Visual Literacy Teacher Resources

It is increasingly important that 21st century learners develop the media literacy skills they need to think critically about images, to be able to recognize the purpose, the message, and the techniques used to influence a target audience. Lesson Planet offers a full range of visual literacy resources for all subject areas, lessons, videos, and activities that define visual literacy, teach students how to recognize and analyze the techniques used.

A great way to start is with a lesson like this to get young people thinking about their visual literacy skills. Try this presentation to help young artists develop their analysis skills as they critique the work of famous artists (as well as their own work). Beyond the walls of the art world, the internet has had a profound effect on the way we perceive and interact with the world and has forced the expansion of visual literacy skills, as explored in this lesson plan. Images captured on cell phones have the power to influence how events are reported.

The resources in our collection encourage students to broaden their perspective, to see beyond one tweet, one video, one post and to become savvy consumers of media.

Showing 3,275 resources
+
4 Items in Topic
Lesson Planet Curated

Introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Introduce high schoolers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a four-lesson collection. Class members watch videos, examine illustrations from the book We Are All Born Free, create a visual display promoting human rights,...
+
4 Items in Topic
Lesson Planet Curated

Admongo Lesson Plans

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Ads no longer target just teens and adults. Kids from eight to 12 have become the focus of a whole new generation of advertisers. A collection of four resources help tweens develop the critical thinking skills they need to understand...
+
7 Items in Unit
Lesson Planet Curated

The Reconstruction Era and The Fragility of Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Seven lessons examine the Reconstruction Era that followed the United States Civil War. The series of detailed lessons provide background information on the era, teaching strategies, videos, and primary source materials.
+
Professional Doc
1
1
Curated OER

Visual Literacy: Using Images to Increase Comprehension

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
A colorful PowerPoint is a great way to introduce the topic of visual literacy. The eye-catching presentation begins with an overview of visual literacy and then provides some specific strategies to help enhance reading comprehension. As...
+
Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

OPTIC - A Reading Strategy Recipe: Visual Literacy

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
A visual literary lesson provides learners with OPTIC (Observations, Predictions, Themes, Inferences, Conclusions), a reading strategy to help them understand and interpret visual and written texts. Scholars practice the strategy with a...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Presenting a Research-Based Claim: Visual Aid and Peer Critique

For Teachers 6th Standards
Back to the drawing board. Scholars work on the visual to complement their claim presentations using the Criteria for the Cascading Consequences Chart Visual as a guide. They then practice their presentations with partners. 
+
Instructional Video15:49
Curated OER

How Social Media Can Make History

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
From Nineteen Eighty-Four, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 to Facebook, Twitter, and TXT. Here’s a must-see video for anyone interested in the transformation of the media landscape and message distribution. The narrator traces four...
+
Lesson Plan
2
2
English Enhanced Scope and Sequence

Research Project Embedded with Media Literacy

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Here is a phenomenal language arts lesson on media literacy for your middle and high schoolers. In it, learners produce a research product in the form of a public service announcement (PSA). First, they view examples of these PSA's to...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Basic Visual Language Ii: How To Analyze a Visual Text

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify techniques used to communicate visually. They compare and contrast different visual techniques found in mass media. They apply their understanding by creating photographs that use a variety of visual literacy techniques.
+
Instructional Video8:45
1
1
Crash Course

Media Institution: Crash Course Government and Politics #44

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
A short, informative video discusses the various ways the media impacts the thought processes of citizens in the United States. Scholars analyze what bias exists in the media and how to know who to trust in reporting the news. Open...
+
Instructional Video9:16
1
1
Crash Course

Media Regulation: Crash Course Government and Politics #45

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Scholars investigate the legality of reporting the news or providing entertainment over the airwaves. Scholars discuss the limits of the Internet, television, and print media under the Constitution. 
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Mid-Unit Assessment: Analyzing Visual Elements in a Graphic Novel

For Teachers 5th Standards
Can I get a visual? Scholars work on their mid-unit assessments by analyzing vocabulary and discussing visual elements in Investigating the Scientific Method with Max Axiom Super Scientist. They then reflect on their learning by...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Final Performance Task: Sharing Visual Representations of Position Papers

For Teachers 7th Standards
Let's take a stroll! Scholars go on a gallery walk to view the visual representations for the performance task created by the class. They then view a variety of books about environment and sustainability and conduct book talks on the...
+
Unit Plan
Crabtree Publishing

Why Does Media Literacy Matter?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
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...
+
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Reviewing Visual Elements of a Graphic Novel: Max Axiom

For Teachers 5th Standards
Pass the tea! Using the resource, scholars participate in a Tea Party protocol to analyze text and images about inventions that helped meet societal demands. After sharing their observations with each other, they discuss visual elements...
+
PPT
Curated OER

Nouveau Réalisme

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Art is a form of expression that can be controversial, obtuse, and completely driven by the political and social times. Explore Nouveau Realism and Pop Art, which exemplify the nature of modern thought and expression. This visually rich...
+
PPT
Curated OER

Art and Revolution

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Explore art and revolution that dawned in the mid 20th century. Constructivism, Bauhaus, and de stijl are all covered in this visually stimulating presentation. 
+
PPT
Curated OER

Gothic Art

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
The Middle Ages were an extensive period in European history. Discover the beautiful Gothic art and architecture that developed in France during this time period. Gorgeous and visually rich, this resource would nicely accompany any...
+
Unit Plan
American Press Institute

High Five: Media Literacy and Newspapers

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Teach the five different types of media with the first of three in a media literacy unit. Learners create and propose a final newspaper project, which must address information covered throughout the unit. 
+
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Defining Literacy in a Digital World

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What skills are necessary to interact with different types of text? Twenty-first century learners live in a digital world and must develop a whole new set of skills to develop media literacy. Class members engage in a series of...
+
Instructional Video11:03
1
1
Crash Course

Media Skills: Crash Course Media Literacy #11

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
Did you realize that Internet access is a basic human right? For those of us fortunate to have online access, it's essential to have media smarts! Discover the five skills to be media savvy during an engaging video. The host discusses...
+
Instructional Video9:51
1
1
Crash Course

Influence and Persuasion: Crash Course Media Literacy #6

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
Heard any good jingles lately? Chances are, you thought of several while you read this! Part of an extensive media literacy series, the video explores the world of advertising. Viewers see examples of different types of advertising,...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Through Many Lenses: How are Countries Depicted by the Media?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
If you plan to utilize the ABC miniseries, "The Path to 9/11" in your classroom, consider incorporating media literacy and research skills. After (or while) learners view the series, they discuss ways information can differ from source...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Don't Believe My Eyes!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students develop their understanding of the effects of invisible air pollutants. In this invisible air lesson, students complete experiments with a rubber band air test, a bean plant experiment and by exploring engineering roles related...