Because current events are constantly changing and the news often addresses only recent developments (rather than the events leading up to them), understanding the full scope of a news story can be difficult. Creating a news journal can help your family better understand the evolution of current events and help you follow individual stories as they unfold.

Begin your journal by selecting a new, breaking story of interest each week. Choose a story with "legs"--one that will keep unfolding throughout the coming weeks. Stories about the passage of legislation in congress or conflicts in other countries are good choices, as these complex stories dominate the news for long stretches.

Once you've picked your stories, decorate your journal with headlines and pictures, and hang it on the refrigerator. During the week, as family members hear, read or see something about the focus issue, they can write a line or two summarizing what they heard (along with the date and time they heard it) in the journal. Each Sunday, the family can then recap and discuss what's happening with the story.