Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories
Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.
Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.
Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.
Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.
Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [firstname.lastname@example.org] for possible publication.
Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.
1. What things are essential for a good school? List and Explain.
2. What would it be like to go to a school in a country with little money to spend on essentials?
Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)
1. What rules did the Taliban impose during their rule?
2. What was the impact of these rules?
3. What are some of the problems with the Afghan education system?
4. What is the Afghanistan Ministry of Education and other groups trying to do to improve education in the country?
5. Why might Afghans not want to be teachers?
Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):
1. For many years in Afghanistan, education was denied to women and girls. Is this a unique situation or are there other parts of the world where women and girls are restricted? Research this topic. Why might this happen? What are the arguments for and against such practices?
2. How would you begin to rebuild the education system in Afghanistan if you were in charge? What things are most important? What would you do first? Create a plan and share it with your classmates.
3. How might your school day be different if you were in an Afghan school? Describe what this day might be like. How would your learning be similar or different?
4. Research ways your school could help students in Afghanistan. Could you hold a fundraiser? What else could you do?