Stossel in the Classroom is an educational initiative created by John Stossel. It provides free resources for teachers and students, including videos, guides, and quizzes, to help explain economic principles, government policies, and current events. The goal is to promote critical thinking and present balanced viewpoints on various topics. John Stossel is a well-known American journalist, author, and television presenter, recognized for his libertarian views and his work in consumer journalism.
Stossel in the Classroom covers a wide range of topics designed to encourage critical thinking and balanced discussions among students. By making it easy for teachers and homeschoolers to include a fresh perspective in their curriculums, these videos have inspired millions of students to expand their understanding of economics, civics, free markets, liberty, and life. Here are some of the main areas they focus on:
Main Topics
- Economics: Understanding market principles, supply and demand, and economic policies.
- Government: Exploring the functions of government, individual rights, and public policies.
- Current Events: Analyzing recent news and its impact on society.
- Social Issues: Discussing topics like free speech, censorship, and social justice.
- Science and Technology: Examining innovations, entrepreneurship, and their effects on society.
- Personal Finance: Teaching financial literacy, budgeting, and managing personal finances.
Thematic Modules
- Free Speech and Censorship: Balancing freedom of expression with societal norms.
- Government Regulations: The role and impact of regulations on businesses and individuals.
- Free Enterprise and Trade: Benefits and challenges of free markets and international trade.
- Climate and Energy: Debates on climate change and sustainable energy solutions.
- Pandemic: Impact and responses to global health crises.
- Education: Issues and reforms in the education system.
These resources are designed to be engaging and informative, making complex subjects accessible to students.
Resources
Video Library: Explore a collection of over 300 videos on topics like economics, government, current events and social issues. The videos can be streamed or downloaded, and browsed by category, subject, and theme.
Teaching Resources: Videos are paired with a comprehensive teacher’s guide that includes vocabulary, learning objectives, preview activities, viewing guide, discussion questions, post-viewing activities, worksheets, graphic organizers, and more.
Modules: Collections of videos on particular topics or themes, packaged together with relevant teaching materials, and additional resources to help facilitate classroom discussions.
Both Sides of the Issue: These modules pair videos with opposing viewpoints presenting different perspectives on controversial topics, along with discussion questions to encourage critical thinking and open balanced discussions. It’s a great resource for both educators and students looking to deepen their understanding of complex subjects in an engaging way.
Online Quizzes and Games: Utilize quizzes available through Google Forms and learning games via Kahoot! to reinforce the material covered in the videos.
Student Contests: Encourage your students to enter the annual essay and video contests for a chance to win prizes and showcase their knowledge.
How to Access
Stossel in the Classroom is completely free for both teachers and students. You can access a wide range of resources, including videos, teacher guides, and quizzes, without any cost. This initiative aims to make engaging educational content accessible to everyone, promoting critical thinking and balanced viewpoints on various topics.
Stossel in the Classroom offers a variety of lesson plans and teaching resources tailored to specific videos. Here’s how you can access them:
- You can find these resources on the Stossel in the Classroom website.
- Visit the Stossel in the Classroom website and register for a free account.
- Download Teaching Resources: Download teacher guides, standards tools, and additional resources to support your lesson planning.
By following these steps, you can effectively integrate Stossel in the Classroom into your teaching strategy and provide your students with a dynamic learning experience.
How to Use
Using Stossel videos in your classroom can be a great way to engage students and stimulate critical thinking. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate them effectively:
- Introduce the Topic: Start with a brief introduction to the topic covered in the video. Provide some background information and key terms to help students understand the context.
- Watch and Discuss: Play the video for the class and follow it with a discussion. Ask open-ended questions to encourage students to express their thoughts and opinions. For example:
- What did you find most surprising about the video?
- Do you agree or disagree with the points made? Why?
- How does this topic relate to what we’ve been studying?
- Debate: Divide the class into groups and have them debate the issues presented in the video. Assign roles such as “for” and “against” to help students explore different perspectives.
- Critical Analysis: Have students analyze the video critically. Ask them to identify the main arguments, evidence used, and any potential biases. This can help develop their analytical skills.
- Research Projects: Use the video as a starting point for research projects. Students can investigate the topic further and present their findings to the class.
- Writing Assignments: Assign essays or reflection papers based on the video’s content. Prompts could include:
- Summarize the main points of the video and your reaction to them.
- How does the video challenge or support your existing beliefs?
- What additional information would you like to know about this topic?
- Interactive Activities: Utilize online quizzes and games related to the video’s content to reinforce learning. Platforms like Kahoot! can make this fun and engaging.
- Connect to Curriculum: Align the videos with your curriculum standards and learning objectives. This ensures that the content is relevant and supports your educational goals.
By using these strategies, you can make the most of Stossel videos and create a dynamic and interactive learning environment for your students.
Here are some popular videos by John Stossel that you might find interesting:
- Classic Stossel: The Pursuit of Happiness – This video explores the concept of the pursuit of happiness as a fundamental right and how it plays out in different societies.
- The FULL Snowden Interview – An in-depth interview with Edward Snowden, discussing his motivations and the impact of his revelations about mass surveillance.
- Stossel Confronts a Professor – A debate between John Stossel and Professor Asao Inoue on the topic of standardized English and traditional grading in education.
- Even Greenpeace Says “Most Plastic Simply Cannot Be Recycled.” – This video challenges the common belief that recycling plastic is beneficial for the environment.
You can find these and more on Stossel’s YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@StosselTV/videos
Stossel in the Classroom is sponsored by Center for Independent Thought, an IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit educational foundation, funded entirely by private donations.
