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CRAYON: Create Your Own Newspaper - David Maher
Grades
7 to 12
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By registering with an email address, you and your students are able to create their own newspaper with a choice of three options, a simple page layout, one with frames, ...more
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By registering with an email address, you and your students are able to create their own newspaper with a choice of three options, a simple page layout, one with frames, or one with two windows which requires Java Script. Creators can also add images and/or links to images and other info. After selecting either "standard" (displays newspaper sections one at a time) or "quick paper" (shows all sections and selects the most popular items for the final paper), students can click to read their personalized news. Options allow students to hear the news also, using RealAudio. They can select news from local, national, or international papers. Instructions on the site are excellent and preparing the personalized newspaper just takes a few moments. Participants receive a link to their newspapers in an email message sent only to them. remember that the audio requires Real Player. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
In the Classroom
A great way to get students involved with the news on an intimate basis!! Teachers can also create a classroom newspaper for parents and others to access. Check on your district policy regarding posting student work to the web. It would be a good idea to limit names to initials and to get written parent permission before setting up accounts. Then use YOUR teacher email account for safety reasons.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Volcano World - Department of Geosciences at Oregon State University
Grades
4 to 10
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For everything everyone wants to know about volcanoes, look at this webpage which includes data on current eruptions, startling photos, links to videos of volcanic activity, links to...more
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For everything everyone wants to know about volcanoes, look at this webpage which includes data on current eruptions, startling photos, links to videos of volcanic activity, links to lesson plans, volcano FAQ's, and a glossary. Video links require the Quicktime plugin. The Kids Door takes you to portins appropriate for younger students and virtual field trips to volcanoes suitable for any age.
In the Classroom
Use a projector to take a virtual field trip as you start the study of volcanoes, then include this site as a link on your teacher web page for students to research different volcanoes and current activity.
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: Immigration Reform - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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This lesson plan provides a framework for discussing immigration from multiple points of view. Check out the left menu for materials you will need, and there are links to a ...more
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This lesson plan provides a framework for discussing immigration from multiple points of view. Check out the left menu for materials you will need, and there are links to a partial transcript of a NewsHour segment that features the voices of immigrants from different countries. There is a good set of essential questions for discussion related to the issue of immigration. The focus of the lesson is that life experiences shape attitudes toward immigration, and that there are many points of view. Students are encouraged to role play a point of view different from their own. Finally, there is a quick quiz (and Key) that could be used to establish prior knowledge about immigration. On a topic that can be highly emotional, this lesson simply lays out the viewpoints, rather than taking sides.
In the Classroom
The essential questions (labeled "My Point of View, parts 2-3") are a nice guide for helping students see this issue from multiple backgrounds.
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Awesome Stories - Awesome Stories Internet Productions
Grades
3 to 8
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A great source of primary documents covering many topics of interest to grade school children including the real stories some of the people killed on Sept. 11. Although this ...more
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A great source of primary documents covering many topics of interest to grade school children including the real stories some of the people killed on Sept. 11. Although this is usually a pay site ($9.95/yr), free membership is available for educators, schools, and libraries. Each feature article is divided into "Story Chapter Links" and highlighted vocabulary clicks to photographs, maps, artifacts, documents, audio-visual clips, and articles with more information about the word. Topics offered include history, culture, literature, disasters, and media. You can find passages on topics related to almost any student's interests and use the resources to teacher reading skills.
In December, 2006, Awesome Stories announced free accounts for individuals, as well, but for a "limited time." If you would like your students to be abe to use it at home, consider setting up accounts for students, as well, while they are free.
