Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

Dec. 11, 2023, 12:11 p.m.

Southeast Asian cities sink while sea levels rise

SUMMARY

Coastal cities in Southeast Asia, including Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia and Manila, Philippines, face a mutually risky future: they’re sinking as sea levels around them are rising.

For a transcript of this story, click here.

News wrap alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM UP QUESTIONS:

  1. Which cities are described in this story?
  2. What sits 30 miles from Bangkok?
  3. When was the village of Samut Chin visible?
  4. How much does the soil erode per year?
  5. Where does Surapol Kearnakpu live?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What measures has the government taken to address sea level rise, and what challenges do they face in implementing effective solutions? How do you think similar issues might be addressed in the U.S.?

Media literacy: What are some things being done in your community or state to prepare for the impacts of climate change? How could you find out?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?

FOR MORE

What students can do: Discuss — how does the geographical location of coastal cities like Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, specifically rising sea levels?

Check out this Student Reporting Labs video on climate change.

Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning. To sign up for Journalism in Action updates once a month, click here.

Recent Daily News Lessons

securingthevote-e1791575581663

Daily News Lesson

Monitoring the Midterms: How do officials test voting machines?

Discuss ways officials look to secure elections, and what challenges remain

press

Daily News Lesson

How media outlets are pushing back against Trump's selective press ban

Discuss the ways media outlets have fought for inclusion as part of the White House press pool

FS-food-bank

Daily News Lesson

Cuts to federal benefits push many Americans to food banks

Discuss the impact of cuts to nutrition assistance and the strain on local food banks

vote2026-2-e1791838323889

Daily News Lesson

Monitoring the Midterms: Water access major issue in Western states

Discuss how drought and water access have become more important to voters in some states than even the economy

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward