why the news has been called the first draft of history. Resources to help students think more critically about the news include:
- The Learning Network of The New York Times : Teacher-friendly blog is updated daily with educational resources and lesson ideas based on articles, photos, podcasts, and more materials published in The New York Times. In this post on teaching about 9/11, teachers weigh in with comments about their upcoming classroom plans. Teachers are also encouraged to submit posts about how they use the news for learning.
- Newseum: This media museum based in Washington, DC, offers online resources, such as newspaper front pages from around the world.
- Newspaper Map: This interactive map allows you to find and translate newspapers from 10,000 sites around the world.
- Newsmap: This site shows how world headlines are trending in real time across several categories.
- Media Literacy Skills: Interpreting Tragedy (PDF download): Available for download from the National Council for the Social Studies, this publication by media literacy expert Renee Hobbs explains why it's important for students to think critically and also create their own content in response to events.
Today's students have grown up with social networks that weren't yet invented in 2001. Facebook didn't start until 2004; Twitter didn't launch until 2006. Help your students think about how these platforms have changed the way that information travels. Where do students turn first for information? How do they decide what's "true" when they hear about breaking events? How might they contribute their own stories or photos as citizen journalists?
Share Your Ideas
How will you observe the 10th anniversary with your students? Please share your stories and ideas for learning.