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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Is Olympic Coverage Sexist?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Women Olympians have come a long way since 1900 when 22 women competed for the first time. News coverage of the Olympics has also changed dramatically. What has been slow to change, however, is the language used in the coverage of female...
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Lesson Plan
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Learning for Justice

Maya Angelou

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Maya Angelou's poem, "Still I Rise", offers young scholars an opportunity to consider how poets use literary devices to create powerful messages. After a close reading and discussion of the poem, class members reflect on how they can...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

The Gender Wage Gap

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Equal pay for equal work!" may sound logical but it is not the reality. High schoolers begin a study of the gender wage gap with an activity that asks them to position themselves along a line that indicates whether they strongly agree...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Who is Malala Yousafzai?

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Malala Yousafzai may be young, but she's mighty! Young scholars listen to a short lecture about Malala's background, read an article about her winning the Novel Peace Prize, and meet in groups to discuss statements she has made. Class...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Give Women the Vote? Analyzing Suffrage Propaganda

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Propaganda is often used to shape public opinion. Scholars investigate the persuasive techniques used by the pro- and anti-suffrage movements. Groups compare how these devices were used during the suffrage movement with how the same...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Search Boosters: How Content Creators Can Game the System

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Scholars examine the techniques content creators use to boost their search rankings. After watching a short "Search Boosters" video, groups select a story from the "News or Noise? Media Map" and analyze the devices used in the story. The...
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

On Marilyn Nelson's Poem “1905”

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Marilyn Nelson's poem, "1905," asks young scholars to compare and contrast George Washington Carver and Albert Einstein. After studying images of the two scientists and listing their observations, class members listen to several readings...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

The First Amendment in Action Today

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Young activists research a community issue and apply the rights defined in the First Amendment to develop a proposal that would solve the issue—using Pinterest's board "The Freedom to Make A Change Posters" as examples, groups design a...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Confronting Conformation Bias

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Be curious! Seek out different opinions! Be conscious of your thinking process! After reading an article about confirmation bias and motivated reasoning, class members apply these strategies to the topic of school start times. They read...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Battle for the Bill of Rights: Ultimate Survivor Amendment Game

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
To understand the importance of the wording of the articles of the First Amendment (freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the press, and freedom to assembly and petition), teams argue before a jury for draft amendments of one...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Propaganda Through History: Analyzing Historical Sources

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Working in teams, pairs, or individually, scholars select one resource from a gallery of historical sources and consider which examples might be considered propaganda, the techniques used to persuade audiences, and evaluate how the...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Search Signals: Understanding Your Top Hits

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Class members watch a short video about the criteria used to drive search results to learn about how search engines work. Scholars use a "Search Signals" worksheet and a tip sheet to record information as they conduct a simple search of...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

'The Press and the Civil Rights Movement' Video Lesson

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Scholars watch a video featuring journalists who covered the civil rights movement, then respond to questions on a viewing guide. The video features interviews with participants and original news footage from the 1950s and 1960s. In...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Is It News?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Is it news or not? That is the question young journalists must consider in a lesson about newsworthiness. Class members watch a short video that details five key characteristics of quality, credible news. Individuals then use these tips...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

The Making of Fake News: A Case Study

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
"Fake News" (stories that are entirely fabricated/fictional) is the subject of a case study of the search for Jestin Coler, the creator of some of the most famous fake news stories. After reading NPR's investigative report, scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

‘45 Words' Video Lesson

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
A short video introduces viewers to the political struggles involved in passing the First Amendment and the many challenges it has faced since its passage.  Viewers then discuss how to balance issues of freedom of the press, national...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Media Mix-Ups Through History: Analyzing Historical Sources

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Scholars use the E.S.C.A.P.E. (Evidence Source, Context, Audience, Purpose, Execution) strategy to analyze a historical source to determine why mistakes happen in news stories. They then apply the same strategies to contemporary flawed...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Getting to the Source

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Reliable news stories are based on facts from reliable sources. Young journalists learn how to evaluate the reliability of news sources by watching a short explainer video. Teams apply their new source-digging skills to a current news...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Weed Out Propaganda

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Young scholars study four essential propaganda techniques: Simplification, Exploitation, Exaggeration, and Division (S.E.E.D.). Individuals select an example of propaganda from the past and present then compare how the key elements have...
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Learn to Reach Out

For Teachers 12th Standards
High school seniors use the CareerOneStop website to research professional associations related to careers that interest them. They then develop interview questions and arrange an informational interview with someone in the field.
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Roadmap to Success

For Teachers 6th Standards
It's never too early to start thinking of one's future. Over two class sessions, scholars create a roadmap to meet short and long-term goals related to high school graduation. Roadmaps include the timeline, checkpoints, and barriers. 
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Etiquette? What’s That?

For Teachers 12th Standards
After watching a video, reading articles about etiquette in the workplace, and engaging in discussions, high school seniors create a presentation to show what they have learned about business etiquette.
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Lesson Plan
California Department of Education

Who Am I?

For Teachers 5th Standards
Inspire scholars to strive for a career in a field they love. Using a game that looks at likes and dislikes, learners discover their Holland code using a three-interest area survey. With their targeted interests confirmed, pupils...
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) Educator Guide

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Vote, it's your civic duty! The resource provides several videos about voting in the United States. Scholars watch a series of topics ranging from youth participation to civic action. The educator's guide provides teachers with...