http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/Water-rights-settlement-on-hold-106319753.html

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – A controversial water rights agreement that would quantify and permanently settle Navajo and Hopi claims to Colorado River water was placed on hold by the Navajo Nation Council after questions were raised by those who filled council chambers at a Sept. 29 meeting.

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/10/stone-age-toolmakers-surprisingl.html?ref=hp

"A new study suggests that cave dwellers were using a delicate stone-carving technique called pressure flaking 75,000 years ago, 55,000 years before scientists thought the technique was invented. And there are hints that pressure flaking might reach back even further in time."

Maybe it's time for schools to reconsider the use of textbooks.

Virginia 4th-grade textbook criticized over claims on black Confederate soldiers

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/19/AR2010101907974.html

"A textbook distributed to Virginia fourth-graders says that thousands of African Americans fought for the South during the Civil War -- a claim rejected by most historians but often made by groups seeking to play down slavery's role as a cause of the conflict."

Digitized Dead Sea Scrolls to be available online

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/19/digitized-dead-sea-scrolls-to-be-available-online/?hpt=C1

"In an ambitious application of 21st century technology to a first century wonder, the Israel Antiquities Authority and internet search giant Google announced a plan Tuesday to digitize the Dead Sea Scrolls and make the entire collection available to the public online."

Q: What is the real reason to learn history?

A: To understand Monty Python and Blackadder jokes.

One of the great things about teaching history is that Monty Python has ready-made lesson plans that are entertaining too. How do you introduce Chivalry and a knight's code of conduct? The Black Knight scene and the Swamp Castle scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, of course.

Hawaii earns an education ‘World’s First’

Interesting. We hear of K-8 and Secondary systems, and K-12 systems; but a P-20 system. Wow!

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/hawaiialaska/Hawaii-earns-an-education-Worlds-First-104776964.html

"The task of education integration from preschool to graduate school, or P-20 education, has become a major focus in Hawaii, the Continental United States, and in other countries. An international accrediting body, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, recently awarded its first accreditation to such a P-20 system – the Hawaiian Mauli Ola Education System."

Pirate Johnny Depp makes surprise school visit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11493676

So, how do you work an A-list actor, in character and in costume, into your lesson plan?

A new language is discovered in India

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11479563

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130242203

Researchers have identified a language new to science in a remote region of India.
Known as Koro, it appears to be distinct from other languages in the family to which it belongs; but it is also under threat.
It is thought that around half of the world's 6,909 known languages are endangered and Koro itself is vulnerable. It has never been written down and is only spoken by between 800 and 1,200 people.