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Lesson of the Day: ‘A “Front-Row Seat” to the Birth of a Comet’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘A “Front-Row Seat” to the Birth of a Comet’

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

Featured Article: “A ‘Front-Row Seat’ to the Birth of a Comet” by Robin George Andrews

Space is so vast and expansive that generally scientists see only slivers of it at any given moment, which makes the identification of an object named LD2 all the more significant. Right now, astronomers are watching that icy proto-world transform into a hyperactive comet that will head toward the inner solar system in the coming decades.

In this lesson, you will learn about the formation of comets and what makes the discovery of the LD2 comet significant. Then you will participate in a citizen science project to look closely at and identify objects in space.

What do you know about how comets form?

Create a K/W/L Chart with three columns: What I Know, What I Want to Know and What I Learned. In the first column, write down everything you know about comets. Then watch the two-minute video below. As you watch, add any additional information to the “What I Learned” column.

After watching the video, add any questions you have about comets in the “What I Want to Know” column of your chart.

As you read the featured article, you will continue to learn about comets. You can add what you are learning to the “What I Learned” column.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. The article begins, “As Douglas Adams once said: Space is big. Really big.” Why do you think Robin George Andrews, the writer, chose to start the article in this way? How does that sentence set up some of the surprises and excitement about the discoveries in the article?

2. What is LD2 and how did astronomers identify it? What are some of the things that are unique and special about this object?

3. What are the two ways that Centaurs move in space? What happens if they become hyperactive comets?

4. What do astronomers hope to discover by observing LD2 as it makes its 43-year-long transition?

5. What was LD2 millions of years ago? How was it first identified in 2019?

6. How were scientists able to study the hazy cloud called a coma of LD2 and draw a conclusion about where it is in its journey into the warmer region around our sun? Why is this discovery exciting for astronomers?

The discovery of LD2 depended on astronomers looking very closely at the sky and identifying something unusual. For this activity, try your hand at identifying space objects by participating in the citizen science project Catalina Outer Solar System Survey. Here’s a summary:

For over twenty years the Catalina Sky Survey has been collecting images of the sky night after night. Hidden deep in these images are exotic and primordial solar-system worlds yet to be discovered: Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs).

By looking at images of the same patch of sky over several months, the motion of distant TNOs can be detected. However, computers often make false detections, and this is where you come in! The detected motion needs to be confirmed, and the human eye is supremely adapted to just this task. This project seeks volunteers to review animated images to make the final determination of whether an object is a real TNO or not. Are you ready to discover new distant, icy worlds?

After you’ve completed the tutorial and tried your luck at identifying Trans-Neptunian Objects, take a few minutes to reflect on your experience:

  • What did you notice and wonder as you viewed the images? What is one new thing you learned?

  • What was it like to participate in this project? Did you find it interesting or challenging to identify objects? Why or why not?

  • Why might research like this, and that done by the scientists you read about in the article, be important? What can we learn from studying space?

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.

‘You Need to Try Harder’

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‘You Need to Try Harder’

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

The image above is from Jerry Craft’s new book, “Class Act,” which The Times describes as “a biting send-up of race relations — and a tender, funny middle grade novel.”

What message do you think these panels from the book are trying to convey? How do they relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to what’s depicted here personally? What is your opinion of the message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related review of the book 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.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Teaching in the Pandemic: “This Is Not Sustainable’’’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Teaching in the Pandemic: “This Is Not Sustainable’’’

5. What challenges do teachers in schools providing remote-only learning face? Why does Dwayne Reed, a fourth- and fifth-grade social studies teacher, believe the burdens are particularly heavy for educators of color like himself who teach young Black students?

6. How are some administrators, districts and state governments providing additional supports for teachers during this crisis? Which do you find most helpful? What other ideas would you recommend?

7. What did you learn about the lives of teachers? What did you find most interesting, surprising or memorable? How did the experiences and challenges of teachers described in the article compare with what you wrote in the warm-up activity? Did the article change your understanding and perspective on teachers? Which teacher profiled in the article, such as Ms. Clayton and Mr. Reed, resonate with your own experiences and observations of teachers in your school?

Option 1: Share Your Thoughts.

