Media Literacy
Good Versus Evil: Exploring Popular Children's Animation
Dora, Buzz Lightyear, Mufasa. Swiper, Dr. Porkchop, Scar. The six lessons in this unit packet focus on how good and evil, and violence, are portrayed in children's animation. The lessons encourage kids to consider how violence is...
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GUNS AND MUSIC
Learners examine the role of the Advertising Standards Agency, the image of crime portrayed by some rap artists, the reality of crime, media influence, and society's influences on the media.
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Going Beyond the Screen
During Screen-Free Week, help your pupils develop media literacy through analysis of their favorite shows.
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Sufferin' Stereotypes
Examine how the media informs the way your class thinks about racial and ethnic differences. Additionally, middle and high schoolers discuss whether "objectionable material" in mass media from the past should be preserved.
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The Sons of Sultan Bey (Libya)
Imagine you could increase reading comprehension and social media skills at the same time. Learners can read and then respond to the tale "The Sons of Sultan Bey." Their comments are guided by comprehension-style questions and can be...
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Kids' Newsbreaks
Group learners together to identify a question relating to an issue and create a 60-second kids news break highlighting information that begins to answer the question. They research and answer issue questions in a news story format.Â
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Alternate Histories
Students create a mixed media collage. In this visual arts instructional activity, students look at the work of Jane Ash Poitras. They create their own collage that shows their personal and collective history and experiences.Â
Royal Conservatory of Music
The Anti-bullying Magazine
Get the word out about friendship, support, and a safe school community with a media literacy lesson about bullying. Young journalists investigate instances of bullying and take descriptive pictures as they compile a magazine to fight...
Developing a Global Perspective for Educators
The Lorax - Language
First graders identify text features and how they communicate meaning to the reader. For this media literacy instructional activity, learners view the movie The Lorax and discuss how students from another country would respond to this...
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Children's Media and Censorship
Learners examine the point of censorship when dealing with Students. They explore essays by Stephen King.
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas
You can keep this printable idea sheet and use when you're in a tight spot. It contains cross-curricular ideas that span every subject while relating to the African tale, "Anasazi the Spider."Â Learners will act, write, move, count, and...
National Constitution Center
Fourth of July (Grades 3-5)
Bring history to life for your young scholars with a Fourth of July lesson series. After a class reading of the Declaration of Independence, students translate this pivotal document into layman's terms before working in small groups to...
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Children's Book Creations
Students create a children's book version of the Japanese folk story "Momotaro Boy of the Peach" and present the story to elementary students. In this children's book lesson, students design their book to explain Japanese culture to...
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A Media Literacy Unit on "Turn Beauty Inside Out"
Students become aware of the importance of distinguishing between inner and outer beauty. They explore how the media's opinion of beauty is biased and should be evaluated rather than just accepted. Each student also assesses how the...
Little Bit Studio
Bugs and Buttons 2
Playing with bugs and buttons has never been so much fun! Offering a variety of different activities, this is a great resource for developing basic skills in preschool and kindergarten-aged children.
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Attention Seeking
Students compare the Ethiopia of the 1980's to today. In this current events lesson, students conduct research about the poverty-stricken Ethiopia exposed by the media in the 1980's with the conditions there today. Students discuss the...
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The Electric Experience
Students investigate the effects of television and radio on culture. For this journalism lesson, students consider how electronic media has shaped journalism as they create timelines that feature the changes and compare and contrast...
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Sweet-Talkers
Students investigate what is being sold to them. In this media awareness lesson, students visit selected websites to take a closer look at advertising marketed at them. Students discuss the implications of marketing geared toward children.
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"Love & Diane" Lesson Plan: Expectations About Parenting
Students watch video clips of "Love & Diane," then discuss media messages and student expectations.
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The Children of World War II
Learners examine the lives of children during WWII. In this WWII lesson, students investigate the effects of the war on children, what life was like on and off the battlefield and how the geography influenced decisions. Learners also...
ReadWriteThink
Persuasive Techniques in Advertising
Help your 21st century learners develop their media smarts with this resource that has them examine the persuasive techniques advertisers use to influence specific demographics and then to use these techniques to craft their own ads.
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What if Your Parent Ran for President?
Throughout history, many people have run for president. But, what is that like for the children of those individuals? Kids read a bit about Mitt Romney and his five children, then respond to a writing prompt in a blog post. They describe...
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Juggling Fact and Opinion in Today's Information Overload
Teaching children to evaluate information is critical to differentiate between fact and opinion.
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Design a Soda Bottle Label
Learners make a mind web to describe their favorite soda. They then make thumbnail sketches of their labels. Tehy create a unique font with which to write the mane of their soda.