Current Events in the Classroom
Our current events resources help teachers lead effective and engaging discussions on today's news.
Today’s students are growing up in an extraordinarily complex time. Learning about and discussing the issues of the day at school helps students to make sense of the world around them and to develop the skills they will need to grow into thoughtful, civically engaged adults.
We have even more evidence now than we did a decade ago that high-quality and inclusive discussion of important current issues and events is a critical component of civic learning.
Guardian of Democracy, Civic Mission of Schools; Annenberg Public Policy Institute, 2011
Teaching current events can be challenging especially when the news cycle moves quickly, stories evolve, and the issues elicit strong emotions. Our professional learning and resources help educators set up classroom environments that support respectful dialogue, perspective-taking, and analysis, laying the foundation for civil discourse that allows for learning and growth.
Our current events mini-lessons and explainers are designed to be used within a single class period to spark thoughtful conversations among students as they build their capacity to:
- Think critically
- Engage emotionally
- Reflect ethically
- Develop civic agency
Teaching Current Events: Educator Guide
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This guide includes tools and strategies for organizing discussions about current events in your classroom.
Fostering Civil Discourse: How Do We Talk About Issues That Matter?
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The ideas and tools in this guide will help you prepare students to engage in reflective conversations on topics that matter, whether you are in a remote, hybrid, or in-person setting.
“I can trust the materials to be easy to access, implement, and provide a way to engage students on sensitive topics.”
Facing History Educator
In a 2021 survey of over 700 educators, teachers appreciated that our current events resources:
- are timely - arriving just in time to help guide a potentially challenging class discussion
- save educators time
- support reflective conversations that activate the head and the heart
- help teachers connect individual events with larger themes and historical patterns
“They were timely, informative, and thought-provoking. They extended my understanding of the issues and helped me to reach my students better than through casual conversation.”
Facing History Educator
