Have a look at the debut of News Flash Five,
PBS's brand-new news site for 8-11 year olds. News Flash Five is
billed as "pioneering Web site to encourage [kids] to learn about
current events." And according to the "Parents and Teachers" portion of the
site, "Kids just need the news explained to them on a personal level,
so they
realize that an event in another town or across the world can affect
their lives. So we've put together some information to help you teach
them this, whether you are in the classroom or at home."
The site looks pretty
good; my 11-year old would likely spend a few minutes here. Real-time stories are presented in an informative yet
entertaining way that isn't dumbed down for its audience. This
week's stories include: President Bush
and his State of the Union speech; the Oscar nomination for
ten-year-old Abigail Breslin of "Little Miss Sunshine"; something about a Komodo Dragon
giving birth; the upcoming Super Bowl; and the fact that the European
fashion industry is banning models who are too thin from their
runways.
Lesson
plans are available for teachers wanting to incorporate aspects of the
site in their teaching, and kids are encouraged to submit their own
stories for possible publication.
