In What Is News?, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces the concept of news: its history, purpose, and its potential downside. From its earliest iterations, news provides the information needed for people to make decisions and stay safe. Today, technology allows us to learn information in real time on both a local and global scale. It can be overwhelming to know what to give our attention to and what is real or fake, so it’s necessary to be a smart consumer of news and have trusted sources. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
We’re live from the newsroom! Introduce your students to jobs, workflows, and decision-making processes of newsrooms. In this lesson, they’ll take on various roles and learn what makes up a functioning newsroom.
Extra, extra! Read all about it! Introduce your students to the characteristics, roles, and purpose of the news. In this lesson, they’ll learn the different categories of news and what makes an event “newsworthy.”
In Who Decides?, host Radzi Chinyanganya discovers who decides what people see, read, and hear in the news. Because there are so many events and limited space to report the news, all news is filtered. In journalism, editors decide which stories are worth telling. The companies that run apps, social media, and websites, use computer programs called algorithms to decide which content individuals see. They might try to influence consumers’ views or emotions. Getting news from varied sources is the only way to ensure you’re seeing the complete picture. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
Since 2022, larger restaurant chains in the UK have been including calorie information on menus. The number take only a little space and ink, but a lot of people have strong opinions.
Some people say that knowing the calories in what they’re thinking of ordering is really helpful, especially if they’re trying to change their eating habits or manage their weight. It means that they can go out to eat, or socialize with friends, without having to guess how much they’re eating.
But, there are a lot of people who feel anxious seeing these numbers. Many with eating disorders or a poor relationship with food may feel that seeing the calorie information makes them feel guilty for eating. It might even tempt people to focus only on calories, instead of enjoying food for taste, as something to share with loved ones, or a source of nutrients.
A study about the impact of that calorie labeling shows that labeling led to a 2% average reduction in calories, or about 11 calories out of a 600 calorie meal. It may seem like nothing, but making small changes can add up to big differences.
Waking up and looking out the window at the beautiful shoreline is great, until the water gets a little too close for comfort…
Bryony Nierop-Reading is a UK woman who has spent years up close and personal with the effects of coastal erosion - that’s when land is lost or displaced by natural forces like waves, tides, and storms. In 2009, she bought a home on the coast. She thought it was a safe distance from the shore, but it took only 4 years until the water became unlivably close to the house.
In her new home across the road, she sees the same challenges. In fact, in just two weeks, as much as 32 feet of land were lost to the sea. That’s the length of a school bus, or the height of a 3 story building!
It’s no wonder she’s so determined to fight for awareness and action around coastal erosion, especially as task forces meant to deal with the issue are being shut down, leaving counties to handle the problem themselves.
But Bryony the Brave is determined to stay put for as long as possible. She believes living so close to the issue helps her stay informed, motivated, and ready to speak up.
Invite your students on an adventure across the world’s amazing grasslands! From the roaring lions of the African savanna to the thundering bison of the Great Plains, these ecosystems are bursting with life. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Dive into the dazzling world of coral reefs! From Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the vibrant reefs of Indonesia, these underwater cities are alive with color, movement, and incredible creatures. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Venture to the frozen edges of our planet — the polar regions! From the icy Arctic, home to polar bears, to the vast white wilderness of Antarctica, where penguins rule, these ecosystems are as extreme as they are breathtaking. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Get ready to journey into some of the most extreme places on Earth — the deserts! From the towering dunes of the Namib and the sunbaked Kalahari to the rugged Australian Outback and the icy sands of the Gobi, these ecosystems are full of surprising life. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Step into the lush, green world of tropical rainforests! From the mighty Amazon to the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia, these ecosystems overflow with towering trees, hidden creatures, and nonstop adventure. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Discover the islands, traditions, and history of Japan with this one-page fact file for Grades 3–8. Students will explore Japan’s geography, history, culture, wildlife, and government while learning about volcanic islands, mountain landscapes, traditional customs, unique wildlife, modern cities, and important moments from Japan’s past and present.
You can use this fact file to:
- Introduce a geography or social studies unit
- Support nonfiction reading practice
- Compare countries and cultures
- Complete map and research activities
- Prepare students for projects or presentations (use our country report template!)
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
In What Is News?, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces the concept of news: its history, purpose, and its potential downside. From its earliest iterations, news provides the information needed for people to make decisions and stay safe. Today, technology allows us to learn information in real time on both a local and global scale. It can be overwhelming to know what to give our attention to and what is real or fake, so it’s necessary to be a smart consumer of news and have trusted sources. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
We’re live from the newsroom! Introduce your students to jobs, workflows, and decision-making processes of newsrooms. In this lesson, they’ll take on various roles and learn what makes up a functioning newsroom.
