Each Friday we post three short tasks that Sarah Gross and Jonathan Olsen, New Jersey team-teachers, tried that week with their ninth-grade humanities students. In their classroom, The New York Times is part of every day's lesson plan, and, as they described in our initial post, they begin most mornings with quick exercises like the ones you see below. This week, one of their students even suggested an extension activity since, Mr. Olsen tells us, the class loved the "Rebecca" prompt so much. Of course, this feature is just one of many ways we suggest using The Times, a daily flood of "informational text," to teach and learn. All of our lesson plans, which go into much greater depth than the short assignments below, are aligned to the Common Core, including recent ones on algebra, Hispanic Heritage month, writing advice, human muscle systems and the video that has been roiling the Muslim world. We also hope you'll encourage students to choose their own Times articles (or multimedia) to read and write about. Each Friday we ask, "What Interested You Most in The Times This Week?" and choose one student response to highlight. This is an experiment, and we'll be making changes as we go. Informative Writing International: "Discovery of Skeleton Puts Richard III in Battle Once Again" Common Core Standards: RI1, RI10, W2, W2b, W2d, W2e, W2f, RH1, RH8 For more than 500 years, King Richard III has been the most widely reviled of English monarchs. But a stunning archaeological find this month - in which a skeleton that medieval scholars believe is very likely to be Richard's was unearthed under a parking lot in Leicester, England - could lead to a reassessment of his brief but violent reign. Your Task: Archaeologists believe that they have discovered the remains of Richard III. Citing evidence from the text, explain why this discovery may change history's view of Richard III. Include at least two specific examples from the article in your one-paragraph response. Before you do the task, you might.... Read about the historical controversy and importance of the Leicester dig from the Richard III Society in England. Determine the likelihood that the body discovered was actually that of Richard III based on the scientific details in the article. Find textual evidence that explains why this discovery could be of great historical importance. Extension Activities Throughout history, kings and empires have fallen and been replaced by other leaders and dynasties, creating an ever-changing map of the world. Richard III was the last king in a family dynasty called the Plantagenets, replaced by a new family who would rule England, called the Tudors. "History chews up borders," write the authors of this interactive world map. Use it to explore how our current map of the world might change in the near future, then choose one of the featured areas to learn more about. Narrative Writing Front Page: " 'Rebecca' Sees Investor Fade, as if Dreamt" Common Core Standards: RI10, W3a, W3d, W4, RH3, WHST2d, WHST4 Broadway musicals are enormously expensive to finance, so Ben Sprecher, the lead producer of the new musical "Rebecca," was thrilled when a mysterious investor named Paul Abrams promised his play $4.5 million. However, Mr. Abrams, who pledged more than 10 times the money of any other investor, has suddenly disappeared, leaving behind no trace of his existence, and a play in severe financial distress. It has now come to light that no one ever spoke to Mr. Abrams in person or on the phone, and the executors of his estate communicate only via newly created e-mail addresses. Who is Paul Abrams and what happened to him? Your Task: Assume Mr. Abrams is both a real person and still alive. Pretend you are Mr. Abrams, and write an e-mail explaining your sudden disappearance. Be creative: include precise details related to the information in the article and invent a plausible story that might help soothe the worries of investors. Highlight the details in the article that explain who Paul Abrams is and what might have happened to him. What questions are raised that don't have answers? Read closely to infer from the article what might happen to this show and its lead producer if this money does not come through. This extension activity was suggested by Ms. Gross and Mr. Olsen's ninth-grade student Roger: In small groups, create a skit based on your creative e-mails, rehearse the skits using available props in the classroom, and perform the skit for your classmates. International: "Near Disputed Islands, Japan Confronts Boats From Taiwan" Common Core Standards: RI1, RW2, RW2b, RW2e, RH2, RH4 This week, the Japanese Coast Guard fired water cannons at Taiwanese fishing boats approaching a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean that the Japanese call the Senkaku. However, the ownership of these valuable islands has been disputed for decades, with Japan, Taiwan and China all claiming they are rightfully theirs. Why have these islands suddenly become a source of conflict between Asian countries? Your Task: After reading the article, explain in a paragraph why China, Taiwan and Japan are involved in this territorial dispute. Be sure to include evidence from the text to support your answer. Determine from the article why the Senkaku Islands are considered valuable. List the reasons each country claims rightful ownership. Use this infographic from The New York Times to better understand the history of Japan and territorial disputes. Watch some news broadcasts from Asia collected by The New York Times that detail the recent disputes in the Pacific Ocean. Explain in a few sentences how these broadcasts differ from American news reports you are familiar with. After watching the news reports, make a list of details that are emphasized in Japan's account as opposed to details that are emphasized in Chinese and Taiwanese television news broadcasts. How does each country's perspective affect the way the dispute over the Senkaku Islands is portrayed in their own news media? Compare these reports to the way the Times article portrays the conflict. You might then write an essay or create a presentation, citing evidence from the text to support your argument.