Learning Network: Get Students to Think Critically About This Election

Writing prompts, lessons, graphs an videos

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story October 23, 2020 Dear Reader, How do we bring into the classroom an election that is so divisive, clouded by misinformation and fraught with anxiety? Not easily. And yet, there are vitally important conversations for students to have about this election, the electoral process and the issues at stake. We have dozens of ways for students and teachers to engage with the 2020 election during these final days of the campaigns. In our Civil Conversation Challenge, many thousands of students from around the country are already responding to one another’s ideas about some of the most contentious issues of our day: the nation’s pandemic response, racial justice, education, voting and more. They’re engaging in the kinds of productive discussions we wish more adults would have — and if you haven’t glanced in the comments sections to see the incredible discussions going on, please do. If you’re a student, join in. In our Student Opinion forum, teenagers are weighing in on the presidential debates, the Electoral College, the Supreme Court, the health of our democracy and, of course, the candidates. In our Lessons of the Day, we invite students to rearrange electoral maps, analyze polling data and even play election Bingo. We also have a video about voter suppression, a graph about presidents’ ages and a panel discussion (available on demand) featuring Times journalists. It’s hard to believe there are only 11 days left until Nov. 3. We hope teachers and students find these resources useful for thinking critically about this election. Sincerely, Michael Gonchar, editor ELECTION 2020 TEACHING RESOURCES current events Lesson of the Day: An Election News Game A simple game you can play from now through Election Day to help start conversations and navigate an avalanche of information. By Katherine Schulten current events Wrong or Imprecise? Understanding the Polls in the 2016 and 2020 Elections In this math lesson, students will use two fundamental statistical concepts — bias and noise — to analyze what went wrong in the 2016 presidential polls and evaluate the reliability of the forecasts for 2020. By Dashiell Young-Saver What’s Going On in This Graph? | Oct. 28, 2020 How do the ages of U.S. presidents compare to the ages of heads of government for other nations? By The Learning Network Film Club: ‘Why Voting in This U.S. Election Will Not Be Equal’ Why is it harder for some people to vote than for others? By The Learning Network student opinion Who Do You Hope Will Win the 2020 Presidential Election? Who do you think will make a better president? What is at stake for you and for the nation? By Jeremy Engle contests Our 2020 Civil Conversation Challenge for Teenagers Beginning Sept. 22 and running through Oct. 30, we’re inviting teenagers (13 and up) to have productive, respectful conversations about some of the issues dividing us this election season. By Katherine Schulten contests Coming of Age in 2020: A Special Multimedia Contest for Teenagers in the U.S. An invitation to show us — in words or images, video or audio — how the events of this extraordinary year have affected you. By Katherine Schulten Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS student opinion Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Your Parents? In a winning essay for our 2019 Personal Narrative Contest, a teenager writes about a moment when she felt ashamed of her mother — and what she learned about herself from it. Have you ever had a similar experience? By Nicole Daniels current events Lesson of the Day: ‘Seeing Our Own Reflection in the Birth of the Self-Portrait’ In this lesson, students will learn about Albrecht Dürer’s masterpiece and the development of the self as a unique individual, worthy of depiction. Then students will create self-portraits and consider what it reveals about who they really are. By Jeremy Engle student opinion What Is Your Favorite Memory of PBS? The Public Broadcasting Service is celebrating its 50th birthday. Which shows and characters have made their mark on your life? By Jeremy Engle current events Lesson of the Day: ‘Armenia and Azerbaijan: The Conflict Explained’ In this lesson, students will learn about the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and why experts say the fighting this time is different. By Natalie Proulx student opinion What Objects Bring You Comfort? What are the tangible things in your life you value most? What is the story behind one thing you own that means more than its monetary worth? By Shannon Doyne current events Lesson of the Day: ‘With Nowhere to Go, Teens Flock to Among Us’ In this lesson, students examine how The Times reports on a trend they probably know a great deal about, then make a case for the educational value of playing social video games in school. By Katherine Schulten weekly news quiz for students Weekly News Quiz for Students: Coronavirus Cases, Poverty, Tourism for One How well did you follow the news this past week? How many of these 10 questions can you get right? Compiled by Jeremy Engle and John Otis current events conversation What Students Are Saying About Objects of Comfort, Lessons From TV and Political Divisions Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation. By The Learning Network Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. ELSEWHERE IN THE TIMES This School Year Has Been Unlike Any Other Some examples of how the world of education has responded to the pandemic. By Alina Tugend, Phyllis W. Jordan and Mark A. Stein In Pandemic’s Wake, Learning Pods and Microschools Take Root Unhappy with remote learning, parents are seeking alternatives, touching off “the largest educational innovation experiment” in history. By Eilene Zimmerman How to Make Remote Learning Work? Unmute Yourself! Longtime home-schoolers offer advice on what to do, and what not to do. By Laura van Straaten How are we doing? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to LNfeedback@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Learning Network from The New York Times. 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