Curated OER
This Is America! Flag Collage
In a visual essay of their thoughts about "What America Means to Me," kids of any age can create a collage about their country. Originally intended to be created physically, learners could share their projects online by using an...
Common Sense Media
Identifying High-Quality Sites
Use a Huffington Post article focused on false pictures of Hurricane Sandy to launch a discussion about the reliability of online information. Groups compare and contrast how print and broadcast media regulate...
Curated OER
Fighting The Horse Race: Creating Ads Which Explore 2008 Presidential Candidates & Issues
What is advertising? What role does it plan in an election? Middle and high schoolers discuss advertising and its purpose by sifting through different magazines and discussing the products they find. Then they relate advertisements to...
Curated OER
Security Guards: Are They Needed?
Students discuss the need for some school districts in their area to hire security guards. Using the internet, they identify the severity of the problem in the other districts and discuss what else could be done to make schools safer....
Curated OER
Making Headlines
Young scholars consider their personal opinions about the news and politics, read about the public relations drive behind the 2004 presidential election, and gather information for a press release promoting either Mr. Bush or Mr. Kerry.
Curated OER
Slanted Sentences
Students examine biased words in news articles, suggest synonyms, then rewrite the sentences to demonstrate how word choice can alter meaning.
Curated OER
A Day in the Life: Studying Ancient Rome
Class members use their knowledge of Ancient Rome to write articles for an online newspaper. Using WebBlender, learners craft articles that feature Roman politics, culture, and leisure activities.
Curated OER
Saving Face
Young scholars research the allegations of unfair or illegal business practices of various corporations, then create media campaigns that seek to improve the companies' images.
Curated OER
Historical Witness - social Messaging
Learners examine and develop artwork that shows women's roles during different eras. In this women's role lesson, students look at artwork that shows women at work during the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century. They design a mixed...
Federal Trade Commission
Ad Creation
How would someone market a new cereal to space aliens? Using the third lesson from a four-part Admongo series on advertising, pupils learn about persuasive techniques companies use to convince consumers to purchase their products. As a...
Curated OER
Wellness Bulletin Board
Students research the popular press for wellness related articles, information, and pictures. They show responsibility in maintaining and updating a weekly bulletin board.
Curated OER
Lasting Impressions
Young scholars brainstorm a list of images, people, and emotions that they associate with news stories that are particularly moving. They explore how the play "The Laramie Project" presents the events surrounding Matthew Shepard's death....
Curated OER
Journalists Under Fire
Students examine journalism in extreme conditions. In this war-zone journalism instructional activity, students research media coverage of Vietnam, Grenada, the Gulf War, and military actions in Somalia and Kosovo. Students compare...
Curated OER
Cloud in the Classroom
Students describe the relationship between animals and humans. In this biology lesson, students research about the history of horses in America. They present a mock news broadcast about their research.
Curated OER
The Maccabees and Their Place in Jewish History
Students assume the role of a journalist employed by time Warner to examine data about the long-lost cave contining the tombs of Maccabees. A two page spread is created for the weekend edition of the magazine.
Curated OER
Messages in Art Work
Observe images and discuss what messages they convey. In this critical thinking lesson plan, students determine whether works of art are trying to persuade their audience. They also consider the media and how they communicate messages to...
Curated OER
Journalist Japes
Students explore the career of a journalist. In this careers instructional activity, the teacher introduces the work of a journalist, then students use a worksheet as a springboard for a journalism activity as they write a news article...
Curated OER
Investigative Journalism
Students choose newsworthy topics to research and investigate, narrow focus of investigation, get information from the source through interviews, write stories, and submit to media outlets.
Curated OER
Some Simple Rules to Sum it Up!
Students observe and demonstrate three steps to summarize text. They read and discuss the three steps to summarizing, then silently read an article about dugongs from "National Geographic Kids" magazine. Students demonstrate the three...
Curated OER
Information Station
Students look through different print materials to information. In this information lesson plan, students look through the newspaper, magazines, and menus to practice finding such things as, the weather for the day, a picture of a nice...
Curated OER
Learning the Component and Information Found in the Newspaper
Fifth graders work in a group to identify and reference the index, front page, metro page, state and local pages, as well as the sports, comics and classifieds in the newspaper 90% of the time during the game of "Identifying and...
Tidewater Community College
Assignment: The “Big Mac” Index
Young economists learn about the method of predicting changes in the exchange rate with Big Macs in an instructional video. After an understanding the index, learners write a post on a discussion board and respond to class members' posts...
Carolina K-12
Propaganda, Spin and Soundbite Politics
It's all about the spin! In an introduction to propaganda techniques and soundbite politics, scholars first learn about common propaganda techniques before seeing them in action in the context of the 2016 election cycle. Activities...
Curated OER
In the Eye of the Storm
Students share opinions about what information the public needs about an impending hurricane. They research and report on a major U.S. hurricane and compare different reports about Hurricane Katrina.