On today’s NOTICE News: longtime Democratic Leader in the House of Representatives, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, announced she’s stepping down. And NASA just took a big step to get humans back on the moon. All that on more, today on NOTICE News. Click here for a transcript of today’s show.
Discussion Questions
Each episode of NOTICE News comes with a set of discussion questions for teachers to use in their classrooms, based on that day’s episode.
- What are some reasons Nancy Pelosi stepping down from House leadership is a monumental moment?
- What was a key issue that set Nancy Pelosi apart in the early 2000’s, and why might that have launched her to power?
- What are some of the causes or achievements that Pelosi has from her tenure as House Speaker?
- Why would Nancy Pelosi find it important to mentor a new generation of party leaders?
- What are some significant features of the Artemis 1 launch?
- Why is it significant that NASA has promised to land a woman and person of color on the moon? How is this involvement tied to the original efforts to get man to the moon?
- What is the larger eventual goal of which the Artemis 1 launch is a part?
Writing Prompts
Each episode of NOTICE News also comes with writing prompts for teachers to use in the classroom, based on that day’s episode.
- It can be difficult to speak up against any majority, but why might some view someone who can as a leader? What traits might that individual have?
- Being at the apex of one’s career or the height of someone’s power might seem like it could provide ultimate satisfaction, but some choose to focus on mentorship in such moments. Explain why “passing the torch” could be more satisfying than leading itself.
- The prospect of having astronauts launch to Mars by the late 2030’s can feel quite near, even though it is years away. Explain why events that occur years apart may seem closer together when viewing them in terms of the course of time.
More info on Nancy Pelosi:
- Full story on Nancy Pelosi stepping down as Speaker of the House and Democratic leader including the full story on her retirement, how she became a fixture in Washington, D.C., and how she originally came to power. (Reuters)
- Watch: Speaker Pelosi’s full, 15-minute speech to the House announcing her retirement (YouTube / C-SPAN)
- Timeline: How Nancy Pelosi went from San Francisco housewife to the most powerful woman in US politics (Insider)
- Who is Hakeem Jeffries, favored candidate for U.S. House Democratic leader? If elected, he would be the first Black person to lead a party in Congress. (Reuters)
- How does the House of Representatives choose a new speaker? Let’s break it down. (Reuters)
More Info On NASA’s Artemis One Launch:
- Full story: NASA’s Artemis rocketship on course for moon after epic launch (Reuters)
- Why are we going back to the Moon? NASA explains their reasoning. (YouTube / NASA)
- Where is Artemis now? Track Artemis’s journey in REAL TIME. (NASA)
- Timeline for the entire Artemis project, including the new two launches. (Inverse)
- More about Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and the other Black women who helped get America to the moon (National Air and Space Museum) or watch the 2016 movie “Hidden Figures” streaming now on Disney+ (subscription required) or rent on Amazon Prime.
We send a new NOTICE episode like the one above every weekday, delivered to your e-mail the night before. Each episode comes with standards-based discussion questions and writing prompts, plus interactive student resources.