Museum of the Moving Image
Developing Critical Analysis
To gain an understanding of how images and sounds are used to influence viewers, class members analyze these features in Presidential campaign commercials from 1952-2012.
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 news,...
Scholastic
Choose Your Words Wisely (Grades 9-12)
Words, words, words. The function of words in persuasive writing is the focus of a group activity that asks members to analyze how words advertisers use are designed to influence targeted audiences.
Visa
The Influence of Advertising
Pupils become informed consumers and citizens with this lesson plan on the influence of advertising, identifying basic advertising techniques and discriminating between fact and claim in modern advertisements and commercials.
PBS
Broadcast News
Just because a story is on the news doesn't mean it's being presented fairly. Analyze news broadcasts with a instructional activity focused on evaluating television journalism. At home, kids watch a news show and note the stories...
Media Education Lab
Propaganda Techniques
In an age of fake news, alternative facts, and biased reporting, it is more important than ever that 21st century learners develop the critical-thinking skills necessary to recognize, analyze and resist the propaganda techniques used in...
Classroom Law Project
Should we believe everything we read? Becoming a discerning consumer of media
Class members investigate the role media should play in a healthy democracy. As part of this study, groups analyze political advertising, use FactCheck to assess not only the veracity of but the persuasions techniques used in candidates'...
Media Smarts
Who's on First? Alcohol Advertising and Sports
Middle schoolers examine how alcohol companies use sponsorship of sports to promote their products. They complete a survey, analyze the results, and research the sports sponsorship portfolios of five beer companies.
Media Smarts
Selling Tobacco
Take a look at tobacco advertising techniques through the decades. Learners analyze the differences in strategies, and write an essay on the advertising history of one brand of tobacco, how tobacco advertising has changed over time, or...
Media Smarts
Kellogg Special K Ads
Foster class discussion about body image with the resources and questions provided here. Focus on Special K's "look good on your own terms" ad campaign. Learners start by reading about this campaign and analyze a series of print ads,...
Minneapolis Public Schools
Cereal Box Book Project
If you need a new way to approach reading assignments in your class, use a creative cereal box project as a book report. With all necessary templates included for each side of the cereal box, the resource guides readers through the...
Institute for Humane Education
Selling "Boy" and "Girl"
Monster trucks, action figures, and video games. Are these toys designed for boys or girls? Scholars work in small groups to find and categorize examples of boy and girl toys from catalogs. Next, learners analyze the two sets of pictures...
Curated OER
Listerine: Miracle Liquid or Product in Search of a Purpose?
High schoolers analyze and research the claims of Listerine advertisements and commercials. They observe commercials and ads, then participate in numerous activities to determine the credibility of the claims made by Listerine. ...
Curated OER
Bias, Prejudice and Propaganda
Twelfth graders examine bias, prejudeice, and propaganda in reading selections. They view commercials and print ads, discuss how the advertisers are trying to convince them of something, and keep a commercial journal.
Curated OER
Ad Attack!
Young scholars analyze the hidden messages of advertisements targeted to their age group.
Curated OER
Analyzing Advertising
Young scholars critically examine advertising. They investigate how to become wiser consumers. They explore the topic of advertising more deeply by using the reports called "Web of Deception" and "Selling America's Kids: Commercial...
Curated OER
My Commercial
Students analyze television commercials. They listen to audio tapes and view video tapes to answer questions about the content. They answer questions related to the products, images, characteristics, and presentation. They rewrite the...
Curated OER
Adbusting: A Media Literacy Unit
Students 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.
Curated OER
Just Say It
Students explore the initial Supreme Court decision to regulate commercial speech, and then analyze the legal precedents and principles underlying a recent case contesting this regulation.
Curated OER
Commercial Surrogacy: Questions & Considerations of Parties with Vested Interests
Teenagers explore the topic of surrogate motherhood. They examine the technology involved, types of surrogacy, interested groups, and current laws. Each collaborative group is assigned an interest group. They work together to develop...
Curated OER
Modeling Conditional Probabilities 1: Lucky Dip
Check out this detailed lesson plan on conditional probability! Learners work individually and also collaboratively to analyze the fairness of a game and justify their reasoning. it includes detailed notes and many helpful suggestions...
Curated OER
Marketing to Teens: Marketing Tactics
Enlighten young consumers to advertising techniques aimed specifically at their generation. Have learners answer questions about how advertisements are geared for a younger audience, then have them practice selling to other teenagers....
Curated OER
Teen Driving: Skills, Responsibilities and Reactions
As an introduction to the skills required for and responsibilities of driving, pre-teens and teens engage in a series of activities, chart their response times, and analyze how variables effect these reaction times. Class groups use the...
Teach Hub
Super Bowl Classroom Activities
Need some help getting young football fans to focus on something besides the Super Bowl? Use a list of football-themed activities for art, math, science, nutrition, language arts, and social studies to get their heads in the game!