The very best tools to teach current events and history are more broad in offerings and options than ever before. That's what this guide is here to help with, so you can narrow down the very best options to use in your class.
On that theme, one of the important features in teaching students to work with current events and history tools is discernment. More information than ever is available, and being able to spot what's real or fake, useful or useless, concise or verbose, are all part of learning to research. So working with these tools, alongside real class experience, can be an important part of learning in this way.
This guide comprises tools that focus on news and current events as well as those that work with history, and a few happy mediums, to cover the full range with the very latest features to help teach.
Read on to find the best tools to teach current events and history in your class.
Best tools to teach current events and history
Best overall
Sutori
Sutori is a collaborative storytelling tool that lets teachers and students create interactive timelines and multimedia presentations. Previously known as HSTRY, the platform was built specifically with social studies in mind. That makes it a natural fit for history and current events. It’s a clean, intuitive platform that feels more like a modern web layout than a traditional slideshow, so it can be used across lessons as needed.
To teach history, have students create a timeline of a historical period, weaving in text, images, videos, and quizzes. For current events, they can build a living, breathing timeline of a developing news story, updating it as new information comes to light. It’s an ideal tool for project-based learning, allowing students to demonstrate a deep understanding of chronology and cause-and-effect.
READ: Sutori guide
Best for scholarly research
JSTOR
JSTOR is often seen as a resource for higher ed, as it's a massive online database of academic journals, books, and primary sources -- but it's increasingly accessible to K-12. This is a superb place to teach and carry out in-depth research. It’s not about quick facts; it’s about providing students with a wealth of credible, scholarly information.
Introduce students to academic research by having them use JSTOR to find and analyze primary sources, such as historical documents or photographs, for a history project. For current events, they can use it to research the historical context of a contemporary issue. It’s an invaluable tool for teaching source analysis and academic integrity.
READ: JSTOR guide
Best for culture
Google Arts & Culture
Google Arts & Culture is a platform with the ability to turn the world's museums and cultural institutions into a local visit via a virtual classroom. It's a digital archive featuring high-resolution images of art and artifacts, virtual tours of historical sites, and curated online exhibits. It's an immersive and visually engaging way to bring the past to life.
Take your students on a virtual field trip to the British Museum to explore ancient artifacts, or a tour of a historical city such as Rome. Students can use the platform's 'stories' to research and create their own digital exhibits on topics such as the history of flight or the civil rights movement. It makes history tangible and accessible to every learner, no matter their location.
READ: Google Arts & Culture guide
Best for current news
Newsela
Newsela helps students keep up-to-date on world events, while also learning about how news works. This platform takes a current news article -- from trusted sources -- and rewrites it at five different reading levels. This ensures that every student, regardless of reading ability, can access and comprehend the day's headlines. It also includes built-in quizzes and writing prompts.
Use Newsela for your daily current events routine. Assign an article to the entire class, then have students compare and contrast the different reading levels to discuss how news is adapted for various audiences. It's also perfect for teaching media literacy and critical thinking.
READ: Newsela guide
Best for storytelling
Knight Lab Projects
Knight Lab Projects offers a suite of free, open-source digital storytelling platforms. Developed by Northwestern University, Knight Lab gives anyone the power to create professional-looking projects by simply plugging information into a Google spreadsheet. The tools include Timeline JS, StoryMap JS, and Juxtapose, which are designed to make journalism and storytelling more interactive.
This suite is a treasure trove for teachers. Have students use Juxtapose to compare historical and modern-day photos of a location, showing how a city or landmark has changed over time. Timeline JS is ideal for creating a rich chronology of a historical event. And StoryMap JS is perfect for mapping the route of a famous expedition or a current news story with geographical context.
READ: Knight Lab Projects guide
Best for debate
Checkology
Checkology is an essential tool for teaching media literacy. Developed by the News Literacy Project, Checkology is a platform with interactive lessons and engaging activities that teach students how to identify misinformation, recognize bias, and understand the role of the press.
Use Checkology’s modules to teach a stand-alone media literacy unit, or integrate it into your regular curriculum. The platform's lessons on recognizing different types of journalism and spotting logical fallacies are critical for students learning to navigate today's complex media landscape. It's a useful addition for any classroom where current events are discussed.
READ: Checkology guide
Best for civics
iCivics
iCivics is a nonprofit organization that provides a suite of free digital games and lesson plans for teaching civics and government. This takes a game-based approach, which makes complex concepts such as the U.S. Constitution, civil rights, and the legislative process accessible and engaging.
Have students play "Do I Have a Right?" to learn about the Bill of Rights, or "Win the White House" to understand the election process. iCivics also offers content on historical events such as the civil rights movement and Supreme Court cases, making it a perfect blend of current events and history.
READ: iCivics guide
Best for complex history
Facing History and Ourselves
Facing History and Ourselves is a nonprofit that provides resources for teachers to explore complex historical topics such as the Holocaust and civil rights. It offers a unique approach, which connects history to ethical decision-making and contemporary issues. It's not just a content repository as it's a curriculum and professional development program, too.
Use Facing History's comprehensive units to teach about moments of injustice and social change. The organization provides lesson plans, primary source documents, and teaching strategies that encourage students to reflect on the choices of historical figures and apply those lessons to their own lives and communities.
READ: Facing History and Ourselves guide
Best for magazines
The Week Junior
The Week Junior is a print and online magazine whose mission it is to make current events accessible for children in an engaging and confidence-inspiring way. The publication is a fantastic tool for introducing younger students to news topics without overwhelming them, using a blend of easy-to-read articles, vivid photography, and fun facts.
Use The Week Junior for a weekly current events discussion or as a source for reading comprehension activities. The magazine's articles are designed to be accessible to a wide range of reading levels, and can serve as a non-threatening entry point for students who may be hesitant to engage with the news.
READ: The Week Junior guide
Best for free fun
National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids offers a wide range of science tools but also a helpful history section that's ideal for teaching history in a fun, visual, and engaging way. Crucially, all the tools available are free and they cover a wide range of historical topics and timelines. Lots of videos are available since much of this content comes from the TV channel, which features high production values and well-researched and -presented stories.
Use these historical videos as a starting point in class to get interest before delving further into more details and discussion as a class.
