Curated OER
Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy
Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights in Current Events
Divided the class into pairs, each group is assigned one of the amendments. They use the internet to research current cases and issues involving their amendment. They are then lead into the introduction to some of the basic concepts of...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: You've Got Mail!
As the U.S. Postal System adjusts to virtual messaging, will snail mail slowly fade away? Examine the current phenomenon with your class through this political cartoon analysis, which has background information to give context for 2...
Curated OER
Freedom for the Chilean Miners
Have your class read this seven paragraph article about Chilean miners who were trapped and freed from a mine. There are five comprehension questions, a verb-to-noun matching exercise, a role-play suggestion, and a creative writing task...
Curated OER
The Power of Television Debate
After reading a seven-paragraph selection titled, "The Power of Television Debate," the class completes six comprehension tasks. They answer questions, use new vocabulary and adjectives in sentences, and engage in a debate with a...
Curated OER
School, Unplugged
What would school be like if you couldn't teach lessons that require technology? Would it benefit the class? Would it hold them back? Have your learners read this article and answer the basic reading comprehension questions. Then have...
Curated OER
Cruise Ship Capsizes
The newspaper offers many different types of stories about a variety of topics. Today, your class can read about the cruise ship Costa Concordia that capsized in 2012. They'll read the New York Times article, then answer each of the 10...
Curated OER
Cute, Colored and Contentious
Whether your class responds to the blog linked to this article, or just answers the nine related questions, they're in for an eye-opening read. Pupils consider animal rights as they read a New York Times article about two men who have...
Curated OER
An Anti-Gay Bullying Battle
This New York Times article states that one school district's anti-gay bullying policy is not good enough. Learners read to answer nine comprehension questions regarding the issues described in the article. Note: There is a related blog...
Curated OER
College Graduation Rate Stagnate
College has become a way to prepare for the future. However, according to this New York Times article, college graduation rates are stagnating. Kids read the article and then answer nine questions answering who, what, when, where, and...
Curated OER
The State of "No Child Left Behind"
Your class can read about the changes Obama considered making to Bush's No Child Left Behind Act. After reading the article, pupils answer 13 questions that ask, who, what, when, where, and why.
Curated OER
Proposition 8 Struck Down
Have your class examine the issues surrounding same-sex marriage, civil rights, and proposition 8. They read a New York Times article entitled "Proposition 8 Struck Down" and then answer 10 who, what, when, where, and why questions....
Curated OER
When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
Today's blog topic is robotic limb replacement for amputees. Upper graders read the related article and argument, then compose a blog response that addresses the questions provided. This is a great way to get kids thinking about ethics,...
Curated OER
Hopeful Eyes on Southern Skies
The Times covered a drought in 2011, which affected producers, consumers, and sellers. The class gets informed about climate and the economics of agriculture as the read this article and answer each of the 11 comprehension questions. A...
Curated OER
"Big Three" Bailouts
What does your class think about big business bailouts by the U.S. Government? Find out with this activity, where learners analyze a political cartoon comparing the "Big Three" automakers with the Greek Myth of Sisyphus. Background...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Social Commentary
Expose your class to the genre of political cartoons less concerned with serious political issues. This political cartoon analysis handout features social commentary on the many entertainments of youth, ironically paired with their...
Media Smarts
Cyberbullying and the Law
Dealing with the very topical subject of cyberbullying, this lesson plan will surely create some engaged discussion in your classroom. Young learners discuss the laws concerning cyberbullying in Canada, and then respond to a series of...
Media Smarts
Marketing to Teens: Gender Roles in Advertising
Young learners explore gender roles in advertising by taking an ad campaign they have seen which is specifically directed to one gender, and redesigning the campaign to target the opposite gender. After leading a guided discussion about...
Media Smarts
The Citizen Reporter
Ripped from the headlines! Discuss topical social issues like racism, discrimination, and diversity while exploring the concept of citizen journalism. Begin with a professional-looking presentation on the history of citizen journalism....
Radford University
Analyzing Data from Peer Survey
We all want to know what we're thinking. Scholars analyze and report data collected in a previous survey on peer attitudes toward current events. They calculate the mean, median, range, and standard deviation before creating histograms...
Curated OER
Name this event: Puzzle
Warm up the class with a political puzzle where each slide progresses to reveal a part of a picture. Students attempt to name the event being displayed before all the slides are shown.
Curated OER
Current Event Jeopardy
Students read current event magazines and newspapers, and highlight questions and answers that are to be used for a class Jeopardy Game. They participate in class Jeopardy Game.
Curated OER
The Whole Story
Learners collect and convey information about a current event. By focusing on who, what, when, where, why, and how questions, students study to thoroughly analyze and report on important world events.
Curated OER
Middle East Related
Eighth graders find a current event related to the Middle East. In this current event lesson students write a brief summary of a new story related to the Middle East. They give their opinion and tell how it affects their life or who it...