Time Magazine Names Ben Bernanke Person of the Year

Time Magazine has chosen Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, its "Person of the Year 2009." The article explains, "Bernanke is the 56-year-old chairman of the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the U.S., the most important and least understood force shaping the American — and global — economy. Those green bills featuring dead Presidents are labeled "Federal Reserve Note" for a reason: the Fed controls the money supply. It is an independent government agency that conducts monetary policy, which means it sets short-term interest rates — which means it has immense influence over inflation, unemployment, the strength of the dollar and the strength of your wallet. And ever since global credit markets began imploding, its mild-mannered chairman has dramatically expanded those powers and reinvented the Fed."

Does Ben Bernanke sound like somebody with whom you would enjoy chatting? Why or why not?

Do you think that such an important position as Chair of the Federal Reserve Board should remain unelected? Why or why not? What are some advantages to having this position filled by appointment instead of election? What are some disadvantages?

Somebody once said that the most important factor of a healthy economy is consumer confidence? What does the term "consumer confidence" mean? Do you think that this understanding of the economy is correct? Why or why not?

What three questions would you most like to answer about the United States economy? Do you think that there are some questions about the economy that even Ben Bernanke cannot answer? Why or why not?

Moving Detainees to Illinois

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "U.S. to Announce Transfer of Detainees to Ill. Prison." The article begins, "Dozens of terrorism suspects being held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be moved to a little-used Illinois state prison that will be acquired and upgraded by the federal government, an Obama administration official said."

1. Challenge students to find ten interesting bits of information about the Guantanamo detention center. After students find this information, make a lit of interesting bits of information, on the board.

2. Do students think that the United States of America should arrest individuals who have the potential to commit terrorist acts against the United States, if they have not yet committed these acts? Why or why not?

3. Should non-citizens of the United States who have allegedly committed acts of terrorism against the United States be entitled to the same Constitutional protections as citizens of the United States who have broken the law? Why or why not? (Do non-citizens deserve the same rights as citizens? Why or why not?)

4. Do students think that detainees should be moved to United States soil? Why or why not? Consider the fact that this relocation will create approximately 3,000 jobs in the State of Illinois. Is it worth it? Why or why not?

Obama Urges Banks to Lend

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Obama Tells Bankers that Lending Can Spur Economy." The article begins, "President Obama on Monday called on the chiefs of the nation’s biggest banks to take “extraordinary” steps to revive lending for small businesses and homeowners, making the case that the fate of banks was inextricably linked to the health of the overall economy."

1. Challenge your students to explain why banks could speed the growth of the economy by lending money to small business owners and home buyers.

2. Last year, many banks got themselves into trouble by lending money that borrowers were unable to repay. Ask students to imagine that they are bankers. How would they respond to the President's request, given the recent history of the banking industry? Challenge them to explain their opinions, thoughtfully.

3. Ask students to imagine that they are members of Congress. Should they develop laws to protect banks in the case of bad loans? Why or why not?

In other economic news, today: Citigroup to Repay $20B in Tarp Funds.

President Obama in China

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "Obama Pushes China on Currency, Human Rights." The article begins, "Describing ties with China as 'never more important to our collective future,' President Obama on Tuesday mixed praise for Chinese economic triumphs with gentle prodding on its currency, human rights and Tibet."

Consider the number of ways in which the President's foreign trip can be tied into teaching and learning within the classroom.

Challenge students to consider what it means to gently prod. Too often students, like adults, believe that it's important to emphatically support their opinions and discount the importance of listening to the opinions of others. What do students think is more important to high quality diplomacy, talking or listening? Why?

The article explains that Presidents Obama and Hu agreed on the establishment of a Clean Energy Research Center. What is the difference between clean energy and dirty energy? In comparison to China it's probably safe to say that the United States had had a thriving economy for decades. China's economy, on the other hand, is developing, albeit quickly. Does either nation have a greater responsibility towards protecting the environment? Why/why not? What's more important, the development of the largest possible economy at the present time or the safe-guarding of the environment? What are the complexities, if any, of building the strongest economy while protecting the environment to the maximum extent? (Consider the integration that could occur within this conversation between science, social studies, and perhaps other subject areas.)

