An increasing number of school districts are embracing the idea of explicitly teaching social skills. Why take time away from academic subjects? Because social-emotional skills help students learn better.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
Before Rosa Parks, A Teenager Defied Segregation On An Alabama Bus
Meet Claudette Colvin, the teenager who inspired Rosa Parks.
Overpopulation, overconsumption – in pictures
See images from a new book documenting the ecological and social results of overpopulation and overconsumption throughout the world.
Group Working To Publicize 1867’s ‘Fourth Of July To Remember’
On Independence Day in 1867, an estimated 10,000 African Americans gathered in Lexington, Kentucky, to hear prominent civil rights leaders speak. Read this article for an account of the almost-forgotten event.
Ai Weiwei Alcatraz tour: Legos, protest songs and prison cells
Although detained in China for being critical of the Chinese government, Ai Weiwei still manages to create art supporting human rights and free speech. Read this photo essay about a visit to Alcatraz, a former military prison, and view Weiwei’s art made of Legos that speaks up for people from around the world who were imprisoned or exiled from their countries.
Why Are Dragons Important in Chinese Culture?
According to Chinese myths, dragons and humans lived side by side at one time. Learn why dragons are said to be protectors.
On Stephen Hawking, Vader, and Being More Machine Than Human
In this article, author and anthropologist Helene Mialet analyzes the relationship between humans and machines as it existed for scientist Stephen Hawking.
Property Brothers: Living the Dream
Selling hangers and buying a house for a $250 down-payment were two important decisions for the Property Brothers. They offer suggestions about how to make other decisions in your life.
How to Survive a Disaster
It’s hard to predict how we’ll react in a crisis until one occurs. Some people spring into action, while others freeze. Find out how you can prepare yourself to respond well when things go wrong.
Manning up: Men may overcompensate when their masculinity is threatened
A study conducted at Stanford University shows that men lie about their height and other traits when they feel their masculinity is threatened.
Does the Justice System Neglect Forgiveness?
Research by New York University neuroscientists Oriel FeldmanHall and Peter Sokol-Hessner shows that broadening options to restore justice, such as reconciliation or compensating the victim rather than punishing the offender, could ease the burden of the U.S. justice system.
Connecting prisons with nature
Watch this video about a program intended to both connect prisoners to nature and to help restore the environment.
The Complexities of Global Protests
The brief found at the top right of the link summarizes this report’s analysis of global protests since the mid-2000s. Click “Annex” for a chart that lists dozens of protest movements from 2010-2015 and their motivations.
Is 8th Grade Too Early to Pick a Career?
Think you’re too young to start thinking about your professional life? Read this article to learn about a program in South Carolina that offers career counseling to eighth-grade students.
6 takeaways about teen friendships in the digital age
Check out this article to see the findings of a 2015 report that examined how digital technology affects friendships between teenagers.
Immigration, Migration, Identity at Center Stage in 2017 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., highlights the cultural diversity of American communities. Read to learn more about this colorful event that brings many cultures together in the nation’s capital.
How common threats can make common (political) ground
It’s popular to say that Americans are more politically polarized now than they have been in years. But we can band together to tackle the problems we all agree exist.
12 issues almost all Americans agree on
If it sometimes seems like Americans will never agree with each other, think again. Here’s a look at some surprising poll results.
How did the advent of television impact politics?
In today’s media-saturated political climate, it’s hard to imagine a world in which in news about government policies, court cases, and elected officials was relegated to print news sources. Read this article to learn about some of the ways in which television has impacted American politics.
Following Garbage’s Long Journey Around The Earth
What happens to the stuff you no longer need? In this interview, author Edward Humes describes the huge amount of trash created in the United States and explains where it goes when we throw it away.