Minding the Media

How can the media foster cultural misunderstandings? These activities encourage learners to distinguish between fact and opinion in the media

Critically analyze advertising techniques, such as circular reasoning, bandwagon, testimonial, and repetition, with worksheets that effectively discuss and illustrate how the media aims to influence.

What are the short and long-term consequences for consumers and producers of modern media propaganda? Class members ponder this essential question as their unit study of ethics of propaganda concludes. After examining two case studies,...

Imagine advertising for a product but not being paid to do so. Welcome to the world of Viral Messaging. Class members first view a T-Mobile flash mob video that went viral and has been seen by over 14 million viewers. After analyzing the...

What constitutes the media, and how does it act as a gatekeeper, agenda-setter, and watchdog in society in the United States? Through a variety of worksheets and an in-class true/false participation review, your young citizens will...

What are the benefits of media use? What are the dangers for young people and for society as a whole? After examining a series of materials, individuals craft an essay in which they explain what is at stake, state their own position on...

Many teen girls and boys experience great pressure to keep up online appearances. Work together as a class to consider the effect of photos on social networking sites, and invite your learners to reflect on such important concepts as...

Class members examine two documents—The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The Rights of Migrants in the United States—and then use reports in the media to assess how well the US is doing in ensuring these rights.

Analyze the presence of negative stereotypes and biased reporting in news media, and how this affects one's understanding of other cultures. Learners read newspaper excerpts and quotes from famous personalities to discuss the power of...

What skills are necessary to interact with different types of text? Twenty-first century learners live in a digital world and must develop a whole new set of skills to develop media literacy. Class members engage in a series of...