Choose one or more of the following writing prompts:

  • How would you describe your relationship with your teachers — this year and in the past? In general, do you view them positively? How important do you think teachers are?

  • What teacher, or teachers, do you appreciate, and why? Is there a teacher who has made a difference in your life during the pandemic? Was it something specific that that teacher said or did? Or was it just something about the way that person taught or interacted with students that affected you? Explain or tell a story. (And although National Teacher Appreciation Day is not until May, consider sharing your writing with your teachers now — believe us, they will appreciate it!)

  • Mr. Reed asked teachers on Twitter: “What’s ONE thing you would do to make remote/distance learning more sustainable, less burdensome, or simply just better?” How would you answer his question? What do you think we can do to better support teachers during the pandemic? What can students do to improve the quality of life of teachers?

  • Have you considered becoming a teacher? Why or why not? Does reading the article affect your thoughts on the profession as a career?

Option 2: Interview a Teacher.

Imagine you have been hired to write the next article on the lives of teachers during the pandemic. Which teachers would you profile and why? What questions would you ask? How can you help peers and the public understand and appreciate the lives, hardships and resiliency of teachers?

You can choose to spotlight teachers in your school — past or present — or members in your own family who are in the teaching profession. Feel free to interpret who is a teacher broadly to include librarians, paraprofessionals, aides, nurses, guidance counselors and school support staff members.

Brainstorm a list of questions you could ask to learn about their experiences. You might ask: Why did you become a teacher? What do you most enjoy about the profession? How is teaching different this year from in the past? What specific challenges, stresses and burdens are you facing? What kinds of support would you like? What is one thing you wish that students and the public would understand about teaching during the pandemic?

During your interview, be sure to record your conversation or take good notes. Additionally, remember to build trust with your interviewee, even if you already know him or her, and save the more personal or challenging questions for the end. (For more interviewing tips, watch the five-minute video “Four Tips for an Effective Interview” by StoryCorps or read “Interview Tips Sheet” by What Kids Can Do.)

Word + Quiz: etiology

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Word + Quiz: etiology

1. the cause of a disease

2. the philosophical study of causation

_________

The word etiology has appeared in three articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Jan. 6 in “Early Treatment for Autism Is Critical, New Report Says” by Perri Klass, M.D.:

In December, the American Academy of Pediatrics put out a new clinical report on autism, an extensive document with an enormous list of references, summarizing 12 years of intense research and clinical activity. During this time, the diagnostic categories changed — Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, diagnostic categories that once included many children, are no longer used, and we now consider all these children (and adults) to have autism spectrum disorder, or A.S.D.

… The new report also takes into account the research on the etiology of autism, and suggests that it’s worth offering every family the opportunity to look for specific genetic causes, though some families will choose not to have that testing done, and though the knowledge we have now won’t offer clear answers in the majority of cases. “There’s more and more data, and the more we look for, the more we find,” Dr. Levy said.

_________

What’s Going On in This Graph? | Dec. 9, 2020

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What’s Going On in This Graph? | Dec. 9, 2020

3. Below the response box, there is an option for students to click on “Email me when my comment is published.” This sends the link to their response which they can share with their teacher.

4. After you have posted, read what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting a comment. Use the “Reply” button to address that student directly.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, teachers from our collaborator, the American Statistical Association, will facilitate this discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time.

5. By Friday morning, Dec. 11, we will reveal more information about the graph, including a free link to the article that included this graph, at the bottom of this post. We encourage you to post additional comments based on the article, possibly using statistical terms defined in the Stat Nuggets.

More?

• See all graphs in this series or a slide show of 60 of our favorite graphs.

• View our archives that link to all past releases, organized by topic, graph type and Stat Nugget.

• Learn more about the “Notice and Wonder” teaching strategy and how and why other teachers are using this feature from our on-demand webinar.

• Sign up for our free weekly Learning Network newsletter so you never miss a graph. Graphs are always released by the Friday before the Wednesday live-moderation to give teachers time to plan ahead.

• Go to the American Statistical Association K-12 website, which includes teacher statistics resources, professional development opportunities, and more.

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.

