An Orca Whale that captivated the world, current events and science instruction

Often, our students may become aware of viral stories, and we can use these stories to teach so much content. Consider the example of Tahlequah, the orca carrying her dead calf for days. We could use a graphic organizer such as a four square to build vocabulary or even a KWL chart to help students comprehend complex text. 

An article like this can help students connect to stories on climate change, understand the crisis in our ocean's or even interact with the author using technology like Twitter. 

Considering this is an opinion piece, you could even open a discussion on author credibility and bias. 

What would you be able to do with this article in your classroom? And how do you use viral stories to engage students? and finally, How does this content align with the expectations of the high school equivalency exams? 

Sincerely, 
Kathy