Media Education Lab
Defining Propaganda
21st century learners live in a media world. Help them develop the skills they need to be able to analyze the barrage of propaganda they face daily, with a resource that introduces them to the type of persuasive appeals found in...
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
The Power of Propaganda in Shaping Civic Actions and Understanding
Propaganda posters are powerful. Using images from The Art of War: American Poster Art 1941-1945 exhibit, young historians analyze the symbols, images, colors, and text used to rally support for World War II. Through seven activities,...
Curated OER
The Media and You
Seventh graders discuss the main purposes of media. Using various advertisements, they identify the method used by the advertisers in each example. They use these methods to create and sell their own product to the class. They use the...
Syracuse University
World War II
During World War II propaganda was as important to the war effort as the soldiers in the field. Scholars consider how the government communicated messages of patriotism with propaganda by examining pieces from World War II. Then, they...
Curated OER
Adbusting: A Media Literacy Unit
High schoolers examine the ethical issues regarding the role of advertising in our society. They watch a series of ads, analyze the messages of the commercials, and in small groups create a counter-ad.
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"Targets"
Students investigate how alcohol advertisers target young people. They watch and discuss a video, create a collage using alcohol ads, develop captions for each ad, and discuss and evaluate how young people are the targets of alcohol...
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Character Education Poster
Students participate in a class discussion about what makes a poster promote a message. They explore topics from character education and make a poster to define and promote a desirable character trait.
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Hillary Clinton's Voting Record Distorted
High schoolers examine how political advertisements can be used to deliver messages and stir emotions. Using a political ad from the 2006 Senate election, students generate questions based on the claims in the ads. They research...
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Communications: Advertising in Schools
Students will become aware of advertising already in the schools and will work on critical thinking and debating skills.
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Critical Consumerism
Pupils identify the role of advertisements in their environment. In this advertisement lesson, students find advertisements in their classrooms and discuss them. Pupils write a definition for advertisements and identify related...
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Convince Me!
Students analyze advertisements meant to persuade a reader to purchase a certain product or service to find out what stands out about the ad or what it is about the ad that persuade readers. They complete an analysis chart, and discuss...
Curated OER
Sold! Ageless Water
Students read "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt. They create an advertisement for the spring water described in the story.
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Who Pays for My Favorite Television Program?
Ninth graders analyze media messages. In this media messages lesson, 9th graders identify techniques in television commercials that appeal to the senses and emotions. Students analyze the elements in example ads. Students keep journals...
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Viral Marketing
What is "viral marketing" and how does it relate to mathematics? Young mathematicians use exponential functions to develop a mathematical model for a business advertising campaign. Learners then see how their campaigns increase...
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Eating Under the Rainbow
Students investigate the lure of snack-food advertisements to explain how snacks can fit into a healthy diet.
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Influence of Beauty, The Beauty of Influence
Tenth graders explore the influence of art on modern societies. Through the internet, they assess paintings of advertisements for commercial products and social-political beliefs. Using spreadsheet software, the class compares and...
Institute for Humane Education
Magazine Scheme: Are We Here?
What messages are relayed through magazines? How do magazines shape ideas about people? Scholars analyze a group of magazines focused on teen girls and women. After completing reading comprehension advertisement questioning and group...
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Magazine Ads and You, the Teenager
Middle schoolers become aware of persuasion tactics as seen in magazine advertising as they analyze ads. They invent a product and design a magazine ad using 3 advertising techniques.
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Museum Text Messaging
Students pretend they are in a museum and are to explain a painting to a friend using text messaging. They identify the correct painting based on the message. They answer questions to complete the lesson.
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Cultural Values Messages in the Giant Kites of Guatemala
Students describes ways in which the arts serve as expressions of culture. They explain how some forms of cultural communication contributes to societal cohesion and/or division. Students detect and analyze explicit and implicit messages...
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Pitching Patriotism
Students analyze the use of color, images and type used in print advertising, then "pitch" a company. They, in groups, brainstorm products and services of companies that may be affected by the war in Iraq.
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Made You Look
Students spend some time in the world of marketing and advertising by analyzing and creating slogans and campaigns geared toward adolescents. Students work with a partner to create their design and share with the class
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Comparison Shopping
Elementary schoolers explore the concepts associated with comparison shopping, and the concept of need versus want. They also look closely at the power of advertising and become more aware of the messages that ads present. After taking...
Curated OER
Media Literacy in Presentations
Middle schoolers study the three types of mass media messages: visual media, written media, and audio media. After a class discussion which has them list examples of each, learners get into pairs and work on analyzing the "Four A's" in...