The debate over the best way to teach sex ed in America continues to rage on, but student voice is often left out of the conversation when schools are deciding on what to teach. So Myles and PBS NewsHour Student Reporters from Oakland Military Institute investigate the pros and cons of the various approaches to sex ed and talk to students to find out how they feel about their sexual health education. Included is a lesson plan and student viewing guide. [9:15]

Student homelessness in the US is a tricky thing to quantify. HUD -- the federal government's Department of Housing and Urban Development -- controls most of the money used to help the homeless. But, that agency misses about 4 in 5 homeless students. Why? It's all about how you define the term "homeless". According to HUD, you're only considered homeless if you're living in a shelter or living on the streets. But according to the Department of Education, about 80% of the 1.3 million homeless students living in the US are couch surfing, living in motels, or doubling up with family or friends. These students aren't eligible for HUD money, so increasingly, it's up to schools to provide help. Host Myles Bess explores how homeless students get the help they need when different federal agencies use competing definitions to define who's homeless. A student handout to accompany the video is included. [5:54]

No doubt about it: the pandemic has taken a toll on students' mental health, especially those dealing with family members getting sick or losing jobs. And distance learning just adds to the struggle. It's hard to stay focused and connected through a screen. At the same time, could there be some hidden benefits, such as the ability to work at your own pace (and in PJs) and avoid the anxiety-inducing drama of school IRL? What do you think? Are there any upsides to distance learning? A student handout to accompany the video is included. [7:34]

The World Health Organization is worried about video games-just recently, it officially recognized "Gaming Disorder" as a mental health condition. But it's not that simple. The American Psychiatric Association isn't convinced and says there's not enough research showing that video game addiction is its disorder. So what's going on? Is video game addiction REALLY a thing? Find out in the latest Above the Noise episode. An activity to accompany the video is included. [6:09]

By 2050, the World Economic Forum predicts that the amount of plastic in the oceans will outweigh ALL the fish. When you hear "plastic" pollution, you might picture six-pack rings wrapped around seagulls or beaches littered with plastic bottles. But now, researchers are discovering a new menace -- microfibers. They're tiny strands of synthetic fibers that come from the synthetic clothing that many of us love to wear -- think fleece jackets and yoga pants. Find out what we can do about microfiber pollution in this weeks Above the Noise video. A student handout to accompany the video is included. [6:04]

Financial inequality has been in the news a lot recently. This inequality creates what is typically called a social status ladder, with rich people at the top and poorer people toward the bottom. Research shows that your position on the ladder is one of the most powerful predictors of health. But it's so much more than just how much money you have or how fancy your education is. It's how you feel you compare to other people -- your subjective social status. We've scoured the research, looking at human and animal studies, to find out how your subjective social status affects your health. A student handout to accompany the video is included. [4:37]

This lesson asks students to explore the pros and cons of dress code policies in light of the national conversation as well as their own school. In the Above the Noise video, they will hear student voices from a variety of perspectives and be asked to weigh the evidence before making up their minds.

On social media, conversations about #Imnotadistraction are gaining popularity, and school dress codes are coming under fire from students who say these policies can be sexist and racist. But many argue strict dress codes are necessary for a safe learning environment. So, how should schools decide on dress code policies? A lesson plan to accompany the video is included. [7:09]

Taking the SAT or ACT is a right of passage for high school students applying to college. Millions of juniors and seniors take at least one of the tests every year, albeit reluctantly, and most colleges still require it to be considered for admission. But a growing number of colleges are putting much less emphasis on test scores. Many have made the test entirely optional. Should tests like the ACT or SAT still be used for college admissions? An activity to accompany the video is included. [5:36]

As protesters around the country demand racial justice and a re-examination of policing in communities, the conversation has also spread to schools-with many asking if police should be on campuses. Do you think a police presence in schools helps keep students safer? Or do you think they contribute to negative situations that are better handled by other means? A lesson plan to accompany the video is included. [8:54]

Suspensions have some unintended consequences. They disproportionately target minorities, and some students who get suspended are more likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school and become involved in the criminal justice system. But suspensions are viewed by some as a necessary tool to keep schools safe. It may not be great for the suspended student, but they say it's more important to keep everyone else at the school safe. Should suspensions be suspended? An activity to accompany the video is included. [5:41]

As the Covid-19 vaccine becomes readily available for more folks -- including teens 16+ -- some parents are hesitant about allowing their minor children to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, public health experts say young people will need to get the vaccine if the U.S is to reach herd immunity. Do you think teens should be able to get vaccines without a parent or guardian's permission? A lesson plan to accompany the video is included. [11:15]

Over 20 states have introduced bills in 2021 that would ban trans girls from competing in girls' sports in middle and high school--some bans include elementary school and college. Though not all these bills have passed, they have caused debate about how best to make girls' sports more equitable. What does fairness mean when it comes to trans girls in sports? A teacher's guide to accompany the video is included. [11:48]

Since the pandemic began, violence against Asian-Americans has skyrocketed. Even though overall hate crimes fell in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes grew by nearly 150% in major US cities. Myles teams up with student reporters at Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio and youth activists in Alameda, California to explore why it's so hard to get racist violence charged as a hate crime--and ways to stop hate crimes from happening in the first place. A teacher's guide to accompany the video is included. [11:01]

To slow the spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19, public health experts are telling us to stay home and practice "social distancing." Think social distancing doesn't matter if you're young and healthy? Think again. It's not about you-it's about protecting the community. A lesson plan is included to accompany the video. [5:50]

Short video [1:11] on Abraham Lincoln animated and narrated with humor. Support materials for students include background essay on Lincoln and fact sheet to accompany video.

This animated Math Shorts video explains absolute value, as demonstrated on the number line and through a real-life example. In the accompanying classroom activity, students watch the video and then play a game in which they move a penny along a number line in positive and negative directions. As they play, they use absolute value to track the total distance that the penny moves. To get the most from the lesson, students should be comfortable determining distance between positive and negative numbers on a number line.

This series of video segments explains the importance of academic vocabulary in the common core curriculum. The video segments included highlight the three tiers of vocabulary [1:35], the role of vocabulary in the common core curriculum standards [2:06], and the three stages of vocabulary instruction [4:49]

These video segments examine the integration of domain-specific vocabulary in technical education course, a construction core class. The teacher demonstrates how to introduce the new vocabulary in the first segment via a complex course text [7:22], and the second segment shows the teacher's use of graphic organizers to enhance the students' understanding the text's vocabulary. L.9-10.6 Vocabulary, L.11-12. 6 Vocabulary CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.6, L.11-12. 6 Vocabulary

This video [5:06] provides research related to the Common Core approach to vocabulary, footage of classroom teachers engaging students in vocabulary instruction, and sample vocabulary assessments.