ERIE, Pa., Feb. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There has never been a more important time to talk about freedom of the press. From 24/7 news channels, the internet, and cries of “fake news,” the media has never had a larger presence or been under closer scrutiny than today. In izzit.org’s newest teaching unit, Read All About It!, students learn the origin of a free press, and they explore why it was so important that it became part of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“There are hundreds of 24-hour news networks around the globe today,” said Susan Gable, director of education at izzit.org. “We are inundated with information on an hourly basis, and Read All About It! encourages discussion about deciphering fact from opinion, spin, and blatantly false information that is presented, particularly on social media. We want students to be critical consumers of information and to understand the importance of a free press.”
Read All About It! released this month and features an interview with the current editor of Sweden’s Aftonbladet, the first newspaper in the world to fight for freedom of the press. The 11:25-minute program is designed for grades 6-12+ and covers English/Language Arts, World History/Geography, U.S. History/Government & Civics, and Science & Technology. The topics covered include censorship, Constitution, freedom of the press, information age, information literacy, Johannes Gutenberg, printing press, rule of law, and Sweden.
The new teaching unit is available free to educators and others who work with students, via streaming or downloading directly from izzit.org. U.S. educators can opt to receive a free DVD version as well. The video is easy to work into a lesson and the teaching unit includes discussion questions, worksheets, online scored quizzes and more. The DVD is closed captioned in English and Italian.
About izzit.org:
izzit.org specializes in creating free, standards-aligned content for teachers that fosters critical thinking and respectful debate among students. With over 11.3 million views of their videos last year, izzit.org offers a library of more than 60 video-centric teaching units, all with teacher’s guides that include lesson plans, worksheets, discussion questions and quizzes. izzit.org also offers a Current Events service, complete with two daily articles, discussion questions, and vocabulary, all at no cost to educators. Each school year, U.S. educators can receive one free DVD from izzit.org’s library as well as unlimited downloads and streaming.
More than 300,000 U.S. teachers have izzit.org accounts today, and according to over 30,000 recent quizzes taken by middle and high school students, izzit.org videos and the ideas presented within those videos have an unparalleled 76 percent comprehension rate. For more information, visit the website, www.izzit.org.
For Further Information:
HAWKINS PUBLIC RELATIONS
Marjory Hawkins | 512.838-6324
mhawkins@hawkinspr.com