Editor’s note: Alex McMurray has been using Scholastic News in the classroom for more than 17 years! He’s been teaching for 20 years in Castro Valley, California. He has taught first, fifth, and sixth grade.

Scholastic News articles are always about current, high-interest topics that generate meaningful discussions. My favorite way to use Scholastic News in the classroom is with HyperDocs. These are documents that give students access to links, activities, and tasks all in one place. They are effective tools for maximizing instruction and collaboration, especially during distance learning. The beauty of the HyperDoc is that it allows students to share what they’re learning in real time. 

When creating a HyperDoc, I include links to Scholastic News articles at the top of the page. I also include links to Scholastic News videos, Skill Builders, and the close-reading questions. Additionally, I include a number of Google Apps for Education, including Flipgrid, Padlet, Canva, and Answer Garden. Using HyperDocs with Scholastic News helps me use technology in a meaningful way to create fun and engaging activities for my students to tackle throughout the week! Check out some examples here.