My third grade students discussed the state of local, national, and world affairs on a weekly basis. In addition to sharing their responses to articles they selected, I shared at least two passages from a recent article or editorial and perhaps play an informational video with background information before posing a controversial question for students to discuss. For at least thirty minutes, they debated timeless issues in the context of events happening right now -- free speech, the redistribution of wealth, and decisions made during wartime. They relied heavily on structures I developed with them, including norms, sentence frames, success criteria, and a rubric as well as a speakers' list, timer, and note-taking system. These classroom meetings not only helped students improve their speaking and listening but also provided them with the opportunity to think about issues of real importance, thereby changing the way they viewed themselves.

1. Current Events
Discussions for
Elementary
Classrooms
goo.gl/ac2NA3
Trevor Mattea | September 18, 2016
trevormattea.com
@tsmattea

2. Agenda and Learning Targets
Tentative Agenda
● Introductions and Framing (15 min.)
● My Current Events Conversations (25 min.)
● My Next Steps (20 min.)
Learning Targets
● I can define current events.
● I can identify current events discussion topics, including readings, big
questions, and follow-up and questions that can be modified based on student
background knowledge and interests.
● I can identify a framework for identifying new current events discussion topics.
● I can scaffold current events discussions in the classroom.
● I can support parents in discussing current events with students at home.

3. Current Events Discussions for
Elementary Classrooms
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4. Defining Current Events
Current events are active controversies we address at different
levels of our community -- local, state, national, or global. In
order to discuss them in school and with younger students,
teachers can focus on topics outside of culture wars, ask big
questions detached from partisan politics, and use analogies
relevant to students, primarily how those big questions might
apply at home or in school, to start conversations. Such
discussions prepare students to thoughtfully engage with their
communities now and in the future.
In other words, we can talk about and debate issues that matter
without introducing graphic subject matter, taking overtly political
stances ourselves, or talking over students’ heads.

5. Why Current Events?
Differences make things complicated. But dealing with the
complicated is what training for good citizenship is all
about. Ideas -- the ways we organize knowledge -- are the
medium of exchange in democratic life, just as money is in
the marketplace.
-- Deborah Meier, The Power of their Ideas (1995)

6. Why Current Events?
If people do not try very hard to understand what [a child]
says, he may come to feel that most of the time there is not
much point in saying anything.
-- John Holt, How Children Learn (1967)

7. Why Current Events?
● Cable News Junkie
● Political Science
● Citizenship
● Why Take a Risk?
● School Board
● School Lunches

8. My Initial Current Events
Conversations
● Students Chose Their Own Texts
● Students Read Them for Homework
● Students Shared Summaries and Answered
Questions from Their Classmates
● Students Voted on the “Most Important Story”
● Google Burglary (Mountain View Voice)
● North Korean Missile Tests (ABC News)
● Big Drinks Are Back (Time for Kids)

9. My Subsequent Current Events
Conversations
● Teacher Provided a Big Question and
Several Related Texts
● Students Chose Their Own Texts
● Students Read Them for Homework
● Teacher Introduced the Topic and the Big
Question
● Students Discussed the Big Question
● Students Shared a Summary of Their Own
Texts

10. Topics and Big Questions
● The United States Supreme Court ruled that the government is allowed to begin town
meetings with Christian prayers.
○ Do you think the government should be allowed to begin town meetings with Christian
prayers?
● The Pope recently called on governments to help “redistribute wealth” from the wealthy
to the poor.
○ Do you think the government should force wealthier citizens to pay more in taxes so that
the money can be spent on poorer citizens?
● More people have become skeptical about man-made climate change in recent years,
although that may change later this year because of El Nino.
○ If there is such thing as man-made climate change, why do you think so many people do
not believe it exists?
○ Should we act to try to stop man-made climate change now, or should we wait until more
people agree that it is a real problem?
● Veterans had to wait four months to receive medical care and President Obama made the
decision to trade five prisoners from a country we are fighting a war against for one
American soldier who was captured in war five years ago.
○ What do you think the country should for its veterans and soldiers? Medical care?
Rescuing them? Something more than those things?
○ What makes serving in the military different from other forms of service?
○ Is there anything a veteran or soldier can do to lose the things we would otherwise do for
them?