Cookie Collection

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Cookie Collection

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

For years Melissa Clark, a Times food writer, has been on a quest to make the most delicious cookie box to gift to loved ones during the holiday season. In the image above, you can see some of her favorites — and in the related article you can read a few of her rules, including:

  • Something sparkly and colorful is a must.

  • Plan to include something with crunch.

  • A chocolate moment is nonnegotiable.

What’s in your ideal cookie box, whether you make the cookies yourself; assemble favorites made by family members, friends or local bakeries; or just choose from grocery store varieties. What rules would you make for your collection? Why?

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

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.

Are You a Good Conversationalist?

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Are You a Good Conversationalist?

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

Have you had any good conversations recently?

What made it good — was it lighthearted, deep, funny, thought-provoking or emotional? How did you feel during it or afterward — enlightened, inspired, validated or challenged? What did you do to make the conversation a success? What did the other person do?

Do you think of yourself as a good conversationalist? Could use some lessons in the art of conversation?

In “Nine Nonobvious Ways to Have Deeper Conversations,” David Brooks writes about how we can have better conversations even in a distanced holiday season. Here are four of his lessons:

Approach with awe. C.S. Lewis once wrote that if you’d never met a human and suddenly encountered one, you’d be inclined to worship this creature. Every human being is a miracle, and your superior in some way. The people who have great conversations walk into the room expecting to be delighted by you and make you feel the beam of their affection and respect. Lady Randolph Churchill once said that when sitting next to the statesman William Gladstone she thought him the cleverest person in England, but when she sat next to Benjamin Disraeli she thought she was the cleverest person in England.

Ask elevating questions. All of us have developed a way of being that is our technique for getting through each day. But some questions, startling as they seem at first, compel us to see ourselves from a higher vantage: What crossroads are you at? What commitments have you made that you no longer believe in? Who do you feel most grateful to have in your life? What problem did you use to have but now have licked? In what ways are you sliding backward? What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

Ask open-ended questions. Many of us have a horrible tendency to ask questions that imply judgment: Where did you go to school? Or we ask yes/no questions: Did you have a good day? Which basically shut off interesting answers. Better questions start with “What was it like. …” or “Tell me about a time. …” or “How did you manage to cope while your wedding was postponed for a year?”

Treat attention as all or nothing. Of course, we all have divided attention. In “You’re Not Listening,” Kate Murphy writes that introverts have more divided attention than others while in conversation because there’s so much busyness going on in their own heads. But in conversation it’s best to act as if attention had an on/off switch with no dimmer. Total focus. I have a friend who listens to conversations the way congregants listen to sermons in charismatic churches — with amens, and approbations. The effect is magnetic.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • Are you a good conversationalist? What do you do best in a conversation? What could you improve?

  • What recent conversation have you had that you found especially satisfying? Tell us why.

  • Do you find it harder to have meaningful conversations in a time of social distancing?

  • Which of Mr. Brooks’s nine lessons resonate most and why? Have you ever incorporated any of them into your own conversations? What other recommendations would you give to others who yearn for deeper, more satisfying discussions?

  • How important is it for conversations to be deep? Mr. Brooks writes: “Deeper conversations help people become explicable to each other and themselves. You can’t really know yourself until you know how you express yourself and find yourself in another’s eyes.” Do you agree? Has a conversation ever changed your mind or perspective on yourself or the world?

  • Mr. Brooks shares many insights into conversation and life drawn through his own experiences and from others, such as: “Being curious about your friend’s experience is more important than being right,” “Humans need to be heard before they will listen” and “Deeper conversation builds trust, the oxygen of society, exactly what we’re missing right now.” What lines or ideas do you find most meaningful, provocative or valuable?

  • And finally … the classic college essay question: If you could invite any three people to dinner, living or dead, fictional or real, who would they be and why? What would you want to discuss? What “elevating questions” would you ask? What do you think you might learn about yourself and the world?

About Student Opinion

• Find all 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.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Who Will Get the Coronavirus Vaccine First?’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Who Will Get the Coronavirus Vaccine First?’

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

Featured Article: “Who Will Get the Coronavirus Vaccine First?” by Abby Goodnough

A panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued its recommendations for who should be the first to receive coronavirus vaccinations in the United States.

