Lesson Plan: Analyzing Current Events with “5 Things” News Digests

This lesson plan aims to enhance students’ understanding of current events, develop critical thinking skills, and improve media literacy through the analysis of curated news digests.

---

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand the purpose and structure of curated news digests like CNN’s “5 Things.”
2. Analyze the significance of five current events or topics in shaping public awareness.
3. Develop critical thinking skills to prioritize and evaluate news relevance.
4. Enhance media literacy by identifying credible news sources and perspectives.

---

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up Activity

Discussion Prompt: Ask students, “How do you usually start your day or week? Where do you get your news or updates?

“Mini Activity: Get 5 things in your inbox CNN. Discuss its purpose (concise, easy-to-read news).

2. Main Activity: Analyzing the “5 Things”

A. Guided Analysis

Display the five topics from this week’s newsletter. Or watch the CNN 10 for students.

1. A major global event
2. A national issue
3. A cultural or social story
4. A technological or scientific development
5. A human-interest piece

Discuss each item:

• Why is this important?
• Who might be most affected by this?
• How does this topic connect to our lives?

B. Small Group Research and Presentation

Divide students into five groups, assigning one topic per group. Each group investigates their topic and presents a quick summary to the class, addressing:

• Key facts
• Why it matters
• Any potential bias or missing perspectives in the coverage

3. Reflective Activity

Discussion Questions:

• “If you had to pick one story to highlight for your peers, which would it be and why?”
• “What does this list reveal about what’s considered ‘newsworthy’?”

Individual Writing Task: Students write a short reflection:

• Summarize the five stories in their own words
• Explain which story resonated most with them and why

Homework

• Subscribe to or explore a news digest for one week and bring back insights to share
• Create their own “5 Things” list of important events from their perspective, with brief descriptions

Extension Activities

• Media Literacy Module: Teach students how to verify news sources and identify bias
• Debate Activity: Select one story from the list for a class debate on its implications or solutions