Media Smarts
Newspaper Ads
Just how free is the press? After examining the advertising and propaganda techniques used by advertisers, class members consider the influence advertisers may exert over newspaper content.
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Screen Play
High schoolers examine the New York Times review of the film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and explore the elements of scriptwriting. They read the article about the film adaptation screenplay and examine a...
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Making Regolith
You may not be able to take a field trip to the moon, but that doesn't mean your class can't study moon rocks. Using graham crackers as the moon's bedrock and powdered donuts as micrometeorites, young scientists simulate...
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Careers
Learners discuss job choices, careers, and how they can affect lifestyles. They research a job they are interested in and write answers to questions about that job. They prepare a poster which includes information about the career they...
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The American Revolution: Moving West and South
Students examine several letters to the editor from both a local newspaper and national newspapers. After reviewing current letters, they write a letter to the editor of an 18th-century newspaper expressing their opinion about the...
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What's the Story?
Students explore how the same news story can be presented differently through various journalistic styles. They discuss the unique characteristics of each style and find articles on the same event in each of the different styles.
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Tabloid Tales
Students write news stories to accompany tabloid headlines. In this tabloid lesson plan, students learn the power of persuasion and exaggeration by writing stories based on actual tabloid headlines.
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Race to the Presses
Students explore how the news media relays information about race in the United States by creating collages from newspapers and magazines and by sharing their reflections about the responsibilities of the news media in covering...
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Citizens Together
Young scholars examine the bill of rights as it relates to founding documents and their significance today. In this bill of rights lesson plan, students use newspapers as sources to answer critical questions regarding democratic...
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Covering the News
Students compare the coverage of two crime stories Using local or national newspapers, news magazines and other reference materials, each group trace the "unfolding" of two crime stories: The Laci Peterson investigation plus one students
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Chinese Kite
Students create their own Chinese kite. In this multicultural art instructional activity, students use butcher paper, newspapers, string, pipe cleaners and paint to create a Chinese kite. Students follow the given steps and attempt to...
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Bottle Dolls/Figurative Sculpture
Young scholars use water bottles with sand in them (to give stability) They add heads made of crumpled newspaper with masking tape. They paper mache the entire figure and make them into people or animals. Students add paint and...
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A Different World?
Students share their opinions in a brainstorming session on the factors that contribute to their quality of life. They read the article "Life Is Better; It Isn't Better. Which Is It?," from the NY Times and discuss the article as a...
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Right on Time?
Students 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 their...
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Creating Circles
Students make a circle graph. In this graphing lesson plan, the teacher conducts a class survey, then demonstrates how to make a pie graph. When students are comfortable with the material, they use a worksheet to create their own graph.
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Ancient History Cyber-Journalists
Students explore the ancient past. In this ancient civilizations lesson, students research ancient events and write newspaper articles about the events. Students work in teams of 4 to produce group newspapers that feature their findings....
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Lesson 11: Printed Materials (Ads and Broadsides) 1780-1820
Young scholars use primary resources (gazettes, broadsides, advertisements) to consider life at the turn of the 18th century in Deerfield, Massachusetts. They infer observations about life in the nascent United States.
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Slanted Sentences
Students examine biased words in news articles, suggest synonyms, then rewrite the sentences to demonstrate how word choice can alter meaning.
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Commemoration of the Gettysburg Battlefield
High schoolers use a multimedia project, The Valley of the Shadow: Two American Communities in the Civil War, to create a presentation about the significance of the Gettysburg Address. They work on expert teams to explore the interactive...
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The Ad Campaign
Learners explore how political candidates use mass media to deliver their messages to voters. Focusing on specific issues in the upcoming election, students create television commercials representing different parties' views.
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Social Studies: Public Service to a Better Image
Students, in a program entitled "Strategies for Success," examine ways to change public perception of their school. In this project-based lesson, they explore local social and environmental issues, develop a conflict resolution...
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Commas
Fifth graders discuss when a comma is necessary in a sentence. In this language arts lesson, 5th graders understand that commas are used as a pause and help the reader understand ideas better. Students find an example of each example...
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Adjectives
In this adjectives practice worksheet, students choose describing words with opposite meanings. Students complete twelve sentences.
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Brick Memorial Flyer
Students conduct research using the internet, school server and newspapers on the history of the brick memorial for veterans and its developmental process. They create and design a three column page layout for a brochure using Microsoft...