721 current-events results | sort by:
return to subject listingWorld's Largest Lesson - Project Everyone
Grades
K to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (167), earth (185), energy (131), engineering (126), environment (245), inequalities (24), maps (207), STEM (282), substitutes (26), sustainability (43)
In the Classroom
Discover the many free educational resources found on this site to include with your lessons about global cultures, the environment, health, and technology. Use the activities and lessons found on the World's Largest Lesson to engage students in understanding and processing information related to serious global issues. Have students use a collaborative whiteboard tool such as FigJam, reviewed here, to brainstorm solutions to problems using the sticky note feature or to create mind maps and flow charts to organize further research. Enhance learning by asking students to create an interactive, choose your own adventure story using StoryLab, reviewed here. Ask students to use information learned from their lessons to create a story that tells what happens if the earth continues on its current course vs. what happens when suggested changes are implemented.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Starting Point - Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, and Joe Kiani
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (64), civil rights (201), elections (82), foreign policy (12), immigration (68), politics (116)
In the Classroom
Share information from this site with students to demonstrate how to share different viewpoints on current events. This site also provides an opportunity to model how to use facts and information to present ideas and persuade others to consider opposing viewpoints. As students use these videos to compare and contrast viewpoints, use a curation tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, to share information from both sides. Use the shelf feature in Padlet to create columns to add content based on each side's viewpoint or use the map feature to add content found from different locations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Close Up - Close Up Foundation
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): civil rights (201), congress (38), constitution (92), elections (82), environment (245)
In the Classroom
Use materials from Close Up to supplement your current civics lessons. Assign groups of students different articles or podcasts to analyze and share with peers. Enhance learning using Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add comments and questions to videos for student consideration. Use Wakelet, reviewed here, to curate resources including articles and podcasts to share with students. Upon completing your teaching unit, ask students to use Wakelet as a multimedia presentation tool to create and share their learning by including written work, images, and links to reference materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Looming Plague: The Fight to Contain a New Locust Invasion - Tara John and Bethlehem Feleke, CNN
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (142), climate change (93), insects (68), weather (161)
In the Classroom
Include this interactive with lessons about African countries, climate change, weather, or insects. Engage students by exploring this site together using Microsoft Whiteboard, reviewed here, or Google Jamboard, reviewed here, to add notes, images, or create diagrams sharing students' thoughts. For older students, have them explore the site independently and share ideas on a collaborative whiteboard. Ask students to research the problems faced due to locusts and include information from previous infestations. As students conduct their research, use a collaborative site like Milanote, reviewed here, for groups to share articles, images, and brainstorm ideas. Extend learning further by asking students to become the problem solvers and share their suggestions for solving the problem both long term and short term. Provide options for groups to present their findings through various methods of digital media. For example, ask a group to use Google My Maps, reviewed here, to create a virtual tour of the problem areas and add images and notes with their suggestions. Have another group use tools found at Genially, reviewed here, to create a presentation that includes interactive images, infographics, and videos using templates found on the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Resources to Develop a Positive Self-Identity - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bias (27), difficult conversations (61), identity (28)
In the Classroom
Find resources to educate yourself and your students about various topics related to self-identity. This collection includes lesson plans, blogs, book suggestions, and interactives too. Share these resources with your colleagues and families.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Resources Related to Difficult Conversations - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): difficult conversations (61), empathy (32), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Explore this collection to use to engage in difficult conversations in your classroom. Learn more about difficult conversations and empathy for others in some of the informational readings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Resources Related to Empathy - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): empathy (32), perspective (12), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Help your students to develop empathy for others. Share these resources with your colleagues and school parents by emailing the page or sharing the link from your school web page or on your school's LMS.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Resources on Racism and Discrimination - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): black history (131), empathy (32), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Find resources to educate yourself and your students about various topics related to racism and discrimination. This collection includes lesson plans and interactives too. Share these resources with your colleagues and families.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Civics in Real Life - Florida Joint Center for Citizenship
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): constitution (92), courts (20), elections (82), electoral college (22), holidays (179), politics (116), presidents (133), supreme court (27)
In the Classroom
