National Elementary Schools Press Association

04/03/2023

TIME for Kids is looking for their next TFK Kid Reporters!

Guess what? The 2023-2024 TFK Kid Reporter Contest is now live! Do you know a kid who loves to write, review books and movies, and do cool interviews? Click here to apply and learn more: https://tfk.news/42MfFHE

12/06/2022

Few Alabama students take agriscience, agriculture classes. These groups want to change that.

Nearly one in 11 children in Alabama's Black Belt face very severe food insecurity, going a day or more without eating because food has run out.

11/29/2022

This lesson plan on ReadWriteThink's website teaches basic media literacy skills to students through greeting cards.

This lesson plan is meant for grades 5-6 and is spread out over three 50-minute sessions.

This lesson is a starting point for getting younger writers involved in media literacy education. In this lesson, students examine elements of holidays/events, invent their own original holiday, and examine and create holiday/event cards based on those chosen. Through reflection, students realize th...

11/15/2022

Teaching Thanksgiving Thoughtfully.

Educators looking to teach a historically accurate version of Thanksgiving can take advantage of a wide variety of resources.

Educators looking to teach a historically accurate version of Thanksgiving can take advantage of a wide variety of resources.

11/08/2022

What is differentiated instruction?

Instruction is tailored to meet all students' needs, interests and strengths.

Read more below.

Instruction is tailored to meet all students' needs, interests and strengths.

11/01/2022

Why elementary and high school students should learn computer programming

Teaching computer programming to youth can prepare them for the future job market, promote equity in tech professions and develop students’ computational thinking skills.

10/25/2022

Halloween is right around the corner! Here are some Halloween classroom activities that won't break the bank.

Get students excited for the spooky season with Halloween reading activities, games, crafts, and other Halloween activities for your classroom!

10/18/2022

This article from Edutopia discusses how teachers can use nature to spark learning and build a classroom community.

Nature comes in all shapes and sizes—from a park to a potted plant—and teachers can use it to spark learning and build a classroom community.

10/11/2022

Need a lesson on fact-checking for beginners? Here's one from Storymaker!

Use this lesson during the middle and at the end of your newsgathering journey. Fact-check while you’re preparing for interviews, writing your script, and again before publication.

10/04/2022

This community-sourced poem is all about hope for the new school year.

Morning Edition's Poet-in-Residence Kwame Alexander took poetry submissions from NPR listeners and turned them into a community-made poem for the new school year.

Morning Edition's Poet-in-Residence Kwame Alexander took poetry submissions from NPR listeners and turned them into a community-made poem for the new school year.

09/27/2022

This lesson plan from the Pulitzer Center is aimed at elementary/middle school students and focuses on climate change in the community.

The plan involves analyzing climate change articles, as well as writing an article on someone who has been impacted by climate change in the community.

SECTIONS Unit OverviewFacilitation ResourcesStandardsStudent Work This unit was created by Dani McCormick, a fourth-grade teacher in Washington, D.C., as part of the 2021-2022 Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellowship program. It is designed for facilitation across ten 45-minute class periods, with work ou...

09/20/2022

Time for Kids gives a quick introduction to pitching stories.

Before journalists can begin reporting a story, they need to pitch it. No, that doesn’t mean tossing it like a baseball! It means convincing an editor that a story is important and timely—basically, that it needs to be told, and…

09/16/2022

Tomorrow is Constitution Day!

Looking for some ways to celebrate in the classroom?

Here are some lesson plan ideas, as well as some activities and guiding questions aimed at grades K-5.

After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to summarize the contents of the First Amendment and give examples of speech that is protected by the Constitution and speech that is not protected by the Constitution.

09/15/2022

Meet our new executive director, Hailey Allen!

Hailey is a Tuscaloosa native and two-time graduate of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism.

A researcher and storyteller at heart, Hailey enjoys learning from youth and children and uses her own experience and expertise to aid these groups in the creative expression of their unique narrative identities.

Before joining ASPA she worked as an independent consultant for international peace and nonviolence organizations based in the United States. As part of her doctoral work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she is currently writing her dissertation on Southern storytelling as narrative medicine.

You can reach her via email at [email protected] with any questions or to just say hey!

09/07/2022

Student mental health reached crisis levels last year, and the pressure on schools to figure out solutions is high. Are schools doing enough?

Student mental health reached crisis levels last year, and the pressure on schools to figure out solutions is high.

04/22/2022

Happy Earth Day! How are you celebrating today? Need some last minute ideas? National Geographic provides ideas for how to introduce Earth Day to students in the classroom.

