Happy News & Current Events- What Is Happening in Our World and Why It Matters
Mara Simmons
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(4)
In this ongoing class we will discuss current events that our kids are interested in. Stories will be taken from reliable news sources fully cited and students will have the opportunity to bring their own.
Class experience
US Grade 8 - 11
News is everywhere and we see a lot of different sound bites on a daily basis. Understanding the news and the greater context of how one event impacts another in the world is sometimes not always so obvious. Also not all news is about despair and doom; it is important to elevate the good things that are happening in the world and the new discoveries. Each week we will review two or three different news stories. They will come from vetted publications including the New York Times, BBC,...
Students will practice their summarizing skills and and their reading comprehension skills. Students will also practice their geography skills (and use of Google Maps) along with building their vocabulary.
I have always loved bringing in current events to my classroom when I used to teach and as a mom it is something we as a family do every day. Looking at the news and being aware are important practices. Bringing this practice to OutSchool excites me. I love facilitating kids' discussions and empowering them with roles to take on challenging topics. When I taught in a traditional setting this practice of looking at the news was something we did weekly and students shared afterward how much they learned about the world. I am hoping to do the same with your children. I did this with students age 10 and above.
Homework Offered
Students will be encouraged to bring a article to the session to share.0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
There are no formal assessments; only through practice of these basic skills will students show improvement.Grades Offered
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
We will be discussing current events and focus on ones that are more positive. That said students may bring up topics in the news that are not happy and it will be important to unpack these situations as well. In every instance we will stick to looking at the facts with objectivity and consider what future steps may look like.
News Sites i.e. BBC, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Newsweek, ... For Geography we will play: https://virtualvacation.us and use Google Maps in a screen sharing capacity. No subscriptions are needed. Virtual Vacation is a fun way to test one's ability to recognize a location based on street scenes.
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(4)
Teaching is my life, my parents would say. In my young adult life I took great joy at creating explanations for things and sharing new knowledge with others. As I matured I learned that much of teaching is learning, listening and understanding...
Group Class
$18
weekly1x per week
55 min
Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
3-12 learners per class
