When students study current events, the norm is to have students summarize the events of a particular newsworthy event. This is a good exercise, but it is also beneficial to have students reflect upon how the events make them and others feel and how it impacts them.In order to help students reflect beyond happy, sad, angry, I think it is helpful to give them lists of words to express a more accurate feeling or emotion. Here are a few:
And of course, both of these resources are helping for writing, in general, not just for current events.
