This Just in! (UK)

How should we react to breaking news?

With mobile phone alerts, social media updates and 24/7 news cycles, it's hard to escape the daily flood of breaking news. But do young people really understand what they're seeing when stories first break? Help learners analyse breaking news with a critical eye for false or incomplete information and discuss the downsides of our "always-on" news media culture.

See the US version of this resource

Learning Objectives:

Define breaking news and understand why individuals and news outlets want to be first to report a story.
Analyse breaking news alerts to identify clues of false or incomplete information.
Reflect on the consequences of reacting right away to breaking news alerts.

Key Vocabulary: 24/7 news cycle · bias · breaking news Show definitions

24/7 news cycle:

24-hour, seven-day-a-week investigating and reporting of news via television, radio, print, online, and mobile app devices

bias:

showing a strong opinion or preference for or against something or someone

breaking news:

information being reported about an event that has just happened or is currently occurring

Warm-Up: Who's First?

10 mins.

Analyse: Breaking Down Breaking News

20 mins.

Apply: Cancelled Concert

10 mins.

Wrap-Up: Trusted Source

5 mins.

Additional Resources

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Classroom resources

Lesson Slides
Breaking News! Handout Teacher Version
Cancelled Concert? Handout Teacher Version
Lesson Quiz

Take-home resources

Family Activity
Family Tips