TweenTribune is an online newspaper that is written exclusively for “tweens”, 8-14 years old. The goal is to get kids hooked on reading and seeking out news on a daily basis. To promote this behavior, TweenTribune updates daily with stories that are kid-friendly from reliable sources (such as AP and CNN). Two other appealing features are the ability to comment on articles and post your own stories.

A teacher will need to register his/her class. It then is very easy for a student to sign up. (The site encourages students to sign up versus a teacher signing up for them. A plus is that no email is required for students. However, I believe sign up procedures should be left up to the discretion of the teacher based on the age level of the students.)

Still, no worries- the teacher is in control and can moderate comments. When a teacher logs-in, s/he can sort through the activity of his/her students using links on the sidebar. Another good assessment feature is being able to print individual reports of student’s comments.

This site presents itself as a great place for elementary students to read current events that are appealing to them. Having the option to comment in a safe, moderated environment gives them authentic practice of contributing to the conversations of a community. Many classrooms still subscribe to a paper magazine (such as TFK for Kids), but with an online news service the discussion goes beyond the classroom walls, and it is FREE.

If a teacher is looking to add more non-fiction reading with short written response & reflection to his/her classroom, TweenTribune may be a good choice.