Seventh Graders Important Historical Developments to Current Events

Because of the various connections between history and current events, seventh graders in Ms. Allison Stine’s social studies class watch CNN10 (formerly CNN Student News), a 10-minute show “that identifies stories of international significance and then describes why the stories are newsworthy, who’s being affected, and how the events fit into a complex global society.” This week, students are learning about important political developments in England during the 12th and 13th centuries, including the seal of the Magna Carta.

 

“Studying history is about making connections and looking for patterns,” explains Ms. Stine, so students have spent time analyzing and discussing the direct affects of the Magna Carta not only on feudal society, but also “its role in establishing basic human rights in democratic systems. Watching CNN10 has helped my students better understand the current implications of historical events and documents.”

 

“I love watching CNN10 because it gives us real-life current events in a fun and interactive way,” adds seventh grader Gabriella L.-M. “It makes us able to stop and think for a moment about the different things happening in the world. CNN10 always supplies our class with bite-sized pieces of information that helps our understanding.”