Telling Stories with Data: Chartr Newsletter
When a newsletter hits my inbox, I will often follow a pattern: quick skim, check for any standout information or events, then file away or delete. This is never the case with Chartr, the newsletter I'll be sharing about today. The Chartr newsletter uses charts and data to tell interesting stories, and can be used in many ways to incorporate new engaging activities into your classroom routines.
The Chartr newsletter is a twice weekly digital newsletter that is always full of interesting and up-to-date links and data on a variety of topics from business and technology to entertainment & politics. Each newsletter includes multiple charts that provide visuals for the topics being discussed in the included articles, as well as a short section of links called "Data Snacks" that explore a variety of current events and topics. Below are a few ideas for how you can use this resource in social studies classrooms.
The Chartr newsletter is a twice weekly digital newsletter that is always full of interesting and up-to-date links and data on a variety of topics from business and technology to entertainment & politics.
Current Events
Chartr data relates to a variety of topics that students will be interested in exploring further.
Do you have your students monitor current events? The Chartr newsletter provides multiple topics per week that students could explore further with their peers or through independent research using strategies like journal activities and classroom discussions. Students will enjoy because the information provided is in many cases about things that they are already interested in, like video gaming, pop culture, and social media.
Playing with Data
Chartr includes great charts with every newsletter that are not only visually interesting but also sourced with the links and articles for further exploration. Have your students analyze how these charts are developed. What information is included? How did the chart creator make the display visually interesting? How does the creator cite their information? These charts are great learning tools for students and can even be used as a starting point for students to make their own charts using information they collect from independent or team research.
Year in Review
On the website, Chartr has a 2020: A Year In Charts collection where they highlight content that shares the story from that year. What stories do your students think are the most important to recall from 2020? What events, people, products, or services influenced their lives that year? Have students look over the content collection and choose one or two charts that they feel represent the year from their perspective. Then have students create presentations for those topics to present to their peers.
Wrapping Up
The Chartr newsletter is an excellent source of information that you can use to create a more enriching student experience in your classrooms. Delivered right to your inbox twice a week, this resource is great for teachers who are wanting to incorporate more current topics into their teaching curriculum, or for students who are learning how to analyze and tell stories using data.
