Classroom Law Project
Should we believe everything we read? Becoming a discerning consumer of media
Class members investigate the role media should play in a healthy democracy. As part of this study, groups analyze political advertising, use FactCheck to assess not only the veracity of but the persuasions techniques used in candidates'...
Curated OER
Beyond the Printed Word
Students investigate the effects of television and radio on culture. In this journalism lesson, students consider how electronic media has shaped journalism as they create timelines that feature the changes and compare and contrast print...
Curated OER
Press Freedom Versus Military Censorship
Eleventh graders explore the term terrorism. In this US History lesson, 11th graders participate in a press release on terrorism.
Curated OER
Reporting News About Rosa Parks
Students investigate racism by completing a writing assignment. In this civil rights lesson, students research facts about Rosa Parks in order to write a newspaper article about her. Students utilize the Internet for research...
Curated OER
Paragraph Development In News Journalism
Young scholars identify the qualities of a new paragraph. They develop news paragraphs. They gain an introduction to appropriate paragraph development in news journalism using professional models as a guide.
Curated OER
Chinese Ice Sculptures Melting
Students examine, critique and study a newspaper article on a famous ice festival in China that is being affected by rising global temperatures. They complete three worksheets on the article that deals with comprehension questions, a...
Curated OER
What's in the News?
Students discuss any news article or video about the environment. They develop their own questions relating to radon and how it effects people and the environment. They answer each others questions to end the instructional activity.
Curated OER
How Did We Arrive at the Printed Book?
Seventh graders, in cooperative learning groups, research the development of book printing. After examining a story written on a scroll, an accordion book, and a printed copy, they evaluate them according to a certain criteria and...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Fact Finders—The Media During Times of Crisis
Students practice finding reputable facts. In this media awareness lesson plan, students review a handout regarding tips for evaluating media and then discover the SMART method which they use to analyze news sources and media.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Evaluating Online Sources
All sources are pretty much the same, right? If this is how your class views the sources they use for writing or research projects, present them with a media literacy lesson on smart source evaluation. Groups examine several articles,...
iCivics
Mini-Lesson B: Satire
Hey, what's so funny? Explore the use of satire in a variety of media with a hands-on lesson. Fourth in a five-part journalism series from iCivics, the activity introduces satirical language in print and online. Pupils work alone or in...
Newseum
Editorials and Opinion Articles
Reading the news is fun, and that's a fact! With the lesson plan, scholars differentiate between fact and opinion as they read editorial articles. They complete a worksheet to analyze the information before writing their own editorials...
Curated OER
What's The Big Deal?
Fifth graders examine the role of the Gutenberg press and its effect on society. Using this information, they write a persuasive paper discussing which form of copying is easier to mass produce. They share their opinions with the class...
Curated OER
Philanthropy News
Students collect examples of local philanthropy and write a news article for a local newspaper. In this philanthropy lesson, students read Helping Out by George Ancona to gain understanding of what philanthropic acts are. Students...
Curated OER
What's the Big News?
Students investigate healthy eating by choosing a variety of foods. In this personal health instructional activity, students read the story Big News! Straight from the Heart, and discuss which characters ate which foods....
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.
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Kingdom Animalia: Classifying Animals
Six lessons, extension activities, and an assessment make up a series of lessons curated to reinforce the concept of classifying animals. Each informative and interactive lesson attributes to the knowledge of the seven levels of...
Stanford University
Letter from Birmingham Jail: The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action
What strategies are most effective in changing an unjust law? Class members examine the tactics used in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 (Project C) to achieve social justice and social transformation. After examining documents that...
Curated OER
Italian Renaissance
Fifth graders explore the Italian Rensissance in this six lessons unit. The prominent citizens, the ideas, values, art, philosophy, and literature of the are seen as a rediscovery of Ancient Greek and Roman times.
Curated OER
Leaf Prints
Creating art from nature teaches learners how to appreciate the world around them while allowing them to practice artistic techniques. After observing and choosing fall leaves from outside, they create leaf prints. They press the painted...
National First Ladies' Library
Digging up the Past: Sir Arthur Evans and the Palace at Knossos
Middle schoolers explore the excavations of the Palace of Knossos on the Island of Crete. They create a simulated news broadcasting on the work of Sir Arthur Evans and his colleges. In their news investigation, learners cover such topics...
Curated OER
Front Page News
Students collect and analyze the front pages of various newspapers and perform research on the Titantic tragedy. They choose a name for their newspaper, a headline, gather photographs, and write a front page article. Using computer...
Curated OER
Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution
Students access the Library of Congress's collection of Broadsides (printed material with news, entertainment, advertisements, etc.) and explore their impact on events leading up to the Revolutionary War. They create a timeline with...