Although students are aware of news as information that influences their perceptions of the world, they are often unaware of the various ways to present that information. Encourage them to investigate, discuss, analyze and make valuable...

Explore concepts of audience, purpose and symbols in this lesson from Media Smarts that asks students to consider all the functions of music. Through a series of discussions and activities, your class will brainstorm possible functions...

Learners discover the importance of healthy eating. Using food nutrition labels, they read and examine the nutritional value. Students collect the data on a spreadsheet and create a graph. They analyze the media influences on product...

When we watch news broadcasts on television, we receive a much more visual perspective than when we read the newspaper. How do sets, clothing, and music contribute to our understanding of the story? Compare American and Canadian news...

Students discuss the relationship teenagers have with the television. In groups, they watch different excerpts from various television shows and note every instance of violence including children. They also discuss the instances of...

Eight various activities have your learners looking at hype in the media. Advertisements for films, politics, music, and philanthropy all contribute to emotional appeals and marketing strategies trying to convince consumers to...

Students examine the dangers associated with smoking. In groups, they discuss what it means to be addicted to a drug and how the media influences our decisions. After watching excerpts of films, they identify the use of smoking and the...

Students examine various examples of artwork and identify icons. In groups, they discuss the role of special interest groups and media in promoting icons in society. They create a bust of an icon in the Victorian style and share them...

Students explore U.S. history by researching famous Americans. For this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students read portions of a biography about Franklin and identify his position within U.S. politics and as a leader in the battle for...

Students view the treatment of people of Japanese and German descent during World War II. They explore the problems in assigning blame to populations during times of war. They identify modern examples of discrimination and stereotyping.

Young scholars examine the life and work of P.T. Barnum. They discover his advertising techniques and business practices. They examine his use of people with disabilities for amusement.