new year 2021

new year hope

by Wesley Grace Foster-Hoke and Lucille Block

On the sixth of January, history was made and lives were lost. Trump supporters were gathered by Trump’s recommendation to protest at the Capitol, in Washington, DC. At this gathering five people died, and 52 people were arrested. Though it started as a somewhat peaceful protest, it ended in a riot- "a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd".

While a tragic event was going on outside the Capitol, history was being made inside. When this riot started the House of Representatives and the Senate were in the middle of making history. The Senators and Representatives were in a disagreement; some of Senators objected to the votes of Arizona. The legislatures went into separate rooms to discuss, one room of Senators and another of Representatives. When they split up was when the violence of the protest truly began.

This event that happened was devastating. This kind of thing has only happened in the U.S a few times. The U.S capitol was attacked, and there have been other acts of violence this year and years before. Other examples from long ago include the burning of the White House in 1812, another burning of the Capitol in 1814, and more. The burning of the White House in the past was done by the British. The White House is white today to cover up the soot marks of the fire.

Many events have led to this new attack, and America is broken in half politically. Hopefully in this new year we will overcome our difficulties, including COVID-19, racism, and economic hardships, and bounce back to become a better country.

Mrs. Dark shared some great resources for working through this event:

This event has left many of us shaken and thoughtful over the state of our common culture and how to live safely and helpfully within it. I wanted to share a quick resource for talking with children about the attack on the Capitol that came to my attention via Dr. Elizabeth Self, a JTM parent and Assistant Professor of the Practice of Social Foundations of Education at Peabody College. In the article, the author reminds us that listening to, speaking age-appropriately about, and examining news intake with our children helps them to become critical consumers of information. If you are looking to read something with your students, I recommend starting with this Newsela article covering the most recent news. You can sign up as a caregiver for a free account. Newsela allows you to change the reading level to suit your student’s needs. For a deep dive into the importance of civics education for young people, check out local author, Holly Korby’s Building Better Citizens: A new civics education for all.



INAGURATION DAY 2021


Covid update

by Brent Ferrell


Vaccine Update

You’ve probably heard about the COVID-19 vaccine that started being distributed to people in December and that the distributing process is going slowly. Seventy-five-year olds and over in Tennessee are eligible to take the shot, in addition to healthcare workers who have been on the front lines battling the coronavirus. Teachers will get the vaccine sometime in February or March following people with high COVID risk. About 350,000 people, roughly 5% of the population, have been vaccinated in the state of Tennessee, but we need more so keep your masks on.

Preventing COVID-19

Until everyone has the vaccine, preventing the spread of COVID-19 is crucial to the infrastructure of our community. Wearing your mask and keeping the mask over your mouth and nose will prevent COVID-19. Contact sports like basketball and football increase the spread and if basketball is inside, coronavirus is more likely to spread.

MNPS COVID Tracker

The MNPS COVID Tracker shows how the spread is going and how long until the schools open. Right now, the tracker is on 7.9 out of 10, and the lower the better. We are doing great at getting it down from 9 out of 10 and we’d like to keep it that way. Until enough people are vaccinated, keep your masks on, don’t gather in groups of eight or more, and we’ll pull through.


Martin Luther King, jr.

by Lucille Block


MLK day is a holiday widely celebrated by many. Dr. Martin Lurther King, Jr. was a courageous man who stood up for what he believed in. Each year we celebrate his birthday and remember him for what he believed in and for everything he has done for us.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived a tough life. He stood for what he believed in, but this came at life threating cost. He was a pastor at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. He taught people to stand up for what they believe in peacefully through the bible. He noticed things around him others did not. He was a superhero by day, but he was also a father by night. He was married to Coretta Scott King. They had four children, Martin Luther King III, Yolanda King, Bernice King, and Dexter King. He cared for them while caring for the world.


Dr. King inspired many in multiple ways. He did many courageous things he is remembered for. Living under pressure and threat was hard, but it was all for the goal we are getting closer to today. He did all of this for his kids, his family, his equals, and everyone else. He wanted to make it so that one day you would not be judged by the color of your skin, your gender, who you like, or what you believe in, but rather, that you would be judged on your character.

MLK accomplished many things in his life. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott where many black people stopped ride the bus because they were not allowed to sit in any spot they wanted. They did this for a long, time getting rides from friends with cars or just walking everywhere. It was a tough time, but eventually they could sit wherever they wanted. The reason that they agreed was because the bus company was earning little money. This was only a minor win, but it was a win. He is also very well remembered for leading the March on Washington in 1963 where he and many other civil rights leaders spoke. Millions of people were there, and many were watching from T.V. It was held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and his closing speech was one well remembered today. He gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He said that he had a dream that one day we would live in a nation where you were judged by your character and accomplishments rather than by your race or sexuality. This was a big important moment. He had already inspired millions but these words alone could empower hundreds and did.

The fight for racial justice is still there, and Martin Luther King Day is to remember his legacy and to give back. On this day each year millions of Americans give back to each other in any way possible. Food drives, planting trees, and making donations are just some ways people serve others in honor of MLK.


How to Help!

There are so many different ways you can help the environment. Animal conservation is something that is often a way to help. Animal conservation acts include not using palm oil, planting trees, recycling, and informing yourself and others.


For more Info:


nationalgeographic.com

www.biologicaldiversity.org/

todayoceantoday.noaa.gov

gorillafund.org


endangered animal species

by Larkin Boyd and Stella Graham

Take Action and Inform Yourself!


Endangered Species- a species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.


Animals that are endangered fit into one of three categories: Vulnerable, Critically Endangered, and Extinct in the wild. For example, the Vaquita ( Phocoena sinus) is critically endangered and the Leatherback sea turtle(Dermochelys coriacea) is vulnerable. All species are important for their ecosystem to survive. For example, the Manatee(Trichechus) eats sea grass. By eating the sea grass they keep it trimmed making sure that the seagrass is healthy. Another example is the Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) that contributes to their ecosystem by spreading seeds. Without this, there would be less trees, and without trees there would be less oxygen making it harder to breathe.


The Vaquita - Ten Left in the Wild. Critically Endangered.

The vaquita, or the Phocoena sinus, is critically endangered. They are aquatic mammals, with an appearance resembling a porpoise.

Panamanian golden frog- Critically endangered. Thought by many to be extinct.

The panamanian golden frog, scientific name Atelopus zeteki, is an extremely poisonous species of amphibian. Although don’t let that scare you away! They are still incredibly important species, and in Panama it is considered a sign of good luck. They became endangered due to an epidemic of chytrid which is highly, highly dangerous to amphibians. On August 14th, in Panama celebrates Panamanian Golden Frog Day, where kids dress up like golden frogs and parade through the city, which is led by volunteers and staff at Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.



William’s Dwarf Gecko- Critically endangered. Population is rapidly decreasing due to the pet trade.

The William’s dwarf gecko is a species in the family of Gekkonidae with an electric blue coloring. Their scientific name is Lygodactylus williamsi, and they are native to Tanzania. Other common names include electric blue gecko and the turquoise dwarf gecko. They are critically endangered, and their population is rapidly decreasing because of illegal pet trade.

Pangolin - Two out of eight species of pangolin critically endangered.

The pangolin is an armadillo-like specimen, but don’t let that fool you, as although it looks like an anteater or sloth, they are much more closely related to cats and dogs.





climate change

Check out this informative video on Climate Change. Make a positive change this year to protect our planet!