📚 Lesson Plan #9

Happy Monday! The holiday season is a busy time for everyone and teachers are no exception. We want to remind you that you're doing an amazing job guiding and mentoring your students! We want to support our everyday hero teachers just like you, so here are five good news stories to help you share positive news stories that are perfect for your classroom. In this week's issue:

🔍 Researchers just cracked a 500-year-old secret code 🦭A geological fluke is protecting sea life in the Galapagos🐶 Monroe the dog is a hero after saving her owner from a fire

But first...

How did Jason Zackowski go from a Red Deer, Alberta high school teacher to one of Twitter's most influential science communicators? (Hint: It had a lot to do with 8 legs and 2 tails.)

It all started when this chemistry teacher added a Bernese mountain dog to his family. He named the puppy Bunsen, a cheeky nod to his love for science, and began posting pictures on social media. His following quickly grew when he started creating content that shows science through the eyes of his dog. It didn't take long to find his posts in popular feeds that feature science communication. Then, like so many others during the pandemic, he brought home another pup, Beaker, which grew the accounts again.

As science experiments go, the Bunsen and Beaker pairing has created quite a following. The dogs have more than 160,000 Twitter followers (including big-name medical professionals, authors, and health communicators such as Timothy Caulfield and Dr. Jennifer Gunter) and another 46,000 followers on TikTok. Jason told CBC the formula is simple. "We promote science, of course. But also being kind, and cute. So we get people with the cute pictures, and they learn science along the way."

Jason's creative "Q and A" videos might be the perfect addition to your morning question of the day. You can follow Bunsen and Beaker on Twitter and TikTok. 

Scientists Find Mysterious Out-of-this-World Minerals in a Meteorite

Researchers in Canada have discovered two new minerals - and potentially a third - after analyzing a slice of a 15-tonne meteorite that landed in east Africa.

A Geological Fluke is Protecting Sea Life in the Galapagos Islands

As climate change warms the world's oceans, a pool of icy water off the coast of the Galapagos Islands is providing a refuge for marine animals seeking cooler waters.

Monroe the Dog is a Hero After Saving Her Owner From a Fire

A realtor in Florida was paragliding above a canal, scouting some new properties when he spotted an alligator. This alone wasn’t unusual, but the woman clinging to her sinking car next to it was.📺WATCH THE INCREDIBLE RESCUE STORY HERE

Researchers Crack King Charles V's 500-Year-Old Secret Code

A team of researchers just cracked a 500-year-old code that revealed a plot straight from a Hollywood movie. The coded letter explains a rumored French scheme to kill the King of Spain Charles V. 📺WATCH HERE

Archeologists in Norway May Have Found a 700-Year-Old Viking Ship

Scientists were mapping the lake's bottom to try to find old weapons, but they found something even older. After analyzing sonar images, archaeologists believe the ship is made of wood and measures 33 feet long.

Goodable Trivia Question of the WeekWhat are the Galapagos Islands famous for?

A: picnicsB: water sportsC: hunting animalsD: exotic and unique animals

Answer: D: exotic and unique animalsLocated at the convergence of three Pacific Ocean currents and relatively isolated from human interference, these Islands are a true haven for some of the most incredible wildlife in the world.

Good news stories don't have to be just once a week. Get your daily dose of happy and healthy news with the Goodable App, available now on the Google Play Store and Apple iOS Store for free! Download Today!

This is Your Exclusive Invite For Fellow Educators

We know how supportive the teacher community is and we want to make it even stronger. So we're giving all educators free access to Goodable In The Classroom for life. Every time you share the link below with others you're giving them an opportunity to access free lesson plans (and soon-to-be-announced prizes for you and your classroom). It's a simple way of showing that you care and want to help them out. Please share the link below!

https://goodable.co/education/