News & Current Events
Using News in Your Classroom
The New York Times' Learning Network and the Pulitzer Center offer some great resources to show you HOW to integrate news & current events into your classroom. Note that we have free access to the New York Times and the Learning Center is always free access. It's important to use reputable sources when using the news in the classroom.
The Learning Network from The NY Times
The Learning Network from the New York Times- While oriented toward students age 13 and up, it does have useful items for middle school students.
A Quick Tour of the Learning Network - slide show
How to Use the Learning Network has a great overview and examples of both quick and more extensive things you can do in the classroom
The Pulitzer Center
Pulitzer Center Education Resources and Programs
- Search thousands of print, video, photo, and digital stories published in 150 reputable media outlets
- hundreds of standards-aligned lesson plans that can be filtered by grade, subject area, and more
- schedule classroom visits from journalists (in-person or by Skype)
- programs for students, PD for teachers
Local News Sources
Beverly Citizen/Wicked Local Beverly
Salem News - Check with Alix Woznick about getting copies of the Salem News delivered to you daily. There is a paywall for the website so you can only view a few stories a month for free.
Boston Globe - The Boston Globe no longer provides free print subscriptions to schools. Teachers can get unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com at teacher rate of $10 every 4 weeks. (The regular rate is $27.72/4 weeks). Go to www.bostonglobe.com/teacher.
News Just for Kids
Smithsonian Tween Tribune - Can select by grade level (including 5/6 and 7/8) and by Lexile.
Time for Kids - Select articles by grade level (K-6). Paid version includes other features.
Newsela - Note Newsela's Text Sets, which offer thematically curated texts as well as lesson plans and activities, which rotate regularly. Some features on Newsela are free but you have to register. Others are only available to subscribers.
Science News for Students - Run by the nonprofit Society for Science & the Public, dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Includes helpful How to use this site in the classroom.
Cartoons for the Classroom - from Boston Globe/NIE
Other great news sources
The New York Times - you can get free access for yourself and your students.
Google News - Aggregates many topics from across the globe in one place. Good place to look for many stories/viewpoints on the same topic.
BBC News - High quality, free, and offers a slightly different perspective.
Listenwise - Brings real-world reporting from PBS into an interface for students and teachers and with support materials for the classroom. Includes a daily current event podcast.
Today's Front Pages from the Newseum- See what papers around the country and the globe put on their front pages.
PBS News Hour Extra - News and extras for teachers and students in grades 7-12
The Need2Know - Sends a daily email with the news stories you 'need 2 know', from politics and business to sports and entertainment. It's short and sweet with a little humor. You can also just go to their website to see the day's most recent edition with about 8-10 headlines, short summary and a link to a story at a reputable news source.