Curated OER
The Eye of the Beholder: A Media Literacy Activity
Students explore the impact the news media have on shaping perceptions and opinions in general and in their coverage of the presidential campaign.
Curated OER
American Media: Addicted to Scandal?
Students examine media coverage of George W. Bush's refusal to answer questions regarding past illegal drug usage in the 1999 campaign. They consider the role of rumor, scandal, audience and relevance in political media coverage.
Brooklyn Museum
Lorna Simpson: Gathered
Lorna Simpson is a photographer who has put together a collection of photos from the 1950s in order to challenge the idea that primary source documents are objective in their portrayal of history. Learners are introduced to Ms. Simpson's...
Curated OER
Charles Darwin Meets John Paul II
If you teach AP English language and composition and are looking for a way to address the differences between written and spoken arguments, consider this instructional activity. Over the course of three days, class members research...
Curated OER
Stonewall and Beyond:
Pupils examine issues that surround the quest for gay/lesbian equal rights, explore bias and negative stereotyping in the media and their effect on how gays and lesbians are treated, examine their own biases, and express their opinions...
Curated OER
Exploring Racism in America
Students compare racism today to racism that existed during the nineteenth century. As a field research project, students individually keep track of examples of racism, biases, and stereotypes illustrated throughout the US media over a...
Facing History and Ourselves
The Power of Images
One picture but a thousand stories. As a part of a case study of how the death of Michael Brown was reported by professional news sources and on social media class members examine the reactions of various groups to a photograph taken by...
Curated OER
Using Primary Source Documents
Students examine copies of primary source documents and determine the document's value to a researcher. They analyze and evaluate the document for bias or contradiction. They know the difference between a primary and secondary source.
Curated OER
"The Merchants of Cool"
Why are so many advertisements geared towards the teenage population? Watch a video with your class (link included), and have them fill out the attached listening guide. Then discuss persuasion, presenting biased information, and where...
Curated OER
Listening and Speaking Skills, Strategies, and Applications
Twelfth graders summarize a speaker's purpose and point of view. In this speaker's purpose lesson plan, 12th graders watch a video clip from one of the major morning news programs to observe the speaker's point of views. Students...
Curated OER
Mr. Lincoln's Way
Young scholars read the book, Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco, They discuss racism and discrimination. They draw a bird and write a paragraph discussing what makes their bird special and unique.
Curated OER
Courage of the Heart
Middle schoolers research discrimination and how people fought against for the common good. In this discrimination lesson plan, students watch a movie about Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas. Middle schoolers generate a list of words...
Curated OER
Universal Suffrage
Students explore concept of suffrage. In this voting rights lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that excludes girls from voting. Students discuss gender issues and write essays regarding the restriction of voting rights.
Curated OER
Bias in Statistics
Students work to develop surveys and collect data. They display the data using circle graphs, histograms, box and whisker plots, and scatter plots. Students use multimedia tools to develop a visual presentation to display their data.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Choosing Reliable Sources
It is more important than ever that 21st-century learners develop the skills they need to become savvy consumers of media. Young learners locate and identify reliable sources of information with a helpful media instructional activity.
Crabtree Publishing
Why Does Media Literacy Matter?
Criticism of news and entertainment journalism is at an all-time high. Help 21st-century learners develop the media literacy skills they need to become critical consumers with a three-lesson guide the looks at persuasive techniques used...
Museum of Tolerance
Influence of Media
We are bombarded with media images expressly designed to influence viewers. Learning how to analyze the intended effects of these images is essential and the focus of an activity that asks viewers to use the provided questions to guide...
Michigan State University
Researching and Compiling Survey Information
Bring Internet research and social issues to your language arts class in this activity. After investigating the topic "Media Violence and How It Affects Teenagers" on the Internet, middle schoolers work in groups to compile their...
Museum of Tolerance
Why is This True?
Are wages based on race? On gender? Class members research wages for workers according to race and gender, create graphs and charts of their data, and compute differences by percentages. They then share their findings with adults and...
PBS
“He Named Me Malala”: Understanding Student Activism Through Film
Malala Yousafzai has become the face of social activism. After watching He Named Me Malala and short student-made films about what young people can do to become instruments of change, class members reflect on what it means to be an...
Madison Public Schools
Journalism
Whether you are teaching a newspaper unit in language arts, covering the First Amendment and censorship in social studies, or focusing on writing ethics in journalism, a unit based on the foundations of journalism would be an excellent...
National Wildlife Federation
Conceptualizing Module II - Putting It All Together
"Creativity is just connecting things." - Steve Jobs. After weeks of researching climate change, the ninth lesson in a series of 21 combines the data and analysis to address essential questions. It covers natural phenomenon, human...
Curated OER
Holes
Students distinguish between primary and secondary sources when researching on the Internet and evaluating historical records. They recognize important features of a primary source such as the type of document, who created it, what is...
Curated OER
Data Analysis Worksheet
In this probability worksheet, 11th graders solve problems using simple random sample, cluster sample, bias, population and systematic sample. They match the questions to its definition.