Because this site offers weekly downloads, it is a great addition to use in any social studies classroom for civics lessons or providing ongoing civics discussions throughout the school year. Engage students by creating groups to explore concepts even further throughout the year. For example, divide your class into four or five groups, then have each group rotate throughout the month to take the information from a weekly update and conduct further research. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and share each of the activities for students to revisit and review the content. Take advantage of tools such as Google Slides, reviewed here, to focus student groups on learning activities. Create a slide template that includes students' areas to answer questions, reflect upon finding, and share resources used. Extend learning using podcasts as a final project for students to discuss and share their researched topic. Buzzsprout, reviewed here, is an excellent option for podcasting in the classroom because of the free features that include adding links and lists to podcasts and the ability to schedule podcasts release for your chosen date and time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Fake News: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation - Pace University
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (89), internet safety (113), journalism (72), media literacy (107), news (227), Research (84)
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other resources for teaching how to navigate online information. Include this website within a learning management system such as ActivelyLearn, reviewed here, to build a complete learning unit that includes articles, videos, and assessments that fully immerse and engage students in the learning activities. Enhance learning throughout the school year using Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and organize online information. For example, create a Padlet that includes a column for each of the four categories of fake news mentioned on this website, then ask students to share examples found during online use. Extend learning by asking students to become the teacher through presentations on how to recognize and avoid fake news. Provide a variety of options for student presentations including a comic creation tool like ToonyTool, reviewed here, Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create simple video explainers, or use Wick Editor, reviewed here, and have students create a game to teach the hazards of disinformation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
LGBTQ History and Why It Matters - FacingHistory.org
Grades
10 to 12tag(s): bias (27), civil rights (201), difficult conversations (61), sexuality (15)
In the Classroom
This lesson plan includes many excellent activities and resources that work well as a stand-alone lesson or to incorporate into your current history units as a supplement to provide a new perspective that highlights bias, gender, and civil rights issues. Discussing LBGTQ issues may lead to difficult conversations in the classroom; use this lesson to provide factual information within current history lessons. This site includes a variety of ideas and descriptions of teaching strategies that work well with any lesson. Be sure to bookmark this page to use as a reference for strategies to incorporate within many of your current units. One strategy mentioned is the use of exit cards as a reflective response or class discussion. Learn more about incorporating exit tickets as an authentic learning activity by viewing the archive of the July 2021 OK2Ask webinar, Measuring Authentic Learning Activities with Exit Slips, reviewed here. Consider sharing this lesson with your school's guidance counselor to use when counseling students who are dealing with identity or gender issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack - Peggy McIntosh
Grades
10 to 12tag(s): bias (27), character education (77), civil rights (201), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Include this article with others as part of your ongoing professional development about racism and bias. It is also practical to use with older students as part of lessons on racism. Make it easier for students to break down the information in the article through the collaborative use of Fiskkit, reviewed here. Upload the article to Fiskkit and share the link with students. Ask them to highlight areas of interest and add comments. Follow the author's advice and encourage students to draw on personal experiences as part of their discussions. One method for sharing experiences is through the use of short audio discussions using PodcastGenerator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
'Interrupt The Systems': Robin DiAngelo On 'White Fragility' And Anti-Racism - Ari Shapiro/NPR
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): authors (105), bias (27), character education (77), civil rights (201), difficult conversations (61), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other resources to discuss racism, bias, or when addressing difficult conversations in the classroom. Use a curation tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to share and discuss articles, videos, and online information. As students research and learn more from other authors, help them organize information using Webnote, reviewed here. Webnote is a virtual sticky note (think notecard) taking tool similar to the the physical sticky notes and can be used in place of 3X5 cards used for notetaking by hand. Use Webnote to keep a list of authors and articles, jot down big ideas, and compare suggestions for making positive changes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
'Me And White Supremacy' Helps You Do The Work Of Dismantling Racism - Eric Deggans/NPR
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): bias (27), black history (131), cross cultural understanding (167), identity (28), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other materials when teaching about racism, bias, identiy, or cross-cultural understanding. The interviewee shares responses in the article by raising questions for individuals to consider and use for reflection. Ask groups of students to take different questions to discuss and respond to as part of your article's discussion. Extend learning by asking them to share their findings by creating concept maps using a tool such as mindmaps, reviewed here, or with a presentation using tool like Prezi, reviewed here. Consider using Wakelet, reviewed here, as a curation tool for collecting and sharing resources with students, and also as a presentation tool for students to share their learning with peers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
