At this age, the goal is to distinguish between "news" and "stories" and to process the emotions that news can bring.
Key Skills: Ask "Who is talking?" and "What happened?"
"What do you see in the picture?" (Building observation skills).
"How do you think the people in this story feel?" (Building empathy/perspective).
"Is this story happening near us in Rochester, or far away?" (Building geographic awareness).
A weekly video digest hosted by Lester Holt that explains one or two big stories in a very calm, clear way.
Why it’s good: For K–2 students who aren't reading fluently yet, watching a 5-minute video allows them to "see" the news and participate in classroom discussions.
Facts Vs. Opinions: For K–2 students, news literacy is about becoming an "Information Detective." At this age, the goal is to help them understand that some things are universally true (facts) and some things are based on personal feelings (opinions).
The News Literacy Project: "Two Facts and a Feeling": This is a simplified version of "Two Truths and a Lie." It teaches kids that facts are "checkable" (you can prove them), while feelings (opinions) belong to the person saying them.
PBS Kids – Arthur: Binky’s Facts and Opinions: While the original Flash game is older, the video walkthroughs are excellent for whole-class instruction. Students watch the video, pause it, and shout "Fact!" or "Opinion!" as Binky makes statements about his friends.
Fact vs. Opinion "Corners":
Label one side of the room "Fact" and the other "Opinion." * Read a statement like, "The Rochester Red Wings play baseball" (Fact) or "Baseball is the best sport in the world" (Opinion).
Students run/walk to the correct side. It’s a great way for teachers to see who "gets it" instantly.
"Real Facts Reef" vs. "Opinion Ocean":
Tell students they are fish swimming in the water.
When they hear a Fact, they stay steady on the "Reef."
When they hear an Opinion, they "swim" and wiggle around because opinions are "wobbly" and change from person to person.
"The Text Detective": Provide a short, 3-sentence "witness statement" about a school event (e.g., "The cafeteria served pizza today. It was the yummiest lunch ever. There were 20 students in line."). Have students circle the Facts in blue and underline the Opinion in red.
"Would You Rather?" (The Opinion Builder): Use a "Would You Rather" generator. After a student makes a choice, have them say, "That is my opinion." This builds the habit of labeling their own perspective.
When things feel gloomy or a tragic event occurs, here are some resources to help guide conversations with our younger scholars.
