We’re so excited to share with you our newest collection of assignments featuring KQED’s Above the Noise series! This collection features 22 brand new assignments and prompts for middle and high school students. These highly engaging videos and prompts centered around thought-provoking subject matter are perfect for keeping students writing as the school year wraps up, practicing writing skills over the summer, or reconnecting with writing when the new school year begins.
Each assignment features a short, compelling video from Above the Noise, a YouTube series for teens, that cuts through the hype and dives deep into the research behind the issues affecting their daily lives. The series investigates controversial subject matter to help young viewers draw informed conclusions, while inspiring media literacy and civic engagement. After watching an Above the Noise episode, students are prompted to write Informative responses or Arguments about topics that matter to them.
Assignments are completely customizable and feature student-friendly rubrics, additional resources like transcripts and glossaries of terms, and can be used with Writable’s Feedback Engine to save time on grading and improve the quality of feedback. Assignments are divided into three compelling categories that speak to issues facing students today:
Climate & Environment
The videos and writing prompts in the Climate & Environment Collection are thematically tied to issues involving climate change, the environment, and working to heal the planet. These assignments can help students engage with Science and Social Studies course content.
Civics & Ethics
The videos and writing prompts in the Civics & Ethics Collection are thematically tied to issues involving ethical questions, legal issues, community concerns, and questions facing modern society. These assignments can help students engage with Social Studies course content, especially in the areas of Civics and Government.
School & Life
The videos and writing prompts in the School & Life Collection are thematically tied to issues that students face in their everyday lives. These include ethical questions involving school and community, issues involving equality and rights, and prompts about personal choices that ask students to go on a journey of self-exploration. These assignments can help students engage with Science and Social Studies content.
After students have completed the assignment they can also join the discussion on KQED Learn! Visit KQED Learn to learn more about giving your students access to the live discussion boards.
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