In the Classroom
This is a great jumping off point for beginning researchers. You will find a wonderful compilation of photographs and other realia about the topics. Teach comprehension skills by using the first four chapters and asking students to predict or write aht they think would come next. Bring up the stories on an interactive whiteboard to highlight important terms and access the links that help students build connections to content. Maybe let students select the next topic to help engage reluctant readers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: Checks and Balances in Supreme Court Nominations - PBS
Grades
7 to 12
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US ...more
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US government. There are excellent discussion guides, a link to streaming video from the NewsHour, with an accompanying transcript that can be distributed, and a PDF version of a Chicago Tribune article on the issue. There is a nice vocabulary list. There is a good handout on the process of nominating a Supreme Court judge and a worksheet that accompanies it.
In the Classroom
There is a really nice "balance of powers" exercise that goes way beyond a simple discussion of the Supreme Court. Students look at all three branches of government and determine which branch has power in a variety of contemporary situations. This lesson plan is good as a stand-alone, but also provides a lot of jumping off places for further discussion and adaptation. Use a projector, as the plan suggests, to share the short video clips, available in several formats.
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: The United Nations and Reform - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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This site, connected to the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, looks at efforts and rationale for reform at the United Nations. There is an overview of the history of ...more
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This site, connected to the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, looks at efforts and rationale for reform at the United Nations. There is an overview of the history of the United Nations, including a nice PDF handout for students. The second part focuses on some of the organizational challenges faced by the UN and asks whether the UN is addressing the issues it was designed for.
In the Classroom
The information provided is fairly dense, and the issues and discussion of reform are probably beyond the scope of a general history class. However, the historical information would be useful for a more general audience, and the questions related to reform would be suitable for an upper level class on civics, government or modern US history.
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World News in Special English - VOA
Grades
4 to 8
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VOA offers audio and written radio scripts of a wide range of news stories in areas including science, agriculture, culture, health, and education. The language used is simple, and...more
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VOA offers audio and written radio scripts of a wide range of news stories in areas including science, agriculture, culture, health, and education. The language used is simple, and the stories are read more slowly than the average radio broadcast. The site includes its own dictionary ("Word Book") and pronunciation guide, as well as links to many other features. Contains RealAudio and MP3 downloadable audio files. If you have high speed internet, you can also use the streaming option.
In the Classroom
Use this simplified news site to help students improve listening skills and vocabulary while learning about current events. This is an easy way to differentiate for students who process information more slowly as English language learners or for other reasons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hezbollah Backgrounder - Council on Foreign Relations
Grades
9 to 12
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Get the basics on Hezbollah for your current events discussions and to assure that students have the facts. ...more
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Get the basics on Hezbollah for your current events discussions and to assure that students have the facts.
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Many Things.org Daily - Charles I. Kelly & Lawrence E. Kelly
Grades
4 to 12
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Part of "Interesting Things for ESL Students," this unadorned site changes daily and provides common slang (near the top of the page), idioms, or proverbs and definitions plus daily...more
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Part of "Interesting Things for ESL Students," this unadorned site changes daily and provides common slang (near the top of the page), idioms, or proverbs and definitions plus daily grammar quizzes. It also features an audio broadcast of a simplified news release backed up with archives (Click on links below Listening). Also available is a multilingual translating dictionary and access to three top search engines.
In the Classroom
Use this to beef up vocabulary, to explore culture through idioms and proverbs, and for listening and discussion practice in response to news reports. Great to fill in 5 - 10 minutes at the beginning or end of classes! For the regular classroom teacher, this may provide an alternate way for ESL students to "study" current events. Be sure to mark it in Favorites on your classroom computer for these students to access (or place a shortcut on the desktop). Note: you need speakers for the audio!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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North Korea - CIA FactBook - CIA
Grades
6 to 12
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The CIA's Factbook is pretty dry reading, but this site does provide some of the history of Korea, including the post-World War II division into North and South. There are ...more
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The CIA's Factbook is pretty dry reading, but this site does provide some of the history of Korea, including the post-World War II division into North and South. There are other facts about culture, government, and economy, but North Korea remains one of the world's least-known and least-understood nations. Could be a useful reference for discussion of current events or a research source for projects on countries.
