Advertisers know how to use persuasive techniques to create powerful visuals that inform and influence others. Class members examine these techniques and then demonstrate their knowledge as they craft posters, flyers, collages, etc. for...

Does propaganda—like that used during the first World War—exist today? The 11th lesson in a series of 12 highlights the role of media when it comes to influencing attitudes. Scholars learn about sensational headlines, misrepresentation...

As part of a study of the power of mass media, class members use a documentary about Orson Welles' radio broadcast of an adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds to launch an investigation of how media networks spread rumor and...

Win a war by owning the hearts and minds of those at home. Scholars research the use of propaganda by all nations involved in World War I. Using a short video clip, class members analyze the impact of government messages during the first...

How does propaganda change history? Scholars research the use of WWII movies to launch America into the postwar boom in the United States. They view a short video clip and discuss the impact American patriotism has on society, Supreme...

Reading snail mail is a great way to go back into history and to understand others' points of view. The resource, the second in a five-part unit, covers the Dreyfus Affair. Scholars, working in two different groups, read one letter and...

Has the media really turned to the dark side? Explore the magic of misinformation through a video from a media literacy series. Content includes wartime propaganda, political ads, and the entertainment industry.

Heard any good jingles lately? Chances are, you thought of several while you read this! Part of an extensive media literacy series, the video explores the world of advertising. Viewers see examples of different types of advertising,...

Imagine hearing someone claim an event like the Holocaust never happened. Pupils use audio podcasts and reading passages to dive into the lives of those impacted by the Holocaust of World War II. Using the information they gather, class...

Propagandists have many tools at their disposal to influence thinking and behavior. Among the most powerful are the visual tools, posters designed to grab the attention and stir the emotions of viewers. Check out this collection of...

The Nazis used the power of propaganda to encourage confirmative views and the discrimination of Jews. A social studies resource illustrates these issues through discussion, image analysis, and a writing exercise.

The German youth faced an onslaught of propaganda when they went to school, thanks to the Nazi regime led by Hitler during World War II. Pupils relate their education experiences to German youth by analyzing primary source readings,...

Warning or prediction? Nineteen Eighty Four is the anchor text for a series of tasks that ask readers to compare the novel to the film as well as current events to those pictured in George Orwell's dystopian classic.

Is propaganda from World War I any different than the propaganda of today? Class members learn about the effectiveness of advertising and its influence on American's behavior. Activities include a propaganda think sheet, assessments of...

The power of a picture. During the events surrounding World War I, propaganda posters were widely distributed in American society to sway the emotions of its citizens. By analyzing World War I propaganda posters in the first installment...

"Back Him Up!" Scholars will analyze how World War I posters displayed, on the home front, often attempted to stir up emotions. As they examine the different ways people used propaganda posters during the war, they will create their own...

Why are film montages in movies so compelling? Learn about the origins and effectiveness of the Soviet montage, as well as discontinuity editing and other filmmaking techniques—and political statements—that arose from the 1917 Bolshevik...

Campaign propaganda has evolved from 1952 through the presidential election of 2008. A social studies activity prompts class members to analyze the devices used in ads and political cartoons, noting strategies they believe would work to...

We live in a time of fake news, alternative realities, and media bias. What could be more timely than an activity that asks class members to research how different sources report the same topic in the news?

How did the government garner support for World War I? As part of a study of The War to End All Wars, class members analyze propaganda posters from the time and identify the persuasive devises use to generate sympathy and support....

The twentieth century was marked by two distinct forces: conflict and progress. Examine the ways that wars and technological competition, industrialization and decolonization, and all antecedent forces and relationships to this point led...

Bert the Turtle models for viewers the 1950s Civil Defense Duck and Cover strategy that was supposed to protect citizens from a nuclear blast. After viewing the video, watchers are asked to consider the motivations of the producers of...

It's all about the spin! In an introduction to propaganda techniques and soundbite politics, scholars first learn about common propaganda techniques before seeing them in action in the context of the 2016 election cycle. Activities...

What are the short and long-term consequences for consumers and producers of modern media propaganda? Class members ponder this essential question as their unit study of ethics of propaganda concludes. After examining two case studies,...