3 Quick News Fixes for Busy Homeschool Days

Written By Katie Raebel

As home-based educators, we understand the importance of raising informed, thoughtful, and media-savvy students. Incorporating current events into your daily routine is a powerful way to practice critical thinking skills, spark meaningful discussions, and help us  understand our world. But with limited time and endless options, where do you start?

Here are three excellent 10-minute news programs designed for students — short enough to fit into any schedule, engaging enough to keep kids interested, and informative enough to spark real learning!

1. CNN 10

Age Range: Middle to High School
Where to Watch: CNN10.com or YouTube
Cost: Free

CNN? I know, I know. I may have lost you already, but hear me out. CNN 10 is a student-focused daily news program that delivers current events in just about 10 minutes. Not surprisingly, this is the program of choice for many public school teachers worldwide. Originally launched in 1989 as CNN Student News, it was later rebranded as CNN 10 and hosted for years by Carl Azuz. The new host, Coy Wire, brings fresh energy to the program while maintaining CNN’s commitment to “represent all sides of a story equally: no opinion; no slant; just the facts” (you decide). Each episode covers global and national news with clear visuals and digestible language — perfect for sparking discussion or opening your homeschool day.  

2. The World from A to Z

Age Range: Middle to High School
Where to Watch: https://worldatoz.org or YouTube
Cost: Free

Speaking of Carl Azuz... after leaving CNN 10 in 2022, Carl launched his own current events platform: The World from A to Z. True to Carl's quirky style, this daily show blends sharp reporting with witty wordplay, keeping students informed and entertained. It’s independently produced and crafted specifically for classroom use (especially public schools). According to an August 2025 letter to World News Group subscribers, more than 25,000 teachers are leveraging the program across the country, and the YouTube channel has grown to more than 64,000 subscribers. Fun fact, Carl Azuz and his wife homeschooled their children with Sonlight, a literature-based, Christian curriculum.

3. World Watch

Age Range: Upper Elementary to High School
Where to Watch: WorldWatch.News
Cost: $6.99 per month (30-day Free Trial)

Produced by the team behind WORLD Magazine, World Watch applies a biblical worldview to current events. Launched in 2020, this daily 10-minute news show offers high production value and age-appropriate content without shying away from complex topics. This program is a solid choice for Christian homeschool families seeking news coverage that aligns with their values while still encouraging critical thinking skills. What makes this worth the investment is the frequent alignment to scripture. It demonstrates that many of today’s issues are not worlds apart from problems faced thousands of years ago. Be sure to check out the World Watch resources for free printables and media literacy extensions. World Watch was our go-to morning program while we ate breakfast. This often led to great Social Studies discussions before we kicked off our homeschool day!

Honorable Mentions: For Your High Schoolers

For high school students ready to dive deeper into media bias and information literacy, consider checking out:

  • Ground News – Great for quickly comparing how stories are reported across the political spectrum.

  • Straight Arrow News – Offers a “down the middle” view of current events “without bias”

  • World Teen - A publication from World News Group that delivers faith-based news and stories for Christian teenagers.

All three are useful tools to help teens sharpen their media literacy and evaluate multiple sources.

Final Thoughts + Media Literacy Extensions

Adding a 10-minute news segment to your daily schedule is a simple but impactful way to build awareness and analytical skills. With three programs to choose from, consider mixing and matching on any given week. Ask your kids:

  • “What’s the main story about today?”

  • “Can you find that location on our map?”

  • “Can we verify this from other sources?”

  • “Is there a story behind the story?”

You can also encourage older students to track a developing story over time or compare how different programs report on the same issue. This builds not just knowledge — but wisdom.

Happy homeschooling, Southeast Wisconsin families — and may your mornings be filled with good coffee and great conversations!

Katie Raebel
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