Current Events in the Classroom | Facing History & Ourselves
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Collection
Current Event

Current Events in the Classroom

Explore classroom resources for making connections between current events and your curriculum, including activities and discussion strategies for high school and middle school students.

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At a Glance

Collection

Language

English — US

Subject

  • Advisory
  • Civics & Citizenship
  • English & Language Arts
  • History
  • Social Studies

Grade

6–12
  • Democracy & Civic Engagement
  • Global Migration & Immigration
  • Human & Civil Rights
  • Racism

Overview

About This Collection

Engaging with current events is an essential part of educating young people to be informed and humane participants in society, helping them develop the capacity to examine issues from multiple perspectives and think critically about the world around them. 

Our current events collection includes strategies for addressing current events with your students and mini-lessons on topics in the news, which can be adapted to teach in one class period or less. 

This collection supports thoughtful classroom conversations about current events. It includes:

  • Flexible mini-lessons to help you address specific events and issues in the news.
  • Printable explainers to introduce key terms and ideas that are essential to understanding today’s news.
  • Collections of resources on four key topics: global immigration, democracy and civic engagement, racial justice in the United States, and bigotry and hate.

Preparing to Teach

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Inside this Collection

Explore Our Current Events Collections

There are more than 250 million migrants around the world, including more than 65 million refugees. Explore the policies, debates and human stories of immigration around the world.

Democracies across the globe are increasingly fragile. Examine the health of democracy, voting and elections, and the pivotal role civic participation of young people plays.

We are in the midst of a national and global reckoning on race and justice. Use these resources to understand the past and present of racial inequities in the United States and the ongoing struggle for justice today.

Hate is in the headlines around the world. These resources offer sensitive entry points to confront troubling violence and injustice, including terrorism, genocide, and attacks on human rights.

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Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.

Most teachers are willing to tackle the difficult topics, but we need the tools.
— Gabriela Calderon-Espinal, Bay Shore, NY