A current events journal keeps students involved with the latest scientific news and helps develop their writing and analytical skills. Every week, students select a science article, summarize the article in their journals, and define new vocabulary. As an optional extension, students can choose to present their articles to the rest of the class. When students are able to explore science topics that interest them—such as a drug, health condition, or some other phenomenon that they or a family member experienced—they see that science can be personally relevant and applicable to real-world situations.