I used The Egyptian News
, The Greek News
, and The Roman News
for two years. The Explorers News
was added to my classroom library when the curriculum changed and I needed new supplemental material. These books offer a variety of learning opportunities in a fun format. The books are set up in a magazine style. The articles reflect the various types of writing one would see in a newspaper/magazine. The articles attempt to create the feeling for what might have appeared if the articles were written at the time the events occurred, but in modern language students will connect to and comprehend. The books even include letters to the editor about topics that might have been debated at the time.
These books provide a wonderful opportunity to discuss the difference between factual reporting and opinions. Students can be asked to identify and support their reasons for labeling pieces as factual or as opinion articles and learn to apply this skill to current news material, too.