In this lesson, students will learn about the nuances of distributing the vaccine and the decisions that states will be asked to make as they carry out the C.D.C.’s recommendations. Students will also grapple with the ethics of deciding who should be able to get the vaccine and when.

Teachers: If you’re looking for an introduction to the coronavirus vaccine, you can pair this lesson with our Lesson of the Day “Pfizer’s Covid Vaccine: 11 Things You Need to Know.”

Scientists have been racing for months to develop a safe and effective vaccine that will provide immunity against the coronavirus. Two companies, Pfizer and Moderna, appear close to gaining approval for their vaccines.

These companies estimate that there will be enough vaccine doses available to administer to 22.5 million Americans by January. Since there are more than 300 million people in the United States, who should get these first doses? Hospital workers? Teachers? Residents in long-term care facilities? People with diabetes, asthma or other risk factors? Police officers?

And who should wait?

One example that highlights the ethical dilemmas policymakers are facing is prisons. Some of the largest Covid-19 outbreaks have occurred in the nation’s prisons. Federal officials have suggested that corrections staff receive high priority for a coronavirus vaccine, but not the millions of vulnerable inmates held in U.S. facilities.

Roni Caryn Rabin writes:

They live in crowded conditions, sharing bathrooms and eating facilities where social distancing is impossible. They have high rates of asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

Many struggle with mental illness. A disproportionate number are Black and Hispanic, members of minority communities that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

So should prisoners and other detainees be given priority access to one of the new Covid-19 vaccines?

What do you think? Should prison staff be prioritized for immunizations? What about prisoners? How about inmates who have certain health conditions that put them at greater risk?

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. When it comes to deciding how to distribute the vaccine, what is the connection between the independent panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the C.D.C. itself and individual states?

2. Who does the C.D.C. recommend should be first to receive the vaccine? What decisions will states have to make about distribution within that group?

3. Who are the second and third groups of people the C.D.C. has recommended receive the vaccine? Based on the industries in your region, what priorities do you think your state might have when deciding which sectors of essential workers to vaccinate?

4. How does the Pfizer vaccine need to be stored? How does that limit how widely the vaccine can be distributed initially?

5. When do federal officials estimate that people who are not in the priority groups will receive the vaccine?

6. How much choice do individuals have about whether to be vaccinated or which vaccine they will receive?

In the warm-up activity, you considered who should be prioritized for immunization within a prison community. Now, after reading the article, think about who else should be prioritized to receive a vaccine. Should factors like a person’s job responsibilities, health risks, living settings or identity be considered?

To have this conversation with your classmates, engage in a Big Paper Discussion, which can be done either in person or virtually in small groups.

The goal of the Big Paper Discussion is to silently read and interact with classmates’ ideas. You should read their words closely and ask questions or comment on what they have to say in order to advance the conversation.

After having a Big Paper Discussion, you can have a full class discussion and reflect on your classmates’ ideas and share any new thoughts you have.

Do you still have questions about how the vaccine will be distributed or about its safety or effectiveness? If so, write a question, in 25 words or fewer, and submit it using the form below. If your question is selected, it could be answered by Times reporters and public health experts and shared in The Morning newsletter.

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.

Networking: What Progress and Productivity Demand

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Networking: What Progress and Productivity Demand

A wise man once said, it does not matter what you do, it matters how you do it. We could improvise the saying and say, it doesn’t matter who you are, but who you know. In fact, when they say a man is known by the company he keeps, they are not pulling your leg. These days, it’s all about contacts – and you don’t necessarily have to have read The Godfather to know that.

So what is networking and why are we emphasizing on its importance? In its simplest terms, Networking is another word for building connections. As humans we tend to build relationships with other humans throughout the course of our lives. As prudent humans we must learn to build relationships with just the right people. We’re not telling you to become a real life version of Frank Underwood – no, but building connections with people from whom you will benefit later on is crucial. And no, we’re not telling you to jump on the unaltruistic parasitic bandwagon either – we’re telling you to build connections with people with whom you have a mutual interest, who can benefit from you and whom you can benefit from; and we’re telling you it is important that you do.

