Fresh off the press! Being aware of current events is just as critical for kids as it is for adults. In fact, Common Sense Media found in 2019 that young people actually enjoy following the news, as 78% of teens reported that they try to keep up with national and local updates. However, a majority of these teens find the bulk of their information through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as YouTube from celebrities and influencers. A Grade Ahead encourages our students to follow the news to improve critical and analytical thinking skills. We also want to make sure our students look in the right places to find quality, age-appropriate news sources! In fact, in our upper-level English programs, students cover journalism and learn about how to discern reliable sources from unreliable sources.
Studies have discovered that teens prefer media sources with visual aids over lengthy articles. Therefore, we have made a list of reputable news websites that are geared specifically towards student-age consumers. With these dependable sources, you can help your children stay up-to-date and learn valuable skills in the digital world of news.
The Best News Sources for Students to Stay Informed
Time Magazine is a subscription magazine for adults that has expanded its reach to kids. Time for Kids publishes articles about a variety of topics based on your child’s interests: science, pop culture, nature, sports, etc. This source mostly writes for students in Kindergarten through 6th grade. It’s multimedia friendly, too, and includes a great variety of photos, videos, and articles in order to align with your state’s educational standards.
Scholastic is a well-known publisher of books of all kinds for students and children. They have also extended their reach into the world of news as well with the Scholastic Kids Press! All of the articles on this site are written by Kid Reporters ranging from ages 10-14 from all over the world. These young journalists cover all sorts of topics including politics, entertainment, environment, sports, and more. Kids between ages 10-14 can even apply to become Kid Reporters themselves if they have an interest in journalism! This site is a great way to get a viewpoint of news sources written for kids in a way they will certainly understand!
The New York Times is one of the most famous and popular newspapers in the United States. The company now dispatches news to young people in aesthetically pleasing and simple ways while still keeping things factual. Many of their stories involve surveying young people to find common trends. Additionally, they take time to explain complex issues in depth so that kids can understand, too. The Learning Network is recommended for teens, so readers can expect to find lots of pictures, charts, and short articles.
This website is a fantastic source for news because its stories cater to students and teachers in upper-grade levels (specifically grades 6-12). Popular national television networks don’t have time to hit on every newsworthy issue in the world, so PBS has made it possible for teens to learn more about international events and find current events related to material learned in class! PBS Newshour Extra offers a good compilation of articles and videos for students to engage with.
Students with a particular interest in science or STEM articles may want to check out this site! Science News Explores contains articles specifically related to the scientific fields. From space to animals and plants, the articles on this site contain useful links, charts, images, and videos to help express scientific information! Articles are aimed at students 9 and up, so there is plenty to discover for a variety of age groups!
Again, we believe that it’s important that students get their news from reputable sources, both because being able to do this is a highly useful skill in higher education and because it’s important to be well-informed citizens. Relying on social media and YouTube for news isn’t a great strategy for students, as a large number of these articles are biased and opinionated, rather than factual. That is why it is our mission at A Grade Ahead to provide our students with the best resources to stay updated on current events.
Parents, you can be reporters, too! What news sources do your children use to keep up with current events? What do they love about them? Let us know in the comments below!
Author: Morgan L., Writer at A Grade Ahead
Updated Author: Jackie Aukerman, Curriculum Creator at A Grade Ahead
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