How can your journalism class ensure they use social media responsibly and legally? The sixth lesson in a 16-part Social Media Toolbox series asks pupils to dig deep into the legal aspects of social media use by school publications....

Debates around immigration in the news are not new, but they are a defining feature of the Hispanic American experience throughout the twentieth century. Looking through the lens of Hispanic Americans in Congress, class members explore...

Students discuss what free press means and what it would be like without this right. They read the summary from the Near v. Minnesota case. In groups, they analyze a problem and report to the class.

Fourth graders work in teams to write individual friendly letters to the readers of the Careerville News who have written to the Career Information Columnist requesting information about working in Careerville. They focus their friendly...

Pupils examine illuminated manuscripts from the Gutenberg Bible. Using the examples, they use the internet to explore the effects of the printing press on the value of literature and art. They create their own illuminated initial through...

After reading the New York Times article "Virtuosos Becoming a Dime a Dozen," learners answer eight who, what, when, where, and why questions. They post their answers on the New York Times Education Blog. A fun way to get learners...

Learners examine how to evaluate what they are watching on television. They discuss hip hop music videos, compare/contrast them to other types of music videos, write a letter or press release about promoting positive teen stories, and...

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. 

Sharing isn't always caring. Scholars learn how to reduce the spread of misinformation on the Internet. They take an online quiz of example posts targeted to a specific audience. Using critical thinking skills, they see if they can tell...

Survey says ... social media is here to stay! How do the pupils in your school use social media? Using lesson plan four from a 16-part series, The Social Media Toolbox, learners study surveys and create their own. The resource includes...

Is interacting with people from different backgrounds part of a well-rounded education? A big question awaits young readers as they explore two New York Times articles that discuss modern-day segregation, population statistics, and...

Students analyze how media shapes their perception of events. In this media lesson, students research the home pages of assigned web sites to determine how media influences how they feel about tragic event. They look at head lines about...

Learners discuss the role of the media in public opinion. They use the internet to research when the media has had an impact on war. They write an essay about their research and any conclusions they have made.

Students explore elements of American folktales and tall tales. In this literature lesson, students read examples of American folktales and tall tales and prepare a monologue or news report to present to the class based on their readings.

Students compare the news angle, information sources and construction of different news reports about the Russian school hostage crisis. Based on what they explore the event and about reporting breaking news, they write an analysis of...

What is happening to our newspapers? In the context of the current trends of media and the ever-declining print news industry, this handout includes two political cartoons for pupils to analyze, both created by artists working for...

Often, science fiction makes a lot of connections to real life. An educator's guide for the novel Charisma by Jeanne Ryan, has readers discuss many of the real-life issues that come in the text. A brief summary helps garner interest...

Students create individual press-in mosaics using a variety of bought and found objects.

Young scholars share their reactions to hearing a false rumor. After reading an article, they discover how a variety of newspapers responded to printing incorrect information. They prepare their own questions and contact sources for...

Students watch the News Ohio video about Lincoln Junior High School. They write a reaction paper, explaining what effect the studying environment has on students. If the classroom was in a basement, perhaps a little dark and damp, would...

In this news stories worksheet, students read a list of four possible headlines. Students choose one and write a news story that might have gotten that headline.

Students use KWL charts, stores, news, books, and movies to learn about the Presidents and symbols of America. In this Presidents and symbols lesson plan, students participate in many activities that introduce them to the leaders and...

Here is an outstanding series of lessons on journalism, writing newspaper articles, and writing editorials. This type of writing has long-been neglected in our schools, so this collection of writing activities is most-valuable. Along...

The First Amendment to the US Constitution protects people's rights to speech, the press, and religion. Using the resource, scholars discover how. They take a brief online quiz to determine how well they understand the First...