Looking for some quick tools to enhance reading in your classroom? Look no further than current event sources and online non-fiction. Before we review the list of online news sources, let’s remember why it’s important.
Students who read news in school have less trouble reading it. They are also more apt to read it on their own. In one study students experienced growth. In that study, thirteen year old students whose reading performance was as low as 2nd grade reading level saw growth. The growth, which included two-thirds of 743 students increasing by one grade level, also had as many as twelve children gaining two to three years of growth (Source).
Non-fiction reading has gone online, providing access to video and audio sources that deepen engagement. You can combine the news sources below with tools like BeeLine Reader , Read & Write, and/or SummarizeThis to help students better identify and process information.
- Dogo News – Dogo (which means young or small in Swahili) News provides serves as a leading source of news and information for current events, news and non-fictional content for Common Core ELA, Science and Social Studies. You may also want to visit companion Dogo sites focusing on books, movies, as well as one for teachers.
- Newsela – Current event articles covering many subjects, each written at five different Lexile levels so all students can read the same material at an appropriate level.
- Newseum – The goal of this source is to promote, explain and defend free expression. Special attention is given to the five freedoms of the First Amendment, including religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.
- Science News for Students – This site publishes stories about recent research and current events across the full breadth of STEM fields. We offer several types of articles, blog posts and weekly features. Each article is associated with additional content that can aid the classroom. Stories are grouped into topics, such as “space,” “life & evolution” or “math & technology.”
- Tween Tribune – Over 200,000 registered teachers are using free Smithsonian teacher tools in their classrooms. The site provides access to Daily AP news articles and self-scoring quizzes (both Lexile leveled for K-12), critical thinking questions, student commenting, Spanish AP articles, weekly lesson plans, weekly videos, and weekend “Monday Morning Ready” newsletter as prep for the week ahead.
Ready to deepen learning in your classroom? Take advantage of these tools and news sources to enhance reading in your classroom. You may also want to read about how to spot fake news.