CNN Current Events

What I know about WWII and the Holocaust

The book we are going to read using our literature circles is called Night by Elie Wiesel. It tells the true story of a young Jewish boy and his family who are caught up in the awful circumstances of WWII and the Holocaust.

What do you know about WWII and the Holocaust? What do you know about Jews and Nazis? What do you know about concentration camps?

Use this blog space to brainstorm what you know about these topics. Read the posts made by your fellow classmates and respond to them as well. 10 points.

CNN Election Site

Click on this link www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/ and look around the CNN Election site. What kind of information can you find there? What interesting facts or ideas are there? Explore the website for 8-10 minutes. Then, come back to the blog and post what you found or learned while visiting the CNN Election site. 10 points

Presidential Candidates

We've been talking a lot in class about the people who are running for president this year. In this blog entry, voice your opinion on who you think should be our next president and why. Here are some of the top candidates.

Republicans:

• Mike Huckabee (won in Iowa)
  
• Mitt Romney (former Governor of Massachusetts)
  
• John McCain (won in New Hampshire)
  
• Rudy Guiliani (former mayor of New York)
  
• Fred Thompson (former Congressman and actor on Law & Order)
  
• Ron Paul (Senator and more independent candidate)
  

Democrats:

• Hillary Clinton (Senator from New York and former First Lady)
  
• Barack Obama (Senator from Illinios)
  
• John Edwards (Senator & candidate in 2004)

Don't forget to say why you like a particular candidate. 10 points

"Are you smarter than a chimp?"

Here is the link to try to the "Are you smarter than a chimp" test from CNN.

MySpace Bullying

What is your opinion on the recent news of a MySpace hoax leading to a 13 year old girl's suicide? What do you think should happen to the people who made up the fake MySpace identity and pretended to be a teenage boy who was interested in this young girl, but then told her "the world would be a better place without you." How big of a problem to you think online bullying is? Please respond to this topic in a thoughtful blog entry. 10 points.

Teddy Bear Teacher

What is your opinion about the recent incident involving the British teacher who allowed her class of 7 year olds in Sudan to name a teddy bear Mohammed? Do you think she should have been put in jail for this? Why or why not? What do you think about her punishment? She was pardoned and now has been deported back to England. Do you think this is the right thing to do? How would you feel if someone insulted your religion? Please respond to these questions in a thoughtful blog entry. 10 points