NewsDepth Teacher Resource Corner

NewsDepth is more than a television show. It is designed to encourage deep learning experiences through student interaction and by tying content and activities to Ohio's Learning Standards. While we are sure your students will learn by just watching the program, we encourage the use of supplemental resources to enhance your classroom experience.

Below you will find information on the weekly support materials that accompany each show, lesson plans put together by teachers on the NewsDepth Advisory Council, Open House materials to share with parents, and ways that NewsDepth promotes excellence in teaching.

Using NewsDepth Effectively

NewsDepth comes with lots of regular weekly resources and standards alignments. Learn more in the PDF files below:

• Weekly Classroom Support Materials
• Weekly Student Activities
• Ties to ELA Standards
• Special Segments

Open House Materials

NewsDepth provides a great opportunity to engage parents in their student's schooling. The show can provide topics of discussion for chats around the dinner table and real-life scenarios for families to think through together. Below you will find handouts and presentation that you can use at your open house or in a classroom welcome packet to introduce parents to NewsDepth and how you will be using it in your class.

• Open House Parent Handout
• Co-watching the News with Kids
• Open House Presentation

Lesson Plans

Below you will find an assortment of lesson plans developed by teachers on the NewsDepth Advisory Council. Feel free to use these in your classroom. They are an example of how NewsDepth can springboard deeper learning. If you are interested in creating lesson plans surrounding NewsDepth and would like to share them with our teacher community, email Michael Edelman for more information. Continuing Education Units may be available for teachers creating lesson plans.

Think Like a Scientist

In this lesson, students view a Spot on Science video about determining water quality by looking at macroinvertebrates and then practice the science behind it using handouts.

Episode Activity Stations

In this lesson, students watch a full episode of NewsDepth and then participate in multiple learning stations throughout the classroom that engage them in opinion writing, finding supporting evidence, and distance mapping.

Promoting Excellent Teachers

The intentional use of NewDepth, and its related instructional resources, supports and aligns with the Ohio Department of Education’s definition of an effective teacher. Specifically:

• It is developmentally appropriate for children (grades 4-6)
• It features a diversity of stories and is inclusive of multiple ideas
• It contributes to a culture of higher expectations
• It is adaptable to multiple learning styles and abilities
• It is cross-curricular and supportive of multiple content areas

Informed by Teachers

NewsDepth strives to stay relevant and takes its lead from the teachers that use it. The NewsDepth Advisory Council is a small group of educators from around Ohio who meet directly with the NewsDepth team to share their expertise on enhancing the show's features, aligning content with state standards, and optimizing the program for use in the classroom.

Council members are expected to:

• Provide input on enhancing the show’s production, online presence, and learning extensions during four council meetings per school year.
  
  • ​The 2021 - 22 season will include a pair of hour-long virtual meetings (Oct. 7, 2021 & Jan. 13, 2022) and a pair of half-day meetings held at the Idea Center (March 3 & May 5, 2022). We know getting out of class isn’t easy, so there will be an option to attend our in-person meetings virtually as well.
• Respond to a weekly rundown preview via email, providing insight on how to align the show better with current classroom instruction.
• Spread their love of NewsDepth near and far by advocating for the use of the show by educators and families.
  
  • This could be speaking at an in-school professional development day, presenting at a conference, recording a tutorial on how to use a NewsDepth resource, etc. Don’t worry we will help you with this!

Council members receive CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for time spent doing the above work. A letter of gratitude and service recognition will be sent to the member’s superintendent.  Plus, members are listed on the NewsDepth website and offered behind-the-scenes perks.
Current educators who use NewsDepth in the classroom are invited to apply for a spot on the council by expressing their interest to Michael Edelman.