In the Classroom
Include this in your supplemental teacher links pages during a unit on Asia or Korea.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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War News Radio - Swarthmore College
Grades
6 to 12
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Produced by a talented, well-trained group of college students, this online audio resource - available as podcasts, through RSS syndication, and on the web, presents detailed, well-researched...more
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Produced by a talented, well-trained group of college students, this online audio resource - available as podcasts, through RSS syndication, and on the web, presents detailed, well-researched short reports about the war in Iraq. Many segments include on-the-scene interviews with Iraqis and troops in the field. The site also includes a collection of background reports, like "Iraq 101" that help provide context for the reporting
In the Classroom
Try this one as a current events source for personalized, less sensational reports on events in Iraq.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Basics of Fusion - Princeton
Grades
6 to 12
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In May, 2006, an unusual international consortium signed a treaty that could lead to the eventual construction of the world's first commercial fusion reactor. With it would come the...more
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In May, 2006, an unusual international consortium signed a treaty that could lead to the eventual construction of the world's first commercial fusion reactor. With it would come the key to almost limitless energy. This backgrounder from a similar European consortium provides a much more basic introduction to how fusion works and why it presents such a challenge.
In the Classroom
In addition to its obvious applications in physics, this issue could have widespread economic and environmental implications. There are lots of "What if..." questions you could develop around this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Limerick Savant
Grades
10 to 12
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This is much more than a mere collection of contemporary limericks. It is rather a witty and provocative poetic commentary on politics, government, and economics from 2004 through August...more
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This is much more than a mere collection of contemporary limericks. It is rather a witty and provocative poetic commentary on politics, government, and economics from 2004 through August 2018. Original creations - inspired by what was in the news - were posted each day, and previous contributions can be perused by scrolling. It's acerbic ("Mr. Bush, we have heard you would banish our national anthem in Spanish...") and not for the easily offended, but it does provide a creative way to begin a class discussion on a hot topic of the past. This is a personal blog site, so preview carefully before sharing with students.
In the Classroom
Enhance student learning by challenging students to combine their creative writing skills with knowledge of poetic forms to fashion their own limericks using headline news as a prompt. For those who need help with the limerick format, use Poetry Generators, reviewed here, or Poem Generator, reviewed here. Next, have students publish their limericks to a class poetry web page using Straw.Page, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to explain why they chose their current event and to read their poem on Gravity, reviewed here, requiring them to comment on other students' poems and current events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Decisions, Decisions - New York Times
Grades
8 to 12
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Explore the many factors involved in the recent sentencing of Zacarias Moussaoui. This lesson plan asks students to examine statements made by families of 9/11 victims, read and discuss...more
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Explore the many factors involved in the recent sentencing of Zacarias Moussaoui. This lesson plan asks students to examine statements made by families of 9/11 victims, read and discuss an article about the suspected terrorist, and explore the mitigating factors that contributed to the jurors' final decision. Finally, students must prepare mock statements that might have been made by defense or prosecuting attorneys during the sentencing hearing. Aligned to standards.
In the Classroom
Though a little out of date for a current events class, this would be a great lesson for use in a US government class or US history. Be sure to save the site as a favorite for easy retrieval later on! For differentiation, peruse the article before-hand, creating a list of words that students may have trouble with or may not be familiar with. Create a follow-along for the article, defining those words selected to help students as they read. This will allow lower achieving readers to be able to process the information more efficiently and with more comprehension.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Science Update Podcasts - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Grades
6 to 12
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Head to this site to subscribe to a free, weekly podcast on interesting news and developments in all areas of science. These weekly audio files run 3-5 minutes each. While ...more
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Head to this site to subscribe to a free, weekly podcast on interesting news and developments in all areas of science. These weekly audio files run 3-5 minutes each. While not designed specifically for instructional use, they provide current science news in an easily accessible format.
