Classroom Topics for Teachers

Nintendo, the Japanese video game company, reported in April that it lost more than $400 million, its first annual loss in revenue since 1981. Nintendo has been around since 1889 and began as a playing card company in Kyoto, Japan, so it is capable of adapting to stay profitable. However, some critics say that Nintendo is no longer changing fast enough.

The dramatic escape of a blind Chinese activist from a well-guarded house in the countryside is now at the center of a delicate diplomatic situation between China and the U.S. as they try to figure out their respective roles in the global economy of the future.

President Barack Obama spoke to the nation Tuesday night from Afghanistan, one year after terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed by a team of Navy SEALs. The president spoke about the process of transitioning U.S. forces out of Afghanistan in the coming months, stating that he hopes to build an "equal partnership" with the Afghan people.

The escape of human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng became another sensitive issue between U.S. and China just ahead of a high-level meeting between the nations.

"I've been able to have really good music education. I've been through it, so it makes me really sad to see that other kids who may be interested in music aren't getting the education that they want."

More than 170 girls and women became ill at a school in northern Afghanistan after opponents to women's education allegedly poisoned the school's water supply, according to local health officials. The incident highlights the dangers women face in the country after American and NATO forces leave.

The U.S. House voted 215-195 on Friday to keep student loan interest from doubling on July 1. However, Democrats in the Senate and President Obama are expected to reject the legislation because it uses money set aside to pay for preventative health care to pay for the continued lower interest rates on student loans.

A war of words over student loan interest rates shows how hard it is to fix government problems even when most politicians agree that keeping student loans affordable is in the country's best interest.

President Obama and likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney have each stepped up their efforts to woo young voters.

Voters in Egypt's first presidential election since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak will find far fewer candidates to choose from on the ballot than they originally thought. Ten candidates, including three front-runners, have been disqualified, causing protests and unrest among Egyptians and bringing into question whether the elections will be free and democratic.

In this lesson, students will explore the difference characteristics between a leader, warlord and dictator using contemporary examples. Students will then be divided into teams prepare and conduct a Mock trial

The government agency responsible for supporting the basic functions of federal agencies in Washington, DC, has come under scrutiny recently for spending taxpayer money on lavish parties that included a clown costume and a mind-reader. The incident has Congress and the country debating the proper role of government and the responsibilities of the people who work for it.

In hospitals all over the country, doctors try to keep alive the more than five million Americans with damaged hearts, a result of heart attacks. Damage means their hearts can no longer beat at full capacity.

"Bullying has happened in schools for years; there are always kids who enjoy harassing other students. Bullying used to be a face-to-face issue, but with the invention of social media networks the number of bullying reports in schools have increased exponentially."

For the first time ever, national educational standards for grades K-12 will link global warming trends to man-made emissions, or gases and particles put into the air by humans.

On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, the16th president of the United States, signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, an act that freed more than 3000 slaves in Washington D.C.

The 13-month-long conflict in Syria has calmed a bit due to the start of a United Nations-negotiated cease fire. However, there are reports that skirmishes continue between rebel forces and those loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, and no one is sure whether the cease fire will hold through more protests against Assad's rule.

In the 1070s, Chinese farmers discovered hundreds of warrior statues made of terra cotta in an ancient burial chamber. Those so-called "terra-cotta warriors" have toured the world's museums and fascinated anthropologists for decades, and now a Chinese artist is crafting a new army of terra-cotta warriors for future generations to unearth.

"I am the generation of the future, so why not start now?"

Students will participate in a survey about social class in the U.S.,work as a group to calculate class results, view a video clip and review articles and data related to socioeconomics and politics.