CNN Student News - April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014

In what ways do scientists know more about Mars than the Earth’s oceans? You’ll find out this Wednesday on CNN Student News! We’ll also tell you about a General Motors recall, a U.S. government requirement for backup cameras on all new cars, and the challenges facing air traffic controllers at the world’s busiest airport.

On this page you will find today’s show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and a place for you to leave feedback.

TRANSCRIPT

Click here to access the transcript of today’s CNN Student News program.

Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published.

DAILY CURRICULUM

Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF).

Media Literacy Question of the Day:

What information do you think should be included in a news report about a product recall? Why?

Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today’s show:

1. General Motors

2. CEO

3. air traffic controller

Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today’s program?

1. Who is Mary Barra? Why was she on Capitol Hill yesterday? What problem was the focus of her testimony? When was the problem discovered? When did General Motors order a recall of the cars that may have this problem? What are legislators in Washington, D.C. trying to determine?

2. What piece of equipment is the U.S. government requiring in cars, SUVs and trucks by 2018? What is the government’s rationale for this requirement? Why are some critical of this requirement?

3. Describe the scene in the video taken by a camera mounted on a tank in Syria. Who is fighting in Syria’s civil war? When did it start? According to the video, is there an end in sight to this war? Explain.

4. How do we currently get data about the bottom of the ocean? According to the video: What are the challenges associated with mapping the earth’s oceans? If you were using one ship and it never stopped, how long would it take to map the floor of the Earth’s oceans? Why do we know more about the surface of the moon and Mars than we do about the oceans?

5. What is the world’s busiest airport? How many runways does it have? What is the job of an air traffic controller? How many airplanes do air traffic controllers handle at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport every day? What are some of the emergencies that arise on almost every shift?

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s your opinion of the U.S. government’s requirement to include backup cameras on most new vehicles in the coming years? State your rationale.

2. Do you think that knowledge of the Earth’s oceans is important? Do you think that knowledge of space is important? Why or why not? If you were elected to Congress, what would your priorities be for exploration funding? Why?

3. What do you think the air traffic controller in the video means when he says that “volume breeds complexity”? Why do you think that focus is so important for this kind of work? What other skills and qualities do you think that the job of an air traffic controller demands? Could you ever see yourself in a line of work like this, or something similar? Explain.

CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them.

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