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HOW LEARNING HAPPENS

High school students held a protest against a Jefferson County School Board proposal to emphasize patriotism in the teaching of U.S. history, at Ralston Valley High School, Arvada, Colo., in September. The protests were over the Colorado school district's proposal to promote patriotism and de-emphasize civil disobedience in American history classes. Brennan Linsley/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Brennan Linsley/AP

A boy paints the railings of a wooden fort at the Berkeley Adventure Playground. Nails, hammers and buckets of paint are just part of the fun. David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

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Play Hard, Live Free: Where Wild Play Still Rules

A California playground embraces the value of wild play.

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Education Secretary Arne Duncan (second from left) speaks with inmate Terrell Johnson, a participant in the Goucher College Prison Education Partnership. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP

Cast members of Notre Dame Academy's Godspell perform during the fifth annual Minty Awards for high school theater at the St. George Theatre on Staten Island, N.Y. Kathryn Carse/Landov hide caption

itoggle caption Kathryn Carse/Landov

President Obama is the first sitting president to visit a federal prison. Kevin Lamarque/Landov hide caption

itoggle caption Kevin Lamarque/Landov

High school students in the Johns Hopkins University summer program, Engineering Innovation, compete in an annual spaghetti bridge-building competition. Above: The A'hunna Key-Lows push their bridge to the limit. Below: The Key-Lows' winning bridge shatters — but only after holding 53 pounds. Lydia Thompson/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Lydia Thompson/NPR

Eliot Elementary in St. Louis, Mo., closed 10 years ago. The building remains empty. Tim Lloyd/ St. Louis Public Radio hide caption

itoggle caption Tim Lloyd/ St. Louis Public Radio

Cooper is known as the Swim Whisperer. He's been teaching swimming full-time since 1995. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR