Grade 8

Portrait of a teenage boy smiling at the blackboard in a classroom

Approaching Adulthood

Should teenagers be treated like adults?

Charging Youths as Adults Can Be a “Cruel Wake-Up Call.” Is There Another Way?

Source: NPR

This in-depth report examines the reasons and outcomes of charging teenagers as adults in the criminal justice system.

How Long is Someone an Adolescent?

Source: BBC

Psychologists and scientists make the case that adolescence in humans actually extends until the age of 25 and discuss the implications of this idea.

Should the Voting Age be 16?

Source: PBS News Hour

Be sure to watch the video which accompanies this article! A group of students named Vote16DC fights to expand the right to vote to younger teens.

Why teenagers take risks

Source: BBC

In this podcast Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, puts forward some scientific reasons about why teenagers take risks.

Jon Savage on his documentary “Teenage”

Source: The Guardian

Jon Savage’s book “Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1875-1945” was turned into a documentary film and released in the U.S. in 2014. Because the idea of teenagers didn’t always exist, “Teenage” explores the emergence of this new stage between childhood and adulthood in the early 20th century.

6 Things to Know About Gen Z

Source: Newsweek

If you’re reading this, you’re probably part of “Gen Z.” Find out how you compare with the generations before you, like the Millennials, and ask yourself whether you think this list is accurate.

Does Your Mother Still Do Your Laundry?

Source: VOA News

Parents who do too much for their kids run the risk of not preparing them adequately for adulthood.

The distracted teenage brain

Source: Science News for Students

Maybe you’ve played a game for so long that it wasn’t even fun anymore, but you just couldn’t put it down. A psychological study looks at why adult brains and teen brains respond differently to disappearing rewards.

Teens struggle to combat conformity

Source: My Central Jersey

A middle-school student shares her thoughts about the challenges today’s teenagers face.

Psychology says you need to achieve these 3 goals to become an adult

Source: Business Insider

Being an adult is less about obvious markers like driving a car or owning a home and more about the way a person approaches life.

True Facts About Teens and Media, Now & Then

Source: Teenology News

Check out this infographic which shows how technological advances have hugely changed the social interactions of teens over the last two decades.

U.S. Drivers Are Distracted More Than Half the Time They’re Behind the Wheel

Source: CityLab

Cellphones are clearly a distraction for teen drivers, but they’re only part of the problem.

Do children and teenagers have constitutional rights?

Source: How Stuff Works

You may not have all the rights an adult has, but you might be surprised to learn which constitutional guarantees apply to you regardless of your age.

Why ‘Eighth Grade’ is the most painfully real middle-school movie you’ve ever seen

Source: USA Today

Find out how director Bo Burnham ensured that his story of a teenager making the transition from middle school to high school would authentically capture the experience.

Getting Gen Z Primed to Save the World

Source: The Atlantic

Ready to do some good? Of course you are! Read about We Day, which hopes to harness the good intentions of young people.

Why many teens don’t want to get a driver’s license

Source: PBS NewsHour

For many people your parents’ age and older, getting a driver’s license at age 16 was a rite of passage. Read about some reasons why today’s teenagers aren’t that interested in getting behind the wheel.

10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know

Source: The New York Times

The United States Supreme Court may seem very far removed from your everyday life, but its rulings really do matter to you. Learn about ten decisions that directly affect your school and home life.