Newsreel Classroom
For journalists. For students. For educators. For democracy.
Today’s stories are always free.
2025 Media Literacy Resource of the Year
Included in Generation Citizen’s Digital Media Literacy Toolkit
Works with Google ClassroomToday’s storiesGrades 5–12
ScienceJapan Launches Mission to Bring Home Pieces of Mars’ Moon
BusinessAre Tesla and SpaceX Headed for a Merger?
International tradeChina’s Export Surge Fuels Growth and Trade Tensions
WorldEurope Moves to Strengthen Its Arctic Presence as Warming Fuels Global Power Struggle
Students consume hours of content from news outlets, salespeople, influencers, governments, and independent journalists…
…Shouldn’t they know how to spot the differences?
How Newsreel Classroom works
Teach students how modern news works
Each day, our news team publishes 5–7 stories. Always fact-checked, never AI-generated, nonpartisan and balanced.
The hook
The hook 🪝
A Japanese spacecraft blasted off from Tanegashima Island before dawn Tuesday, beginning an ambitious five-year journey to Phobos, one of Mars’ two moons.
The mission aims to land on its rocky surface, collect samples, and return them to Earth in 2031.
Nadya Yeh · Newsreel
Why you should care
Why you should care 🌐
No mission has successfully returned samples collected directly from Mars or its moons. The material could help scientists determine how Mars’ moons formed and provide new insights into the planet’s early history.
Nadya Yeh · Newsreel
Context
Zoom in 🔍
Phobos is only about 17 miles across, and its gravity is less than one-thousandth of Earth’s, making landing unusually difficult. The main spacecraft will attempt to remain on the surface for about two hours while collecting at least 10 grams of rock and soil.
Nadya Yeh · Newsreel
Opposing view(s)
The mystery of Mars’ moons 🌜🌛
Scientists have two leading theories: Mars either captured passing asteroids with its gravity, or a massive collision scattered debris that eventually formed its moons. Phobos resembles an asteroid, but its nearly circular orbit suggests it may have formed from a collision.
Nadya Yeh · Newsreel
What to watch for
What to watch for 👀
Scientists believe Phobos may contain fragments of Mars that were thrown into space by ancient asteroid impacts, which if present, could help researchers study material from Mars itself without landing on the planet.
Nadya Yeh · NewsreelAssessment options for every story
For activities, entire lessons, and longer units.
Author’s quiz · Nadya Yeh
What does Phobos resemble, according to scientists?
- AAsteroid
- BMars
- CDwarf planet
- DEarth
Your quiz
How long will the main spacecraft try to stay on Phobos?
- AAbout two hoursCorrect answer
- BAbout 100 days
- CFive years
- DUntil 2031
Author’s poll
Understanding Mars’ past should be a major priority for space exploration.
Read the story
Japan Launches Mission to Bring Home Pieces of Mars’ Moon
Author’s quiz
What does Phobos resemble, according to scientists?
✓ Asteroid
Author’s poll
Understanding Mars’ past should be a major priority for space exploration.
AgreeDisagreeDiscussion
What perspective does this story take, and whose viewpoint might be missing?
- MonJapan Launches Mission to Bring Home Pieces of Mars’ MoonRead · Quiz · Poll
- TueAre Tesla and SpaceX Headed for a Merger?Read · Quiz
- WedChina’s Export Surge Fuels Growth and Trade TensionsRead · Poll
- ThuEurope Moves to Strengthen Its Arctic PresenceRead · Quiz · Poll
- FriWhat perspective does this story take, and whose viewpoint might be missing?Discussion · 2 stories
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