Resources for Educators

Political polarization is an issue that affects everyone, including our nation’s youth. Students need help navigating today’s highly polarizing media, social media, and political landscape. This clinic points educators to tools and resources that will help your students to build skills in media literacy, bias awareness, critical thinking, and how to engage in respectful dialogue across differences.

Bring balanced news to your classroom, learn about media bias

Deliver a news feed to your classroom that shows how the same topic is being covered by a range of news outlets. Learn about media bias and cultivate awareness of “angles” in news coverage.

Schedule a realtime video conference between your classroom and students from other classrooms across the U.S. to help build skills in civil discourse and respectful listening across different perspectives. [Credit: AllSides]

Discover how people of different political leanings view the same issue

Learn how people from across the political spectrum define, think or feel differently about the same term or topic. [Credit: Red Blue Dictionary]

Engage students with trusted and authentic news sources on various topics

Choose from a variety of packages which will create assignments, provide articles of varying media types, track student progress in real time and quickly grade quizzes, all relating to engaging and activating civic passion. [Credit: Bites Media]

Explore current events and complex policy issues with guided lesson plans

Lesson plans that provide teachers with the materials and guidance for students to learn different perspectives on issues, discuss them, listen to each other in a respectful and civil manner, and appreciate differences while finding common ground. [Credit: Close Up Foundation]

Access free civics curriculum and lesson plans for middle and high school

Need help introducing topics like “Media and Influence,” “Civil Rights,” and “News Literacy?” Supplement your teaching with pre-designed lesson plans, including videos, games and more! [Credit: iCivics]

Adopt a holistic approach to teaching democracy

Discover resources for voter registration, media literacy and classroom discussions. Determine if your school has done enough to teach democracy! [Credit: Teaching for Democracy]

Connect your grade school classroom with others around the world

Help students to explore the world through interactive encounters that spark curiosity, kindness, and empathy. Work towards finding similarities, not just differences. [Credit: Empatico]

Empower students to master news literacy skills

Engage students to become smart consumers of information in all its forms and engaged participants in civic life. [Credit: Checkology]

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