Teaching Current Events: Democracy and Civic Engagement

Thank you for your interest in our resources. We have removed our Teaching Idea, Coronavirus: Protect Yourself and Stand Against Racism as we believe it doesn’t adequately address the rise in Anti-Asian violence across the United States.

The Iowa caucuses are the first chance voters in the US have to cast a ballot in support of a presidential candidate. Help students understand how the caucuses work, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of voting in person, and explore the question of whether Iowa should be the first state to vote.

In this Teaching Idea, students learn about the history of democratic and anti-democratic efforts in the United States and examine sources that illuminate this tension from Reconstruction through today.

This Teaching Idea is designed to help guide an initial classroom reflection on the insurrection at the US Capitol that occurred on January 6, 2021.

This Teaching Idea is a guide for teachers to begin conversations with their students about George Floyd’s death and the events that surround it.

This Teaching Idea contains guidance on how to discuss the election with your students and activities to help them process their responses, find accurate information, and consider the impact of the results.

This Teaching Idea features Google Slides with activities that prompt students to reflect on the difficult ethical questions we’re all facing during the coronavirus crisis.

View our teacher checklist for preparing to teach current events to middle and high school students. We include recommended news sources, key questions to ask yourself as you plan, and strategies for navigating emotionally difficult or complex topics.

Reading “laterally” is a key media literacy strategy that helps students determine the quality of online sources. This Teaching Idea trains students to use this technique to evaluate the credibility of the news they encounter on social media feeds or elsewhere online.

Help students develop a framework for analyzing and discussing the incidents of racial bias they’re seeing in the news and on social media.

With reparations in the news, this Teaching Idea helps students define the term, learn what forms reparations can take, and consider what reparations should be offered for slavery and other racist policies.

Explore with your students why young people are calling for action against climate change and some of the strategies they can use to make a difference on this issue.