'Not Racist' Is Not Enough: Putting In The Work To Be Anti-Racist - Eric Deggans/NPR
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): bias (27), black history (131), cross cultural understanding (167), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other materials when discussing racism and bias. Engage students in a collaborative discussion of this article and others using Fiskkit, reviewed here. Add a link to the article in Fiskitt, then share with students to add questions and comments as they discuss the article together online. To help students focus on the topic, consider providing a list of possible questions before reading the article. Extend learning by asking students to use graphic organizers such as a 4-Circle Venn Diagram Creator, reviewed here, to compare and contrast information. For example, ask students to explore different media forms such as television, social media, podcasts, and literature and compare different presentations of racism and bias.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Social Justice Standards: Unpacking Identity - Learning for Justice
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): character education (77), cross cultural understanding (167), difficult conversations (61), empathy (32), identity (28), professional development (407), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Use this course as an introduction to understanding bias and identity from both a personal and professional level. Adapt information from this course to include in your lessons on racism, empathy, and difficult conversations. For example, use the images and charts in the application section to identify and understand that first impression and physical characteristics don't always provide a complete picture of another person's identity. Include these activities as part of a larger teaching unit using a learning management system such as ClassFlow, reviewed here. ClassFlow includes many options for building interactive lessons that promote critical thinking skills through various response formats, media options, and teacher feedback.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Whiteness Project: Millenials in Dallas, Texas - Whitney Dow
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): character education (77), civil rights (201), cross cultural understanding (167), cultures (145), difficult conversations (61), empathy (32), racism (79)
In the Classroom
The Whiteness Project provides a unique and interesting resource for introducing and discussing difficult topics in the classroom, including racism, prejudice, bias, and empathy. Share this site with students and provide them time to listen to some of the conversations and the provided statistics. Encourage students to choose one statistic as a starting point for additional research. For example, one piece of data shared is the number of adults who have two or more races in their background. This provides a starting point for researching race in your community, state, or in the country. As students complete research, ask them to share their findings in a multimedia presentation using a tool like Sway, reviewed here, to add graphs, charts, images, and video that support their findings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Code Switch - National Public Radio (NPR)
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): black history (131), character education (77), difficult conversations (61), native americans (95), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Include this podcast as a resource for lessons on racism, bias, or when facing difficult conversations in the classroom. Be sure to sign up to listen to the newest podcasts on your favorite resource and scroll through the archives to find relevant recordings beginning in 2016. As students listen to podcasts, use Google Slides, reviewed here, to create a reflective document for students to share important information from the podcast along with any questions or information for further research. Use the podcasts as a model for students to create their own podcasts on any topic. Search ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, to find many tools to help students develop interesting podcasts including rubrics, podcast tutorials, and a lesson plan for teaching with podcasts. When students are ready to record and share their podcasts, Buzzsprout, reviewed here, is a free podcasting tool that provides options for scheduling broadcasts, adding chapters, and much more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
SpeakUp! - Martie Gillin
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): bullying (50), cyberbullying (40), diseases (69), drugs and alcohol (28), eating disorders (7), sexuality (15), social and emotional learning (96), social media (53)
In the Classroom
Share the resource guides with parents and students on your class website to use when facing any of the covered topics. Use Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here, to curate and share helpful guides for parents and students within one collection. As you and your class discuss problems that face teens, ask students to use Canva Edu, reviewed here, to share what they learn. For example, have students create posters to display in the classroom that include the dangers of drug abuse and include tips for helping someone that displays signs of drug abuse. Ask other students to design and share infographics that include facts and figures discussing cyberbullying, along with suggestions on how to respond to bullies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Preparing Students for Difficult Conversations - FacingHistory.org
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): civil rights (201), journalism (72), media literacy (107), racism (79), social media (53)
In the Classroom
As an introduction to the lesson, one of the activities is to ask students to brainstorm a list of teens' news resources and a list of news resources used by parents or older people. Use Microsoft Whiteboard, reviewed here, or Google Jamboard, reviewed here, to create and analyze your lists. Use the whiteboard tools to create lists, Venn Diagrams, and add notes to extend student reflections on different news sources. Turn the Know-Heard-Learned Chart included in the lesson into an editable worksheet to use as a collaborative document to record student understanding of any events' timeline.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form