11. Sentence Frames
● I have a question for _____.
● I think I have an answer to _____’s question.
● I have a comment for _____.
● I agree with _____ because _____.
● I disagree with _____ because _____.
● I made a connection with what _____ said.
● I want to add on to what _____ said.
● I would like to respond to what _____ said.
● It would help me to reword what _____ said. _____. Did
I get that right?
● I would like to know what _____ thinks about this issue.
_____, would you mind sharing your thoughts?

12. Note Taking
● Document with Resources Accessible to
Students and Parents
● Writing Comments Made by Students,
Parents, and Teacher While Facilitating
Discussion
● Writing Summaries Given by Students
● 2013-2014 Current Events Discussions

13. Other Scaffolds
● Think Time
● Pre-Write
● Pair-Share
● Speaker’s List
● Roles

14. Student Discussion
● Aly said that she disagreed with the Supreme Court decision
because it might offend some people who practice other
religions or no religion.
● Soren said that he is not offended by prayers in town
meetings, even though he does not practice religion.
● Kaitlin said she disagreed with the Supreme Court because
she thought it might cause conflict between people who
practice different religions.
● Sam B. said he agreed with the Supreme Court because
there were opportunities for other kinds of religious
prayers.
● Aly said she changed her mind about the Supreme Court
decision because if people do not have a religion, they
should not care.

15. Student Discussion
● Zachar said that he both agrees and disagrees with the comments
made by the Pope. He said that the wealthy should give 25% of
their money to help the poor.
● Aly said that she agrees with Zachar - the wealthy should give at
least 25% of their money to help the poor. She said that the poor
should be treated the same as everyone else. We have enough
money all together so that no one has to be poor.
● Ravago responded that he thinks that the wealthiest people, like
the CEOs of large companies, make a lot of their money from
the hard work of other people, not just themselves.
● Nate said that he thinks that the wealthy actually should pay for
college so that the poor would be better able to get a higher paying
job and take care of their own needs.
● Jon said that he agrees with Leonard. The wealthy should make
the choice to give money to the poor, but the government should
not make the decision for them.

16. Student Discussion
● Zachar said that he thinks Trevor and the entire class could
contact the government to discuss a way to remove the
pollution from the atmosphere.
● Trevor asked Zachar, “Do you think we should try other ways to
stop man-made global warming now or should we wait until we
develop better technology?”
● Zachar responded that he thinks we should try to stop global
warming now and still work to develop better technology.
● Soren said that he agrees with everyone who said that we should
try to stop global warming now, but he also said he disagrees with
Zachar because taking more time and money for that takes it
away from other methods and possible cause other kinds of
pollution.
● Astra said that she thinks that we should try to stop global warming
because it might take a long, long time everyone to agree -
maybe even 100 years!

17. Student Discussion
● Nate shared that we should not only rescue lost soldiers, but take care
of their basic needs like healthcare, education, and places to live. They
can take care of their other things. He didn’t think we should still do that if
the soldier killed another American soldier.
● Kaitlin shared that we should give veterans money, but only to spend on
basics needs. She would be willing to give them money, but not poor
people.
● Colin shared that we should give veterans healthcare, but not more
than doctors, miners, etc. Anyone who risks their life to help the
country deserves free healthcare.
● Claire shared that she thinks we should and shouldn’t have rescued him.
She is happy that he can see his family, but she wishes that we hadn't
traded so many of the enemy soldiers for him.
● Sierra shared that she think we should have rescued him because it
wasn’t right to leave him to die.

18. Student-Selected Texts
● Wild Mountain Lion in Mountain View
(Mountain View Voice)
● Discovery of an Earth-Like Planet (New
York Times)
● How to Always Win Rock-Paper-Scissors
(Dog News)
● Minecraft Model of Denmark (Ars
Technica)
● Discovery of a Biodegradable Alternative
to Plastic (Policymic)

19. Common Core Reading Standards
● Informational Text -- Key Ideas and Details
○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for
the answers.
● Informational Text -- Craft and Structure
○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6 Distinguish his or her own point of view
from that of the author of a text.
● Informational Text -- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.9 Compare and contrast the most important
points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
● Informational Text -- Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
○ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.10 By the end of the year, read and
comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies,
science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.