Extra, extra! Read all about it! Introduce your students to the characteristics, roles, and purpose of the news. In this lesson, they’ll learn the different categories of news and what makes an event “newsworthy.”
In Who Decides?, host Radzi Chinyanganya discovers who decides what people see, read, and hear in the news. Because there are so many events and limited space to report the news, all news is filtered. In journalism, editors decide which stories are worth telling. The companies that run apps, social media, and websites, use computer programs called algorithms to decide which content individuals see. They might try to influence consumers’ views or emotions. Getting news from varied sources is the only way to ensure you’re seeing the complete picture. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
Since 2022, larger restaurant chains in the UK have been including calorie information on menus. The number take only a little space and ink, but a lot of people have strong opinions.
Some people say that knowing the calories in what they’re thinking of ordering is really helpful, especially if they’re trying to change their eating habits or manage their weight. It means that they can go out to eat, or socialize with friends, without having to guess how much they’re eating.
But, there are a lot of people who feel anxious seeing these numbers. Many with eating disorders or a poor relationship with food may feel that seeing the calorie information makes them feel guilty for eating. It might even tempt people to focus only on calories, instead of enjoying food for taste, as something to share with loved ones, or a source of nutrients.
A study about the impact of that calorie labeling shows that labeling led to a 2% average reduction in calories, or about 11 calories out of a 600 calorie meal. It may seem like nothing, but making small changes can add up to big differences.
Waking up and looking out the window at the beautiful shoreline is great, until the water gets a little too close for comfort…
Bryony Nierop-Reading is a UK woman who has spent years up close and personal with the effects of coastal erosion - that’s when land is lost or displaced by natural forces like waves, tides, and storms. In 2009, she bought a home on the coast. She thought it was a safe distance from the shore, but it took only 4 years until the water became unlivably close to the house.
In her new home across the road, she sees the same challenges. In fact, in just two weeks, as much as 32 feet of land were lost to the sea. That’s the length of a school bus, or the height of a 3 story building!
It’s no wonder she’s so determined to fight for awareness and action around coastal erosion, especially as task forces meant to deal with the issue are being shut down, leaving counties to handle the problem themselves.
But Bryony the Brave is determined to stay put for as long as possible. She believes living so close to the issue helps her stay informed, motivated, and ready to speak up.
Invite your students on an adventure across the world’s amazing grasslands! From the roaring lions of the African savanna to the thundering bison of the Great Plains, these ecosystems are bursting with life. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Dive into the dazzling world of coral reefs! From Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the vibrant reefs of Indonesia, these underwater cities are alive with color, movement, and incredible creatures. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Venture to the frozen edges of our planet — the polar regions! From the icy Arctic, home to polar bears, to the vast white wilderness of Antarctica, where penguins rule, these ecosystems are as extreme as they are breathtaking. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Get ready to journey into some of the most extreme places on Earth — the deserts! From the towering dunes of the Namib and the sunbaked Kalahari to the rugged Australian Outback and the icy sands of the Gobi, these ecosystems are full of surprising life. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Step into the lush, green world of tropical rainforests! From the mighty Amazon to the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia, these ecosystems overflow with towering trees, hidden creatures, and nonstop adventure. After watching our videos, challenge your students to become ecosystem experts by creating their own colorful report filled with fascinating facts. (They’ll need to dig deeper with extra research, too!) Inside the brochure, students will uncover and share:
- Location of the ecosystem on a world map
- Adjectives that describe the ecosystem
- Three animals that live in the ecosystem
- Three plants that grow in the ecosystem
- The climate of the ecosystem
- What makes the ecosystem important
- Their favorite fun facts
Your students will summarize the most important details in their own words while keeping it clear and easy to understand. As they choose what to include, they’ll sharpen their ability to evaluate and combine information from different sources. Best of all, they’ll show off their creativity and communication skills by designing a brochure that’s as fun to read as it is informative!
Discover the islands, traditions, and history of Japan with this one-page fact file for Grades 3–8. Students will explore Japan’s geography, history, culture, wildlife, and government while learning about volcanic islands, mountain landscapes, traditional customs, unique wildlife, modern cities, and important moments from Japan’s past and present.
You can use this fact file to:
- Introduce a geography or social studies unit
- Support nonfiction reading practice
- Compare countries and cultures
- Complete map and research activities
- Prepare students for projects or presentations (use our country report template!)
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)