Engaging students in local, collaborative problem solving to build their vision of the future

Explore how local news can be used as a powerful tool to teach reading, writing, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving skills, while serving as a motivational hook to help students seek out information and connect with peers and the broader community. Our federally-funded unit connects reading and thinking skills with the writing process using a student-centric, project-based approach.

To highlight some features of the highly versatile featured unit, students develop reading and critical thinking skills through interactive modeling of cognitive skills and corresponding writing assignments. Built-in prompts engage students in peer-to-peer discussion about local issues. A culminating group project invites students to engage in collaborative problem-solving with their peers as they formulate a personal cause, select and analyze news articles, and produce an essay and a creative work aimed to advocate for change within their own community.

Participants will learn a reliable process for evaluating news articles in a non-biased manner. They will explore unit materials, including reading and writing activities, grading rubrics, student work and notes from teachers who have taught with the materials previously. This unit can be tailored to meet the needs of any classroom, and provides ample opportunities for cross-curricular connections, community involvement, and meaningful communication with peers and the broader community.