This week, we're talking about civics education. At a time when our republic feels particularly unsettled, we’re asking: What do students know about their government? What SHOULD they know? Teachers tell us that there is a critical need for materials that help students understand their role in a democracy and as citizens of the world—whether the lesson is understanding the three branches of government, spotting fake news, or simply learning how to disagree respectfully, teachers of all grade levels are having civics-related discussions almost daily.
In this episode, we sit down with four of our Scholastic Classroom Magazines editors to talk about how they help teachers bring civics into the classroom. We also talk with a fourth-grade teacher from New York about the types of lessons she's sharing with her students.
Additional Resources:
- Explore We the People, the Scholastic Magazines' site for civics and media literacy resources
- Read Civics for Middle and High School Students on edu@scholastic
- Read They Want to Know!: Civics for Upper-Elementary Students on edu@scholastic
- Read Teaching Civics in Early-Grade Magazines on edu@scholastic
- Learn more about Scholastic News
- Learn more about Junior Scholastic
- Learn more about The New York Times Upfront
Guests:
- Steph Smith is the editorial director of Scholastic News.
- Mary Kate Frank is the Deputy Editor of Junior Scholastic.
- Ian Zack is the Executive Editor of The New York Times Upfront.
- Laine Falk is an Editorial Director for Scholastic News.
- Gail Sider is a fourth-grade teacher at Hutchinson Elementary School in Pelham, New York.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
