Current Events Discussions for Elementary Classrooms

goo.gl/ac2NA3Trevor Mattea | September 18, 2016

trevormattea.com@tsmattea

Agenda and Learning TargetsTentative Agenda

● Introductions and Framing (15 min.)● My Current Events Conversations (25 min.)● My Next Steps (20 min.)

Learning Targets

● I can define current events.● I can identify current events discussion topics, including readings, big

questions, and follow-up and questions that can be modified based on student background knowledge and interests.

● I can identify a framework for identifying new current events discussion topics.● I can scaffold current events discussions in the classroom.● I can support parents in discussing current events with students at home.

Current Events Discussions for Elementary Classrooms

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Defining Current EventsCurrent events are active controversies we address at different levels of our community -- local, state, national, or global. In order to discuss them in school and with younger students, teachers can focus on topics outside of culture wars, ask big questions detached from partisan politics, and use analogies relevant to students, primarily how those big questions might apply at home or in school, to start conversations. Such discussions prepare students to thoughtfully engage with their communities now and in the future.

In other words, we can talk about and debate issues that matter without introducing graphic subject matter, taking overtly political stances ourselves, or talking over students’ heads.

Why Current Events?

Differences make things complicated. But dealing with the complicated is what training for good citizenship is all about. Ideas -- the ways we organize knowledge -- are the medium of exchange in democratic life, just as money is in the marketplace.

-- Deborah Meier, The Power of their Ideas (1995)

Why Current Events?

If people do not try very hard to understand what [a child] says, he may come to feel that most of the time there is not much point in saying anything.

-- John Holt, How Children Learn (1967)

Why Current Events?

● Cable News Junkie● Political Science● Citizenship● Why Take a Risk?● School Board● School Lunches

My Initial Current Events Conversations

● Students Chose Their Own Texts● Students Read Them for Homework● Students Shared Summaries and Answered

Questions from Their Classmates● Students Voted on the “Most Important Story”

● Google Burglary (Mountain View Voice)● North Korean Missile Tests (ABC News)● Big Drinks Are Back (Time for Kids)

My Subsequent Current Events Conversations

● Teacher Provided a Big Question and Several Related Texts

● Students Chose Their Own Texts● Students Read Them for Homework● Teacher Introduced the Topic and the Big

Question● Students Discussed the Big Question● Students Shared a Summary of Their Own

Texts

Topics and Big Questions● The United States Supreme Court ruled that the government is allowed to begin town

meetings with Christian prayers.○ Do you think the government should be allowed to begin town meetings with Christian

prayers?● The Pope recently called on governments to help “redistribute wealth” from the wealthy

to the poor.○ Do you think the government should force wealthier citizens to pay more in taxes so that

the money can be spent on poorer citizens?● More people have become skeptical about man-made climate change in recent years,

although that may change later this year because of El Nino.○ If there is such thing as man-made climate change, why do you think so many people do

not believe it exists?○ Should we act to try to stop man-made climate change now, or should we wait until more

people agree that it is a real problem?● Veterans had to wait four months to receive medical care and President Obama made the

decision to trade five prisoners from a country we are fighting a war against for one American soldier who was captured in war five years ago.

○ What do you think the country should for its veterans and soldiers? Medical care? Rescuing them? Something more than those things?

○ What makes serving in the military different from other forms of service?○ Is there anything a veteran or soldier can do to lose the things we would otherwise do for

them?

Sentence Frames

● I have a question for _____.● I think I have an answer to _____’s question.● I have a comment for _____.● I agree with _____ because _____.● I disagree with _____ because _____.● I made a connection with what _____ said.● I want to add on to what _____ said.● I would like to respond to what _____ said.● It would help me to reword what _____ said. _____. Did

I get that right?● I would like to know what _____ thinks about this issue.

_____, would you mind sharing your thoughts?

Note Taking

● Document with Resources Accessible to Students and Parents

● Writing Comments Made by Students, Parents, and Teacher While Facilitating Discussion

● Writing Summaries Given by Students● 2013-2014 Current Events Discussions

Other Scaffolds

● Think Time● Pre-Write● Pair-Share● Speaker’s List● Roles

Student Discussion

● Aly said that she disagreed with the Supreme Court decision because it might offend some people who practice other religions or no religion.

● Soren said that he is not offended by prayers in town meetings, even though he does not practice religion.

● Kaitlin said she disagreed with the Supreme Court because she thought it might cause conflict between people who practice different religions.

● Sam B. said he agreed with the Supreme Court because there were opportunities for other kinds of religious prayers.

● Aly said she changed her mind about the Supreme Court decision because if people do not have a religion, they should not care.

Student Discussion● Zachar said that he both agrees and disagrees with the comments

made by the Pope. He said that the wealthy should give 25% of their money to help the poor.

● Aly said that she agrees with Zachar - the wealthy should give at least 25% of their money to help the poor. She said that the poor should be treated the same as everyone else. We have enough money all together so that no one has to be poor.

● Ravago responded that he thinks that the wealthiest people, like the CEOs of large companies, make a lot of their money from the hard work of other people, not just themselves.

● Nate said that he thinks that the wealthy actually should pay for college so that the poor would be better able to get a higher paying job and take care of their own needs.

● Jon said that he agrees with Leonard. The wealthy should make the choice to give money to the poor, but the government should not make the decision for them.