How do you suppose a Prime Minister got to his seat, or a C.E.O. to his position, or a Vice Chancellor to his rank? Through hard work, the necessary qualification and luck, yes. But also through having the names and numbers of just the right people in their pocketbooks. There is but a limited number of people we as humans will connect with throughout our lives and it is imperative that we do not waste those slots on bondings that are redundant. And we don’t mean what you do with your personal life – though even personal connections should be chosen with a careful mind. Who you connect with can have a huge impact on what you do in your life and how you choose to do it. 
Networking these days, especially, is no big mountain that you must climb and conquer – we thrive in the era of the glorious internet where you can find people with the click of a mouse pad. The power that the internet has thus put into our hands and onto our fingertips can be manifested in the best ways possible: by using it to create bridges and building connections with people who can help you with whatever it is you’re doing. You’re, say, a journalist who covers Bhutan in a magazine: you find someone from Bhutan on Facebook and get more inside information. You’re a thriving entrepreneur who runs a small venture: you connect with other entrepreneurs over social media and build a larger venture. So on and so forth, the most to benefit from networking are people of business.

Productivity and progress demand that you continue connecting with new people, with diverse groups, that you culturally and personally engage with them and that you develop resources of knowledge on your way up. Connecting the right dots is what leads to successful completion of a process.

Marketing Interno: Importa & Aporta a tu Empresa

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Marketing Interno: Importa & Aporta a tu Empresa

¿Te has preguntado cómo las empresas logran una integración completa entre sus departamentos? ¿Cómo todos los empleados parecen conocer cada detalle de la empresa, aunque pertenezcan a posiciones diferentes? ¿Sabes si las empresas exitosas enfocan sus estrategias sólo en marketing y publicidad externa?

Si te has hecho estas preguntas, quizás deberías evaluar en qué lugar de prioridad tienes el marketing interno o “endomarketing” de tu empresa. Dicha herramienta es utilizada por compañías a nivel global para fidelizar a sus empleados y que se sientan parte de ésta, haciendo suyos los valores y la identidad corporativa. Los empleados son una pieza esencial en el engranaje laboral, y mantenerlos motivados es vital para que el motor (la empresa) corra como debe ser. 

Al igual que las estrategias y campañas de marketing externo, el marketing interno debe estar presente en todo momento en tus planes de comunicaciones, ya que el posicionamiento y la gestión saludable comienzan desde la casa. 

Piensa: ¿De qué sirve una campaña externa en la que todos tus clientes la conozcan, pero tus empleados (clientes internos) no? ¿Cómo esperas posicionarte como líder en tu industria si no tienes en orden tu casa?

Este tipo de estrategias va orientado ante todo a los procesos empresariales internos y cómo tu equipo de trabajo se siente reflejado y posicionado en su lugar de trabajo. El objetivo es conseguir un impacto positivo en el personal y que esto se proyecte en las ventas y en el nivel de eficiencia operacional.

Cuando un cliente recibe un trato de calidad por parte de un empleado, se nota. Si el cliente percibe que el personal transmite desconfianza o falta de interés, no va a importar que tengas el mejor servicio o producto del mundo; posiblemente tarde o temprano pierdas al cliente. 

Sin embargo, los empleados que saben comunicar los objetivos y estrategias de forma clara y precisa demuestran el buen funcionamiento de la empresa; y eso… también se nota.

A continuación, te dejo algunos consejos sencillos para que comiences a darle valor interno a tu empresa, y para que los integres en tus próximos planes de trabajo:

  • Empleados Saludables: Cuando tu empleado está en bienestar es un empleado productivo.

  • Ejecutivos posicionados: Es imperante que los puestos de alto mando estén accesibles a los empleados, pero que también sepan cuándo hay que “enrollarse las mangas”, para trabajar e interactuar directamente con el resto del equipo.

  • Equipo Motivado: establece retos y nuevas tareas que estén acompañadas de oportunidades y recompensas.

  • Comparte los logros y también los fracasos. Eso crea empatía del personal hacia la empresa.

Recuerda: Si cuidas a tus empleados, ellos cuidarán a tus clientes.

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