How do middle school teachers respond when their students pitch a play about one of the world’s most notorious dictators? “Stalin Boys” captures a particular moment in middle school education in which kids grapple with a dark history for the very first time. The experience raises some questions: What is Communism? What went wrong? And, of course, what was Stalin’s favorite color? Watch “Stalin Boys,” by Ora DeKornfeld and Bianca Giaever, at the link in our bio. #opdocs #nytopinion

Meet Yaren, a 10-year-old attending a summer camp in Belgium where children struggling with grief can come together and bond with their peers. See her story in the Op-Docs film, “Yaren and the Sun” by Renate Raman and Joren Slaets. #opdocs #nytopinion

Record-breaking heat is the new normal. At Station 18 in Phoenix, firefighters are on the front lines trying to save its victims — one bag of ice at a time. Watch the full Op-Doc, “A New Inferno,” at the link in our bio. #opdocs #nytopinion