News Lesson Plans

(Government) Supreme Court Curtails 1965 Voting Rights Act (Business) AI Artificial Intelligence Innovation vs Safety (Science) Blue Origin Rocket Explosion (World) Ebola Outbreak in Congo Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make

Bring current events into your classroom with ready-to-use news lessons designed for today’s students. In this news lesson, students explore the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and examine how funding cuts have affected international efforts to contain the outbreak. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and

A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a ground test in Florida on May 28, 2026. The rocket was undergoing a “hot-fire” test, which help scientists and engineers check that all systems are working correctly before a launch. Fortunately, no one was injured. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middl

Concerns about AI safety have grown because OpenAI and Sam Altman are facing several lawsuits connected to claims of negligence and harmful effects linked to AI products, such as ChatGPT. Critics worry that companies racing to develop advanced AI may move too quickly without fully understanding the risks. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, voca

U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map, which was created in 2024 to increase Black voters’ political influence. The decision narrowed how the 1965 Voting Rights Act can be used, making it harder to challenge voting maps that may weaken minority voting power. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence

(Business) Record Low Consumer Sentiment. (Science) NASA Unveils $20 Million Moon Base (Culture) UCLA Lady Bruins Win NCAA Championship. (Society) Automatic Military Draft. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make ELA instructio

American consumers are more pessimistic about the economy than at any time in recorded history. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index fell by 10.7% and marked the lowest reading in the survey’s 74-year history. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These curr

Beginning December 2025, the Selective Service System (SSS), plans to automatically register eligible men for the military draft instead of requiring them to sign up on their own. The goal is to make the process of conscription faster and more efficient by using existing government data.

No. 1 UCLA captured the women’s college basketball national championship last night in a stunning and decisive fashion, defeating No. 1 South Carolina 79–51. Entering the title game, many analysts considered UCLA the underdog, but the Lady Bruins quickly proved otherwise, controlling the pace from the opening tip and never trailing. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build su

(Politics) Donald Trump’s Signature on New Currency. (Business) Donald Trump Gold Coin (Culture) Gen Z Displaying Religion via Social Media. (Science) NASA Unveils $20 Million Moon Base and Other Space Plans. (World) Iran War Outlook Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. Th

A new wave of young Catholic content creators is gaining popularity on social media, using humor, storytelling, and personal experiences to make faith more relatable and appealing—especially to Gen Z. These influencers are helping bring Catholicism into the modern era while also encouraging a return to traditional values, offering a sense of stability in an uncertain world. Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7,

A major conflict between the United States and Iran may be entering a critical stage, according to a recent national address by President Donald Trump. In his speech, the president stated that the war, which began about a month ago, could be nearing completion within the next two to three weeks. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passag

NASA has announced a bold new plan that could change the future of space exploration. The agency says it wants to speed up its return to the Moon, build a permanent base there, and even launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars—all within the next few years. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make ELA instruction relevant and

To celebrate its 250th anniversary, the federal government has been planning special projects, including the creation of commemorative coins. One recent development involves a proposed 24-carat gold commemorative coin featuring President Donald Trump Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. XXX Perfect for middle school and high school ELA, these short reading comprehension passages are ideal for

The U.S. Treasury Department recently announced a plan to put President Donald Trump’s signature on all new U.S. paper money. This would be a major change from tradition. For many years, U.S. bills have included the signatures of the Treasury Secretary and the Treasurer—not the president. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make

Scientists grew the working esophagus using donor tissue and stem cells, then transplanted it into pigs. The new esophagus worked like a real one and grew with the pigs, offering hope for human babies born with defects who currently face complex surgeries. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make ELA instruction relevant and mea

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, and about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through it each day, making it vital to global economies. Tensions between the United States and Iran have made the strait a frequent flashpoint, with threats to close it raising concerns about global trade and security. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence

Martial arts legend and action star Chuck Norris died at age 86, his family announced yesterday. He was primarily known for his 1980s action film Walker, Texas Ranger.Long reading passage and comprehension questions of recent news stories for middle and high school students in grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.  Perfect for middle school and high school ELA, these short reading comprehension passages are ideal for: · Independent reading · Enrichment or gifted learners · Literacy centers · Early fin

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential candidate died at the age of 84. Jesse Jackson is one of the most influential civil rights leaders in modern American history. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make ELA instruction relevant and meaningful for teens while supporting close read

(Politics) Strong Divisions in Washington. (Business) Big Tech to Invest $650B in AI. (Culture) Strong Divisions in Washington. (Science) Monumental Fossil Discovery. (World) 2026 Winter Olympics. Long reading passages with comprehension questions that build summarizing, inferencing, vocabulary, and text evidence skills for middle and high school students. These current events–based reading passages make ELA instruction relevant and meaningful for teens while supporting close reading and critic