Curated OER
A Free and Open Press: Evaluating the Media
Students compare and critically evaluate the different media as sources of news, develop criteria for defining "news", experience the editorial process of selecting news stories and detect bias in news reporting.
Curated OER
Getting the News about the Stamp Act
Students review opinions of the Stamp Act as stated in colonial newspaper articles of the 1760's. They compare colonial newspapers to those of today. They take a side regarding the Tax Act and write a note to a friend explaining their...
Social Media Toolbox
Reporting with Social Media
What does it take to create news stories that are both informative and objective? Aspiring journalists walk the line between engagement and activism with activity 15 of a 16-part series titled The Social Media Toolbox. Grouped pupils...
Curated OER
News Journalism Across the Media: Introduction
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...
Described and Captioned Media Program
Malcolm X: Make It Plain, Part II
Track the transformation of Malcolm Little into Malcolm X and then into El Jajj Malik El-Shabazz with the second part of Make it Plain, a documentary on the famous civil rights activist. Viewers consider not only how events shaped and...
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Fun-Factory - NOT!
Students design a solution to a problem based on the Industrial Revolution. In this design lesson plan, students come up with architectural designs and present them to teachers in a simulated factory.
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Journalism: Potential Bias
Students investigate a current event involving the United States from different journalistic viewpoints. They compare a Western newspaper with one from the Middle East and submit written evaluations noting agreements and disagreements in...
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Stereotyping
Students study how stereotyping in jobs impacts themselves and others. They complete a worksheet about the implications of stereotyping and discuss it.
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Citizens and the Media / Lesson : 3 Compare and Contrast Daily Newspapers for fact, opinion and bias
Students compare and contrast a variety of daily newspapers in order to detect bias. They critically analyze the role the media plays in responsibly reporting government activities.
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Causes of Death in the 19th Century
Students analyze historical data. They explore the context in which it was created. They develop skills in historical analysis.
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That Is Not My Opinion!
Being an informed citizen requires distinguishing fact from opinion and understanding persuasion methods. Secondary learners evaluate newspaper editorials. They read opinion pieces, identify the writer's purpose and position on an issue,...
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News Coverage
Students compare and contrast methods of media coverage. In this media awareness instructional activity, students keep track of news regarding a world or national issue for the period of 1 week. Students collaborate to describe the type...
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The "Ad" Survey-What Makes a Print Ad Convincing?
Students develop opinions from a variety of materials, recognize and analyze bias, propaganda and stereotypes, and evaluate effectiveness of print advertisements.
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Your Angle on the Story
Students review several articles on same current event, and then cover news issues themselves while assuming secret identities of various individuals who have vested interests in issue. Students write newspaper articles from these...
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Not Getting the News about the Stamp Act
How did American colonists react to the Stamp Act of 1765? Your young historians will examine primary source material by reading excerpts from a transcription of the Pennsylvania Gazette and then identifying the sentiments expressed...
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Letter to the Editor
Young scholars analyze and interpret letters to the editor, and use this information to write their own. Groups of students analyze letters, then submit one of their own design to an actual newspaper.
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Laurence Yep's Dragonwings
Students read independently the novel, "Dragonwings," by Laurence Yep and make connections between a text and the world. They summarize, paraphrase, analyze and evaluate skimming and scanning techniques when reading a novel. Each student...
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Argument
Learners write and discuss opposing points of view. In this argument lesson, students learn to understand what an argument is and they get to argue one side of a disagreement. An alternative written assignment is provided. A worksheet is...
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Dragonwings
Middle schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the literature study of Dragonwings. They write about the story from the perspective of a reader that is well informed towards the last chapters. Students also find target...
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We the People. . .
Students explore the United States Constitution. In this government instructional activity, students write newspaper editorials that reflect their opinions about Amendments.
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Examining newspapers
Students compare and contrast tabloid and broadsheet papers. In this journalism lesson, students examine how techniques and form differs from one type of publication to the other. The culminating activity is for students to take what...
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Fly, Fly Away
High schoolers use materials from their own environment to design a kite. In this kite design lesson, students research the history of kites and obtain a formal mathematical definition of a kite. High schoolers sketch kite designs after...
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Interpreting Christopher Columbus
Students compare historical interpretations. In this research skills lesson, students use Internet and print resources to research the controversy regarding Christopher Columbus's work as an explorer. Students use their...
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Adventures with Lewis and Clark
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Lewis and Clark lesson, students conduct research about the expedition and present their findings to their classmates.