The evening news. Growing up in my house, watching it was part of the day’s rituals. Despite whatever was happening in the world—including Vietnam, Watergate, and long gas lines—watching Walter Cronkite was how my father spent his time digesting dinner. As someone who idolized his father, I watched and listened to Cronkite too.
A few years later I had a social studies teacher who placed a premium on understanding current events. Each week a different group of students was selected to coordinate with each other to put on a fake television news broadcast for the rest of the class on Friday. We were expected to deliver actual news, from the local community to the world stage, with some degree of accuracy and understanding.
Do you think I loved it? If you know me, there is no disputing that, in fact, this may have been my favorite thing about school ever. Do you think we learned a lot about understanding current events? You bet.
Is there a particular group or drama activity you know your students love—particularly for social studies or science? Share your ideas with us. Bonus points if they have to do with current events and/or Walter Cronkite!