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.

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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,...
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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...
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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.
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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...
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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...
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Instructional Video15:49
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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...
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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...
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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.
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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...
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Instructional Video9:16
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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. 
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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...
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PPT
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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...
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PPT
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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. 
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PPT
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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...
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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...
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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. 
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Instructional Video11:03
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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...
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Instructional Video9:51
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: After Nature: Visions and Visionaries

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Build visual literacy, discussion, and critical thinking skills with an innovative art lesson. Young analysts discuss the use of decalcomania, surrealism, and automatism in various contemporary pieces, discuss constructed truth, and...
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Lesson Plan
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How are People Portrayed by Different Media?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Your 9th - 12th graders can hone their analysis and critical thinking skills by studying the way a subject is portrayed across media types. They examine how various print, visual, and online sources have portrayed key players in the 9/11...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Exploration of Media Slogans

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore entertainment and promotion as forms of media.  In this improvisation lesson, 3rd graders examine different types of media text and role play various experiences and responses to topics such as: creation of a scene...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Art Match Up

For Students 3rd - 4th
Build your pupils' visual literacy and ability to identify art from some of the world's masters. They view the mixed-up art pieces and set them straight by matching the correct art piece to the correct artist.