Student Discussion● Zachar said that he thinks Trevor and the entire class could

contact the government to discuss a way to remove the pollution from the atmosphere.

● Trevor asked Zachar, “Do you think we should try other ways to stop man-made global warming now or should we wait until we develop better technology?”

● Zachar responded that he thinks we should try to stop global warming now and still work to develop better technology.

● Soren said that he agrees with everyone who said that we should try to stop global warming now, but he also said he disagrees with Zachar because taking more time and money for that takes it away from other methods and possible cause other kinds of pollution.

● Astra said that she thinks that we should try to stop global warming because it might take a long, long time everyone to agree - maybe even 100 years!

Student Discussion● Nate shared that we should not only rescue lost soldiers, but take care

of their basic needs like healthcare, education, and places to live. They can take care of their other things. He didn’t think we should still do that if the soldier killed another American soldier.

● Kaitlin shared that we should give veterans money, but only to spend on basics needs. She would be willing to give them money, but not poor people.

● Colin shared that we should give veterans healthcare, but not more than doctors, miners, etc. Anyone who risks their life to help the country deserves free healthcare.

● Claire shared that she thinks we should and shouldn’t have rescued him. She is happy that he can see his family, but she wishes that we hadn't traded so many of the enemy soldiers for him.

● Sierra shared that she think we should have rescued him because it wasn’t right to leave him to die.

Student-Selected Texts

● Wild Mountain Lion in Mountain View (Mountain View Voice)

● Discovery of an Earth-Like Planet (New York Times)

● How to Always Win Rock-Paper-Scissors (Dog News)

● Minecraft Model of Denmark (Ars Technica)

● Discovery of a Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic (Policymic)

Common Core Reading Standards● Informational Text -- Key Ideas and Details

○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

● Informational Text -- Craft and Structure○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6 Distinguish his or her own point of view

from that of the author of a text.● Informational Text -- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.

● Informational Text -- Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and

comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards● Comprehension and Collaboration

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

My Next Steps

● Teacher Uses Bigger Questions that Apply to Multiple Topics and Provide Related Resources

● Students Chose Their Own Text that Relates to the Big Question

● Students Read Them for Homework● Teacher (Re)introduces a Topic and the Big

Question● Students Discuss the Big Question● Students Discuss to the Same Big Question

Throughout the Year as They Read More Texts● Current Events Icebreaker● A Resource for Classroom Parents

Making Decisions● How should we make decisions

for everyone when people disagree?○ What makes you say that?○ How do you think some

people in your family should make decisions when people disagree?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Boycotts● Constitutional Amendments● Elections

Handling Disputes● How should people who

disagree handle their disputes?○ What makes you say that?○ How do you think people in

your family who disagree should handle their disagreement?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Court Cases● Political Division● Strikes

Sharing Resources● Should everyone be asked to

contribute towards the community?○ Why or why not?○ Should everyone in your

family be asked to contribute towards your family?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Taxes and Spending● Social Mobility● Mandatory Community Service

Providing Assistance● How should we treat people who

want help?○ What makes you say that?○ When do you think you

should do for people in your family who want or need help?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Economic Downturns● Natural Disasters● Welfare Programs

Offering Special Treatment● Should some people receive

special treatment?○ Why or why not?○ Do you think some people in

your family should receive special treatment?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Children● Special Needs● Veterans

Identifying “Bad” Behaviors● What counts as a bad thing?

○ What makes you say that?○ What is an example of a bad

thing in your family?○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Stealing● Terrorism● Vandalism

Responding to “Bad” Behaviors● How should we treat people who

do bad things?○ What makes you say that?○ How do you think people in

your family should be treated when they do bad things?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Community Service● Death Penalty● Whistleblowers

Identifying “Good” Behaviors● What counts as a good thing?

○ What makes you say that?○ What is an example of a

good thing in your family?○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Charitable Donations● Heroism● Public Service

Responding to “Good” Behaviors● How should we treat people who

do good things?○ What makes you say that?○ How do you think people in

your family should be treated when they do good things?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Incentives for Public Service● Loan Forgiveness● Support for Veterans

Balancing Safety with Individual Freedom● Should people be forced to make

safer choices, even if they don’t want to and don’t seem to be hurting anyone else with their choice?○ Should people in your family

be forced to do the safe thing, even if they do not want to and don’t seem to be hurting anyone else with their choice?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Health Insurance Mandates● Seat Belts● Soda Taxes

Handling Diversity with Politics● Should religion play a role in our

community if people disagree about it?○ Why or why not?○ What role do you think

politics should play in your family?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Free Speech● Political Donations

Handling Diversity with Religion● Should religion play a role in our

community if people disagree about it?○ Why or why not?○ What role do you think

religion should play in your family?

○ What about in our school?○ What about in our town?○ What about in our country?○ What about in the world?

● Free Speech● School Prayer● Tax Exempt Status

Takeaways and Final Questions● How do you now intend to use current events discussions in your

own practice?● What questions do you still have?

● Whenever you are ready, please complete the anonymous Google Form to give me feedback (goo.gl/JX7VnU).

Recommended Reading● Berger, Ron. An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of

Craftmanship with Students. Portsmouth: Heinemann. 2003. Print.

● Holt, John. How Children Learn. New York: Da Capo Press. 2009. Kindle.

● Meier, Deborah. The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem. New York: Beacon Press. 2002. Print.

● Mohr Lone, Jana. The Philosophical Child. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 2015. Print.