Tag Archives: news literacy

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Top Digital Tools 2021: News Literacy Project

AASL released its list of Best Digital Tools for Teaching and Learning 2021! This year’s list took into special consideration how well these tools work for remote/distance students. The resources enhance learning and encourage the following qualities:

  • Innovation/Creativity
  • Active Participation
  • Collaboration
  • User-Friendly
  • Encourages Exploration
  • Information/Reference

We share these resources every year and you can explore our archive of past recommendations here.

News literacy and being able to spot misinformation are vital skills for students, and the News Literacy Project is taking on the challenge.

News Literacy Project “is a nonpartisan national education nonprofit, provides programs and resources for educators and the public to teach, learn and share the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.”

Grades K-12

The News Literacy Project has this page for educators on their site which features an online learning platform, professional development opportunities, and materials to use in the classroom. The project also creates many additional resources useful for the classroom and some of them are included in this guide from Common Sense Education. And the News Literacy Project is mentioned in this helpful LibGuide aimed at teachers.

This 4-min video discusses the beginning of the News Literacy Project and its goals for helping students and educators:

Check it Out:

Digital Citizenship Resources for grades 6-8!

CMLE understands the importance of learning good digital citizenship and literacy! One of our fantastic school library members shared that the FREE digital citizenship curriculum provided by Common Sense Education has been very well-received at her school. So we wanted to make sure you know about this resource in case it may be useful to you!

Today we’re looking at the curriculum for grades 6-8.
If you work with younger students, check out our previous posts about the available curriculum for grades 3-5 or K-2.

For grades 6-8, most lessons include slides or videos and tackle topics like online security, digital identity, relationships, and news literacy. Lessons also come with family activities and tips.

Sixth graders continue to learn about the importance of balancing online/offline time with a Digital Habits checkup and learning to recognize the “red flag feeling.” They also learn criteria to help them evaluate credible news information online, and learn some reasons why people want to spread false or misleading information online.

Seventh graders learn to be aware of all the information that companies collect from their online activities. They learn three strategies to limit this individual data collection. They also learn about the impact social media can have on real-life relationships and how to navigate these feelings, both positive and negative.

Eighth graders get to learn how online media is designed to be addictive and discover strategies for developing healthy habits. They also learn about the consequences of sexting and how to respond if someone is pressuring them. There’s also a lesson about reacting to breaking news and how to determine when information is incomplete or misleading.