Developing critical thinking skills is an increasingly important part of the curriculum in elementary and secondary schools. Using newspapers in the classroom can provide an opportunity for students to practice these new skills as they examine daily coverage of national and local issues. As part of its Newspapers in Education program, Newspapers Canada has released a curriculum guide for teachers intended to offer suggestions for activities using newspaper content in the classroom.
The comprehensive document titled Just Think: Teaching Critical Thinking with Newspapers includes lesson plans, marking rubrics and other educational resources. Originally developed by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, the guide has been adapted by Newspapers Canada for use in Canada.