Media Smarts
Don't Drink and Drive: Assessing the Effectiveness of Anti-Drinking Campaigns
Have your class explore alcohol awareness public service announcements. Provided are a detailed plan and a complete set of materials for doing just this. Learners are exposed to a series of approaches and advertisements and decide which...
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Cause Célèbre
In this exercise, learners identify characters from an "Archie" comic and discuss the relevance of "Archie" to today's youth. They create public service advertisements featuring celebrities to address common concerns among teenagers in...
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American Idealist Lesson 2: Sargent Shriver and Public Service
Students explore the public service contributions of Sargent Shriver. In this public service instructional activity, students explore the work of the Peace Corps and investigate other service learning opportunities.
Teaching Tolerance
Listen Up! PSA for Change
Challenge scholars to speak up about a topic by creating a public service announcement or social media blitz about an issue they feel passionate about. Have them research their issues, then decide the best way to take their messages to...
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Protect the Skin You're in
Students explore the importance of sun safety in relationship to skin cancer prevention. They test the effectiveness of various sunscreens and administer and analyze a simple survey to their peers. In addition, they implement a public...
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Prescriptions for Disaster?
Young scholars share opinions about prescription drugs and prepare public service campaigns to inform peers and adults about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. Their ads also offer prevention techniques and possible methods of...
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Running for Public Office
Students engage in the election process. In this public office lesson, students review the election and campaign process then design a campaign for their own selected office election using provided guidelines and links.
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Understanding Service Learning
Learners define service learning and reflect on the purpose of the Global Youth Service Day. In this service learning lesson, students discuss and define service learning projects and the role youth has in their community. Learners write...
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Truth in Advertising: When to Ask Questions
Pupils view different commercials and ad campaigns that present opposing notions of "truth." Students use these commercials to evaluate what makes an effective public service announcement (PSA) or advertisement, then choose a national or...
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Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform
Students develop arguments for and against campaign finance reform, examine federal and state laws that attempt to limit contributions to political candidates, evaluate various plans for campaign finance reform and formulate their own...
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Staying Safe on the Job
Students share their opinions about the rights and responsibilities of employees, businesses and the government in maintaining a safe work environment. They prepare arguments supporting their assigned positions concerning workplace...
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What if Your Parent Ran for President?
Throughout history, many people have run for president. But, what is that like for the children of those individuals? Kids read a bit about Mitt Romney and his five children, then respond to a writing prompt in a blog post. They describe...
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Gazing Into the Faces of AIDS
Students consider whether or not there are generalizations that can be made about people who are infected with H.I.V. or who have the AIDS virus. They create public service ad campaigns to educate the public and consider other ways to...
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The Clone Age
Young scholars relate the ethical and practical arguments in favor of cloning and against cloning. They research the issue and plan a public service advertisement campaign for or against cloning.
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A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Seventh graders create a multimedia, image only ad campaign on a contemporary controversial issue. They base their public service announcement, Powerpoint presentation, Web page, or video on methods used by Martin Luther during the...
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Here's to Your Health!
Studets research a health issue. They write an essay about the health issue. The create a public service announcement.
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Summer Bummers
Brainstorm popular summer activities and their risks after having your class read an article. They will discover the risks of sun overexposure and in groups develop public service announcements for young people. They also propose a media...
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The Media is the Lesson
Learners work as a member of a creative team and develop a media campaign for a client.
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Action, Please!
Students create an advertising campaign. In this environmental education lesson, students research aluminum and aluminum can recycling. Students wrap the lesson up by writing newspaper articles, creating public service announcements, and...
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Body Image
Fifth graders look at advertisements paying close attention to the people in them, then create an advertisement based on a healthy body image. In this health lesson plan, 5th graders analyze magazine or television advertisements for the...
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Discovering National Parks
Students work to preserve American National Parks. For this environmental activism lesson, students research the history of the national parks and determine why they were created. Students then focus on protecting the land, using it for...
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Hometown Heroes
Transform studying about veterans in a textbook to personal interviews with veterans in the community. Four varying lesson plans make up an entire unit or individualized learning based on your class's needs. Exercises include researching...
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Campaign Hot Buttons
Learners participate in a simulation that asks them to work as staffers for a candidate running for office. They are assigned to design, administer, and analyze a simple poll on an important community issue. Students develop a position...
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Teens Buckle Each Other Up
Students explore teen driving habits. In this health journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "Teens Buckle Each Other Up", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete an activity based on the...