CNN offers a ten-minute, commerical-free, daily news program for middle and high school students. The news broadcast and it’s companion website are free of charge and can be viewed by going to CNNstudentNews.com. If you subscribe to it’s podcast using iTunes you can get automatic updates on a daily basis. CNN not only offers a great news feed highlighting the days events from around the world, but the website also offers free supplimentals for teachers to download. Some of the teacher materials include daily discussion questions, the media literacy question of the day, in-depth learning activities, and downloadable maps that correlate with the days news broadcast. CNN student news will help to develop critical thinking in your classroom based around real world events, and allow for your class to gain global perspectives. The website also offers a daily transcript in order to inform the teacher what stories will be featured on the show.  I believe this could act as a tremendous warm-up prior to starting the school day, or as a wonderful filler activity for those days when a lesson doesn’t last as long as you had originally planned.

-Listen to the podcast