In the Classroom
Try this one for your own professional development, or play it in science class as students are getting settled in for their class period.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Grading on a Curve - New York Times
Grades
6 to 12
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Just how effective are the six key issues of President Bush's domestic agenda? This lesson gives students a chance to assume the role of political analyst as they critically examine...more
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Just how effective are the six key issues of President Bush's domestic agenda? This lesson gives students a chance to assume the role of political analyst as they critically examine the Bush administration. The goal is to create a report card addressing the efficacy of selected domestic topics. Includes suggestions for interdisciplinary activities and projects. Aligned to standards.
In the Classroom
Though a bit outdated for a current events class, this would be a great lesson in a US government class looking at the Presidency of George H.W. Bush. Save this lesson as a favorite on your desktop to allow for easy retrieval later on - though be sure to look closely at the lesson and make sure that students have learned enough of the contextual information to be able to make sense of the article. For differentiation, peruse the article before-hand, creating a list of words that students may have trouble with or may not be familiar with. Create a follow-along for the article, defining those words selected to help students as they read. This will allow lower achieving readers to be able to process the information more efficiently and with more comprehension.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Avian Influenza: What You Should Know - U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Grades
6 to 12
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The CDC's home page for information on "bird flu" (avian influenza) offers a variety of content written at an adult level, including basic fact sheets, current outbreak updates, etc....more
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The CDC's home page for information on "bird flu" (avian influenza) offers a variety of content written at an adult level, including basic fact sheets, current outbreak updates, etc. Used selectively, this information offers an authoritative look at the evolution of this new disease and the international response to its spread.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an introduction to the avian flu during the seemingly always present flu-season. Have students explore the site in cooperative learning group with the intentions of finding three things that they can do to prevent themselves from getting the flu, or what the government is doing to prevent a spread. Have students create a short presentation with the information, making online posters that summarizes their findings. Use an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here). This would be great in a Health class, or in a government class studying government responses during crises or the impact of globalization.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pandemic Flu - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Grades
9 to 12
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It's in the news everyday: Countries are struggling to develop strategies for combating what could be the world's next pandemic influenza outbreak. This U.S. government Web site from...more
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It's in the news everyday: Countries are struggling to develop strategies for combating what could be the world's next pandemic influenza outbreak. This U.S. government Web site from the Department of Health and Human Services provides factual information on the avian flu and the current national strategy for handling it. Includes U.S. and international surveillance reports, current research activities, and potential economic impacts.
In the Classroom
hare this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have cooperative learning groups create multimedia presentations (focusing on causes, the flu itself, how it spreads, how to better protect themselves, etc.). Have groups create commercials about their topic, and complete additional research. Video the commercials and share them on a site such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.. Provide this link on your class website for students to share with their parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Deadly Virus - National Archives and Records Administration
Grades
8 to 12
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How does the threat of the bird flu compare with the actual influenza pandemic that swept the world in 1918, killing more people than died World War I? This ...more
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How does the threat of the bird flu compare with the actual influenza pandemic that swept the world in 1918, killing more people than died World War I? This site provides riveting photographs and commentary, detailing the development and spread of the virus that indiscriminately lowered average life expectancy in the United States by more than 12 years. Find out how it affected American society and read first-hand accounts of its path of destruction.
In the Classroom
The most descriptive part of this website are the images of civil servants in contact with the public wearing surgical masks while performing their everyday duties. Use these images to supplement your lecture on the epidemic, and to spur a class discussion on the comparison between people's reaction for diseases today such as the Swine flu or the Bird flu.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Associated Press News - AP & Google
Grades
9 to 12
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Make current events an interactive experience with this "mash up" that plots and superimposes current AP news stories on a Google map or satellite image of the U.S. Click ...more
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Make current events an interactive experience with this "mash up" that plots and superimposes current AP news stories on a Google map or satellite image of the U.S. Click on a marker to read the full story. National news, sports, business, technology, and "strange" happenings are represented topics.
In the Classroom
Use as source for creating a classroom "bulletin board" map of national news. Project to serve as discussion-starter for current events issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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