Consider: The United States of America espouses the greatest commitment to human rights. We also support open communication. President Obama expressed commitment to these ideals while in China. The Chinese also have important values. Do students think that the Chinese would agree that their values demand hurting other people and neglecting the rights of individuals? (I hope not.) What meaningful value system would allow the violation of human rights? Challenge students to compare the values of the Chinese to the values of the West. Is it fair to state that while the Chinese support the peace and security of an entire people over that of single individuals the West possesses the opposite perspective?

This article contains a link to an "interactive" timeline describing pivotal moments in the recent relationship between the United States and China.

Physics and the Space Shuttle in a Day

What an amazing picture that was found on the front page of today's New York Times!! Today I happened to be substitute teaching in a physics class and I told the students that I had not studied physics since I was in high school. One of the students exclaimed, "That proves my point. You don't use physics as an adult!" I wish that I had thought of this comment then, but while one individual may not use physics very much as an adult, it's a very good thing that humankind has developed the scientific discipline of physics. Consider the many different benefits that have accrued to humankind because of space exploration. Consider the many different ways in which products once developed for the use of astronauts are now in use by common people. (If you doubt this, just do a bit of research!!)

By the way, if I was going to use this picture in a classroom, I might simply ask students to describe what they see. Challenge them to develop their descriptions as deeply as possible. In a physics class, such a discussion could prompt a consideration of the ways in which an understanding of physics has made this situation possible. In an English/language arts class, students could be asked to write their descriptions in essay format.

Rather than pointing students to this blog post, you could point them to the New York Times page, here.

Olympics 2016

Today is a big day for the entire sports world and the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee is selecting/has selected the host city of the 2016 Summer Games. Newspapers around the world are reporting on this event.

Questions for Younger Children

1. What is your favorite game? Why do you like to play this game?

2. If you had a choice between going into outer space or going to the bottom of the ocean where would you prefer to go? Why? (Adults, consider how this question connects to the news story in my mind.)

3. Have you ever been in a contest? What kind of a contest was it? Did you have fun? Why or why not?

4. If your mother was in a contest against another child's mother do you think that the other child should be allowed to decide the winner? Why or why not? Should you be allowed to decide the winner? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions for Older Students

1. Vocabulary terms to discuss: Bid; I.O.C.; Decathlete; and, Encompasses.

2. If you could visit any one of the four cities that bid on the Olympics in the final round what city would you visit? Why!

3. If you were a part of the I.O.C. Voting on the location of the 2016 Olympics what three issues would you keep in mind as you voted?

4. If somebody from the Nineteenth Century came back alive today and saw how fast information travels around the globe what do you think that they would say if they had to talk for five minutes?

Iran enters Negotiations

The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Iran Meets U.S. and Allies for Nuclear Talks in Geneva." The article begins, Critical talks over Iran’s nuclear ambitions began Thursday morning in the Geneva countryside, with Washington and its allies hoping to draw Iran into a serious negotiation that will open up the country to serious nuclear inspections, suspend Iran’s nuclear enrichment program and reassure its neighbors that its intentions are peaceful." But according to the article, Iran's atomic energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, said "We will not discuss about our rights (to enrich uranium)...But we are ready to discuss about nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.”

Discussion Questions for Younger Children

1. Have you ever disagreed with somebody else who lives in your house? What was the disagreement about? What did you do to end the disagreement?

2. In your home, is there anything that you are allowed to do now that you would not have been allowed to do a year ago? What? Why do you think that you are allowed to do this now?

3. After you get into a fight with somebody do you think it's important to talk to them? Why or why not? What kinds of things should you say to one another? What do the words, "I'm sorry" mean?

4. Do you think that your mom or dad ever have disagreements with people? How do they work out their disagreements with other people? Is there anything that you can learn from this? If so, what?

Discussion Questions for Older Students

1. Vocabulary terms to discuss: Bilateral; Unfettered; Ensuing; and, Derision.

2. What does it mean to enrich uranium? How does one go about doing this? To what kinds of purposes can enriched uranium be put? Where might you find answers to these questions?

3. Do you think that Iran should be allowed to enrich its own uranium and use it? Imagine that you were an advisor to the president of Iran, how would you respond to this question? How would you recommend resolving the tension between the two sides of this question?

4. According to this article, Iran will likely show up to the negotiations with a host of issues to discuss: "overhauling the United Nations; giving greater voice to non-Western countries; and universal nuclear disarmament." Why do you think that Iran will raise these other issues at the negotiations? Do you think that Iran is correctly concerned with these issues? Why or why not? How might these issues play into the over-all negotiations?