20. Common Core Speaking and
Listening Standards
● Comprehension and Collaboration
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having
read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and
other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions
(e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care,
speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C Ask questions to check understanding of
information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the
remarks of others.
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D Explain their own ideas and
understanding in light of the discussion.
○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about
information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

21. My Next Steps
● Teacher Uses Bigger Questions that Apply to
Multiple Topics and Provide Related Resources
● Students Chose Their Own Text that Relates to the
Big Question
● Students Read Them for Homework
● Teacher (Re)introduces a Topic and the Big
Question
● Students Discuss the Big Question
● Students Discuss to the Same Big Question
Throughout the Year as They Read More Texts
● Current Events Icebreaker
● A Resource for Classroom Parents

22. Making Decisions
● How should we make decisions
for everyone when people
disagree?
○ What makes you say that?
○ How do you think some
people in your family should
make decisions when
people disagree?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Boycotts
● Constitutional Amendments
● Elections

23. Handling Disputes
● How should people who
disagree handle their disputes?
○ What makes you say that?
○ How do you think people in
your family who disagree
should handle their
disagreement?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Court Cases
● Political Division
● Strikes

24. Sharing Resources
● Should everyone be asked to
contribute towards the
community?
○ Why or why not?
○ Should everyone in your
family be asked to
contribute towards your
family?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Taxes and Spending
● Social Mobility
● Mandatory Community Service

25. Providing Assistance
● How should we treat people who
want help?
○ What makes you say that?
○ When do you think you
should do for people in your
family who want or need
help?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Economic Downturns
● Natural Disasters
● Welfare Programs

26. Offering Special Treatment
● Should some people receive
special treatment?
○ Why or why not?
○ Do you think some people in
your family should receive
special treatment?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Children
● Special Needs
● Veterans

27. Identifying “Bad” Behaviors
● What counts as a bad thing?
○ What makes you say that?
○ What is an example of a bad
thing in your family?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Stealing
● Terrorism
● Vandalism

28. Responding to “Bad” Behaviors
● How should we treat people who
do bad things?
○ What makes you say that?
○ How do you think people in
your family should be
treated when they do bad
things?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Community Service
● Death Penalty
● Whistleblowers

29. Identifying “Good” Behaviors
● What counts as a good thing?
○ What makes you say that?
○ What is an example of a
good thing in your family?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Charitable Donations
● Heroism
● Public Service

30. Responding to “Good” Behaviors
● How should we treat people who
do good things?
○ What makes you say that?
○ How do you think people in
your family should be
treated when they do good
things?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Incentives for Public Service
● Loan Forgiveness
● Support for Veterans

31. Balancing Safety with Individual
Freedom
● Should people be forced to make
safer choices, even if they don’t
want to and don’t seem to be
hurting anyone else with their
choice?
○ Should people in your family
be forced to do the safe
thing, even if they do not
want to and don’t seem to
be hurting anyone else with
their choice?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Health Insurance Mandates
● Seat Belts
● Soda Taxes

32. Handling Diversity with Politics
● Should religion play a role in our
community if people disagree
about it?
○ Why or why not?
○ What role do you think
politics should play in your
family?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Free Speech
● Political Donations

33. Handling Diversity with Religion
● Should religion play a role in our
community if people disagree
about it?
○ Why or why not?
○ What role do you think
religion should play in your
family?
○ What about in our school?
○ What about in our town?
○ What about in our country?
○ What about in the world?
● Free Speech
● School Prayer
● Tax Exempt Status

34. Takeaways and Final Questions
● How do you now intend to use current events discussions in your
own practice?
● What questions do you still have?
● Whenever you are ready, please complete the anonymous Google
Form to give me feedback (goo.gl/JX7VnU).

35. Recommended Reading
● Berger, Ron. An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of
Craftmanship with Students. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
2003. Print.
● Holt, John. How Children Learn. New York: Da Capo Press.
2009. Kindle.
● Meier, Deborah. The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for
America from a Small School in Harlem. New York:
Beacon Press. 2002. Print.
● Mohr Lone, Jana. The Philosophical Child. New York:
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 2015. Print.