In an age of fake news and photoshopped images, it is vital that 21st century learners development the skills they need to evaluate mass media and assess its validity. A great way to launch such a study is with a carefully crafted lesson...

Here is an authentic assessment task for Shakespeare's Macbeth. Young literature scholars prepare, perform, and record a news broadcast about the major events in the play. For example, groups may choose to report on the death of Lady...

Discover journalistic techniques by having learners prepare and write their own class newspaper. They discuss the five W's of investigative journalism and conduct interviews with school figures. They utilize video technology, podcast...

Learners explore the editorial concepts, site designs and business models of online news digests. They propose detailed plans for Web sites that demonstrate their own areas of expertise.

Students create a news broadcast after studying example broadcasts about disaster relief organizations. In this broadcast news lesson, students research disaster relief organizations and then write a news broadcast related to a disaster....

How does geography influence daily life? Guided by an essential question, class groups select and then research an ancient culture, and develop a news broadcast about the geographical setting and its impact on the culture. Teams...

The New York Times Learning Network provides the resources that permit pupils to examine and then write and perform a fake news broadcast in the vein of “The Daily Show” or “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update. The generated reports...

In this music media worksheet, students read the statements about television and theme music and then identify the four themes from popular t.v. programs.

Middle schoolers discuss and research how a news program is produced. They watch a web based video before working in small groups to produce a news program. They role play different jobs as they produce the program to share with at least...

Students research the Gray Whale. In this Gray Whale instructional activity, students use KWL charts to organize information. Students do Internet research to gain information about the whales. Students get into groups and create a...

In this music and media worksheet, students read a brief description of theme music and music for film and then complete a graphic organizer and respond to a short answer question.

Students read an article from USA Today about technology and the music business. For this news article lesson, students read an article about failed musicians and their new roles in music and technology. Students discuss the article and...

Students select a common object or a face, and draw or paint it on a flat surface making it larger than real life. They choose a common object or simple scene and repeat it horizontally or vertically as defined rows. They create a flat,...

Young scholars work in cooperative learning groups to create and perform a newscast about a European country. This geography-based technology instructional activity concludes with class presentations and student critiques.

Students create and videotape a newscast about the events that take place in the play, Antigone. They perform scenes describing the main events, the main characters and their conflicts.

Students investigate Judy Garland's life create a media campaign focusing on the role of drugs and alcohol in her life. Students watch a video and conduct Internet research to find out about Garland's life. Groups write a newspaper...

Students view a wide range of young reporters and their accomplishments. They view all the places they toured and then analyze one particular place in pictures. Students create a portfolio out of their pictures for view.

You can keep this printable idea sheet and use when you're in a tight spot. It contains cross-curricular ideas that span every subject while relating to the African tale, "Anasazi the Spider." Learners will act, write, move, count,...

Students role play as newscasters to highlight the lives of estuary animals. In this estuary animal lesson, students watch local new shows to examine how interviews take place. They research the lives of animals that live in estuaries...

Students define democracy and distinguish representative from direct or pure democracy. Then, with the focus on representative government, students will discuss and trace voting patterns in the United States.

Students engage in a activity which features a video trip to the Caribbean Island of Montserrat to teach about the human and physical characteristics of place and human/environmental interactions between the two. Students create their...

Students recognize patterns in a numerical sequence, create new patterns and predict outcomes to established sequences.

Students research the life and music of Hank Williams. They take a quiz on country music, watch a video about Hank Williams, research Williams' song lyrics, create a poster and write a bio poem about his life and work.

Students explore how to draw in 3-D. In this visual arts lesson, students use newsprint and a yard stick to construct three dimensional drawings of objects.