Good morning! We have a special video opportunity for students of all ages, a fun new edition of Film Club, and more. — The Learning NetworkTimes reporters are on a scientific expedition to Antarctica, and they want video questions from kids.
For much of January and February, Raymond Zhong, a New York Times climate reporter, and Chang W. Lee, a Times photographer, are traveling with a scientific expedition to study Antarctica’s fastest melting glacier. You can follow their progress here. What would your students like to know about this difficult and occasionally harrowing trip? Students of all ages are invited to send in video questions for possible inclusion in the team’s dispatches from the trip. Deadline: Jan 16. Please submit here. Recent Times reporting about schools
More teaching resources from The Learning Network
An activity for your students: Watch a fun 15-minute film.
Popcorn and sporting events are inseparable — but who actually makes the magic happen? In “Making Popcorn for 15,000+ Basketball Fans,” a 15-minute episode from The New York Times Cooking series, we follow Miss Deb and Mahogany on a single day as they prepare enough buttery popcorn to feed an entire sports arena. Invite your students to watch the piece, part of our Film Club series, and engage with questions like, “If you were to pitch a new ‘On the Job’ episode, what hidden hero or heroes of the food world would you want this Cooking series to follow?” Before you go, see what teens are saying about their hopes for 2026.
Teenagers had a lot to say in reaction to a Times newsletter about the rise of cynicism and how to cultivate optimism in the new year. Here are two of their comments: What gives me hope is knowing that I’ll finally be able to be more free. I’ll get my permit and finally be able to drive. I’ll be old enough to get a job and make my own money and not have to rely on my parents all the time. And then right before school starts up again, I’ll have my license. And I’m starting to finally have enough courage to ask for help in school so I don’t fall behind and fail. And with the new year I want to try new things and get back into reading.— Lily, Baker High School What gives me hope in 2026 is watching young people such as myself actively push back against misinformation and speak up for the truth. Growing up in one of the world’s most diverse communities means I am constantly exposed to meaningful stories, from immigrant experiences to local activism. Journalism motivates me because it transforms my curiosity into responsible storytelling and accountability. I feel hopeful seeing a stronger emphasis on media literacy, which teaches students how to report carefully and ethically in a digital-first world.— Jefferson, Jamaica, NY We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to LNfeedback@nytimes.com. More next week.
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