbor in technical arguments that the trial itself was not valid because Mr. Trump was no longer in office.

But their overriding political calculation was clear. After party leaders briefly entertained using the process to purge Mr. Trump from their ranks, Republicans doubled down on a bet made five years ago: that it was better not to stoke another open confrontation with a man millions of their voters still singularly embrace.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • Did you watch any of the trial? Did you follow the impeachment news? What was your reaction to the trial itself?

  • Even though seven senators in Mr. Trump’s own party voted to convict him, that number was not enough to reach the two-thirds majority required by the Constitution to convict. What is your reaction to the trial’s outcome? Were you surprised that Mr. Trump was acquitted? Were you angered? Were you satisfied? How would you have voted if you were one of the 100 senators?

  • Mr. Fandos writes:

Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the minority leader, embodied the tortured balancing act, denouncing Mr. Trump on Saturday, minutes after voting to acquit him, for a “disgraceful dereliction of duty.” In blistering remarks from the Senate floor, Mr. McConnell, who had openly considered voting to convict Mr. Trump, effectively argued that he was guilty as charged, while arguing that there was nothing the Senate could do about it.

What do you think of Senator Mitch McConnell’s “tortured balancing act” — his denunciation of Mr. Trump’s actions only minutes after he voted to acquit the former president? What do you think about his logic, that Mr. Trump was effectively guilty as charged, but because he was no longer in office, the Senate couldn’t doing anything about it?

  • Do you think the trial and its verdict are likely to settle the issue of the former president’s responsibility for inciting the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6? Do you think the acquittal provides a degree of closure, and the country can now move on? Or, do you think Mr. Trump is likely to face other kinds of consequences? For example, via a bipartisan Congressional investigation, or through the criminal justice system, as in Georgia, where he is being investigated for pressuring election officials to “find” votes?

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Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

What do you know about Mardi Gras and how it is celebrated in New Orleans? How do you imagine the pandemic has affected it this year?

If you aren’t familiar with Mardi Gras, here is a description:

Since the first Mardi Gras in New Orleans in 1857, elaborate floats have paraded through the city on the last Tuesday before Lent. Thousands of people fill the streets, and marching bands and dance teams come from all over to perform, their horns and drums echoing off buildings. Social clubs and groups of artists and organizers — that go by names like the Krewe of Orpheus and Krewe of Muses — spend practically every month of the year preparing floats and celebrations.

What celebrations, holidays or festivals is your area known for? What traditions, rituals, costumes, or special food and drink mark the occasion? Did the pandemic affect it this year? If so, how did locals reinvent the celebration?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

About Picture Prompts

• Find all our Picture Prompts in this column.
• Have an idea for a Picture Prompt? Tell us about it.
• Teachers, discover more ways to teach with our Picture Prompts and learn how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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