Current Events

World politics and environmental issues take centre stage every morning in Ian Naisbitt's Grade 5 and 6 classroom at Concord Public School in Windsor, Ontario. "A team of students gives an oral presentation on a current event or issue," Naisbitt explains. "There are five teams, one for each day of the week. Each student in a group presents their current event or issue in front of the class."

As a minimum, each presentation must cover the five Ws, Naisbitt says. "Towards the end of the year, some of the presentations get quite sophisticated. A few students add audio-visual supporting material to their oral presentations." The rest of the class can ask three questions when the student is finished.

For the first two terms, the students state only the facts of the issue, but in the third term, with good research and analysis skills established, they may begin to include their opinions in their presentations, too. Often, lively classroom discussions ensue, Naisbitt reports.