Students read and discuss a magazine article about Earth Day. They discuss environmental problems that affect their daily lives and brainstorm ways to make every day Earth Day by making small changes that have a big impact on the environment.

03/17/2022

03/11/2022

Our offices will be closed all next week for spring break, March 14-18. Have a great spring break!

02/24/2022

Today is Day and it’s important that everyone knows! Engage online with your favorite journalist or celebrity to let them know the importance of scholastic journalism in your school and in your community. In partnership with the Student Press Law Center, take advantage of some resources and activities.

https://buff.ly/37xGGUg

Discussion question: It’s Student Press Freedom Day! Tweet to your local representative and engage them to a call of action.

Join us this Student Press Freedom Day to protect and restore the First Amendment freedoms of student journalists and advisers.

02/23/2022

Today's theme for JEA Scholastic Journalism Week is .

Discussion question: Share your why! Why are you involved in scholastic journalism? Tell JEA by using the hashtags

The Journalism Education Association has scheduled Scholastic Journalism Week for Feb. 21-25, 2022. Apply to be featured on the JEA Twitter during Scholastic Journalism Week. We also will email a certificate your school administrators with props and kudos to the great work you are doing.

02/22/2022

It's JEA's Scholastic Journalism Week! Here are 6 ideas on how to celebrate the First Amendment in your schools.

What do use today to celebrate the First Amendment? It’s a great day for it. Here are some easy ideas to get you started.

02/09/2022

Kids are falling victim to disinformation and conspiracy theories. What’s the best way to fix that?

Although children are prime targets, educators cannot figure out how best to teach them to separate fact from fiction.

Although children are prime targets, educators cannot figure out how best to teach them to separate fact from fiction.

01/27/2022

Want free books? NCTE and Simon & Schuster are offering the opportunity to receive new titles from the Denene Millner Books imprint. Twenty-five NCTE members will be chosen to receive a six-book bundle that will include picture books and YA titles. Must fill out the form by January 31, 2022.

Thanks to a partnership between NCTE and Simon & Schuster publishers, 25 NCTE members are eligible to receive a five to six book bundle of picture books and YA titles from the Denene Millner imprint! Please fill out this form by January 31, 2022, 11:59 p.m. ET to be eligible. If you have any questio...

12/16/2021

Should Kids Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Scholastic Kids Press' kid reporter speaks with a top FDA official to discuss it!

On October 29, the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. It is responsible for protecting public health.

12/09/2021

From the Scholastic Bookshelf: How to Talk to Kids About Empathy

Help your child build successful relationships by showing them the world through someone else’s eyes!

These stories about teaching kids empathy can help you start a conversation about the importance of understanding others with your children.

12/07/2021

Teachers of Grades 3-5: Join The USPS Pen Pal Project!

Twenty-five thousand U.S. third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classes will each be matched with a partner class across the country with the goal of building friendships and understanding diverse perspectives. By participating in the program, students will improve their writing, communication, and collaboration skills.

https://buff.ly/3lGZO9q

The USPS Pen Pal Project matches 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom across the United States to act as pen pals for the entirety of the school year.

12/01/2021

Discussing the do’s and don’t’s of online behavior to kids is essential.

Scholastic spoke with online safety experts to identify tips, articles, and books that make starting a conversation about digital safety easier.

Discover these stories about internet safety for kids that will help you teach your children how to protect their privacy online.

11/24/2021

It can be hard to be different. Whether it is because of how you look, where you live, or what you can or can't do. But wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same? Being different is great! Being different is what makes you YOU.

This inclusive and empowering picture book from Sofia Sanchez reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, to be confident, and to be proud of who you are. Imagine all of the wonderful things you can do if you don't let anyone stop you! You are enough just as you are.
https://buff.ly/30QBESQ

11/22/2021

Want to show students what makes a good reporter? PBS Student Reporting Labs has a plan for that!

Subjects: Journalism, Language Arts, Social Studies Estimated Time: One 45-minute class period Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle and High School Overview Students will learn about components that make up a good video report and how to provide feedback effectively. Materials Copies of Worksheets....

11/18/2021

From the COVID-19 pandemic to the climate crisis, we’ve seen how misinformation can have catastrophic consequences. Misleading information can spread among family and friends, impacting not only the way people see the world and relate to each other, but the decisions they make for their health, and for their loved ones and communities.

Separating fact from fiction online has gotten more difficult, and no generation is immune! Check out how Google is helping out.

Supporting media literacy across generations with PBS, Poynter, and the News Literacy Project