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This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Upper Elementary
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
High School
Students analyze four short video representations about Japanese internment during WWII for messages about this event, how it is constructed, its historical and cultural context, and our understanding of history.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze film excerpts from the 1950s to the 2020s for messages about the impacts of artificial intelligence on society.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze late 19th and early 20th century legislation and Senate testimony, legal documents, political cartoons, a pamphlet and handbill, a newspaper front page and illustration and advertisements for messages about Chinese immigrants and the Chinese Exclusion Act.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
College
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Health
Science And Environment
Math
Arts
Psychology
Media Production
Pre-service Teacher Education
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
High School
Social Studies
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
High School
Social Studies
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
High School
Social Studies
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School
Social Studies
Psychology
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Science And Environment
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Arts
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Math
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Health
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
English Language Arts
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This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Social Studies
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Middle School, High School
Arts
Media Production
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This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Upper Elementary
Health
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Upper Elementary
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Health
Science And Environment
Math
Arts
Psychology
Media Production
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Lower Elementary
Health
This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.
Lower Elementary
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Health
Science And Environment
Math
Arts
Psychology
Media Production
Students analyze excerpts from a picture book for messages about the impact of climate change and the actions people can take for the planet - while also reflecting on their emotional responses and the intent of the author/illustrator.
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze song lyrics, a music video and an excerpt from a documentary for messages about the origins of hip hop as reflected in the song, “The Message.”
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze web videos and feature film clips for messages about how mathematicians solve complex problems, our own reactions to math, and media portrayals of math problem solving.
Middle School, High School
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” photograph and reflect on the constructed nature of photographs by evaluating whether photographs are fact, opinion, or something else.
Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze song lyrics, a music video and an excerpt from a documentary for messages about women’s place in hip hop in Queen Latifah’s song “Ladies First.”
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Middle School teacher, Mary Kate Longeran, uses the Project Look Sharp lesson “Google Image Searches: Do they Promote or Counter Stereotypes?” to lead her students through an analysis of stereotypes and algorithmic bias. (Total Time: 6:10) Published 2023
Middle School, High School
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Pre-service Teacher Education
Middle School teacher, Mary Kate Longeran, leads her students through a decoding of charts using the Project Look Sharp lesson “Changing Our Media Habits: The Impact of the Pandemic” – to teach students to analyze and question charts and explore differences in generational media use. (Total Time: 5:15) Published 2023
Middle School, High School
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Health
Math
Pre-service Teacher Education
School librarian, Michele Coolbeth from East Syracuse, NY, leads her first graders through analyzing different book covers and text [and drawing their own conclusions about the appropriateness of the book as an independent reading choice] - using our lesson, How Do I Choose? Picking the Right Book for Me.
Lower Elementary
English Language Arts
Pre-service Teacher Education
School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, has her students identify media, including in their clothing – and then reflects on the importance of teaching young students to recognize that media is all around them.
Lower Elementary
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Media Production
Pre-service Teacher Education
School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, leads kindergarten students through analyzing book covers for messages about the diversity of families - using the Project Look Sharp lesson, “Who is Family?”
Lower Elementary
Social Studies
English Language Arts
Health
Pre-service Teacher Education
School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, has her students reflect on the qualities of different media forms (videos and a poster) while learning how to wash their hands. (Total Time: 2:13) Published 2023
Lower Elementary
English Language Arts
Health
Pre-service Teacher Education
Students analyze sculptures of war veterans for messages about purpose, point of view and meaning.
Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
15-30 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze clips from a documentary film and a feature film about Mr. Rogers for messages about storytelling in film and about how to deal with difficult feelings.
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing videos to discern messages about how videos can tell stories to inform and engage the public about sustainability issues and initiatives.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: ProductionUpper Elementary
Over 60 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode an ExxonMobil commercial and an environmental advocacy video for conflicting messages about corporate advertising credibility and about human impact on the environment.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about Native American and colonial perspectives on the Proclamation of 1763.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Kit: Causes of the American RevolutionUpper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze two short excerpts from an educational video on the changing states of water and a Spiderman vs. Hydroman cartoon for representations of the liquid state of water.
Lower Elementary
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze a 2009 Congressional blog post for messages about immigration reform and about target audience. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “The Law of Immigration." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.
High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using diverse media imagery to teach about the history of the movement to abolish slavery in the United States in the early and mid-19th century.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Abolition of SlaveryMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
Students analyze videos for messages about how digital platforms, especially social media, accelerate hate ideology and about actions people can take to challenge hate speech.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze clips from videos for messages about Pocahontas and about judging the credibility of contemporary sources about historical events.
Upper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze and evaluate the accuracy, purpose and techniques of manipulation in TikTok videos, and reflect on their own reactions and biases.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze videos about the Cherokee trails of tears for messages about techniques, credibility and sourcing.
Middle School, High School
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze short videos for messages about zero, when and where it was invented, the credibility and point of view of information, and about the influence of culture on history.
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking activity analyzing the text of as speech from the 1944 Thomas Dewey campaign for messages about political attacks and speech-making techniques.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to teach about arguments for the abolition of slavery and the tactics used by abolitionists.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Abolition of SlaveryMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking assessment analyzing messages in a book cover and poster and writing an opinion piece on consumer choices,
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Natural ResourcesUpper Elementary
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson contrasting TV news representations of an incident at a mosque early in the war.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: News Accuracy and CredibilityHigh School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing two conflicting website accounts of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Israel/Palestine: Histories in ConflictHigh School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding Blue Feed/Red Feed posts about the outcome of the 2016 election for sources, bias and interpretation.
High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding TV news clips explaining the outcome of the 2016 election for point of view, credibility and interpretation.
High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding memes about the 2016 election for the impact of social media forms and interpretation.
High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about Dr. King's public accomplishments and their representation in the media.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Kit: Media Constructions of Martin Luther King, Jr.Middle School, High School, College
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson comparing portraits of George Washington and King George.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Elementary Critical Thinking Skill BuildingUpper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson reviewing the history of U.S./Iranian relations by analyzing Time magazine covers.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Global StudiesHigh School, College
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
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A set of 10 video advertisements for children's toys and breakfast cereals with decoding prompts for messages about target audience, advertising tricks and disclaimers.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: First Grade LessonsLower Elementary
15-30 Minutes
A set of 11 video advertisements for children's toys and breakfast cereals with decoding prompts for messages about target audience, advertising tricks and disclaimers.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Kindergarten LessonsLower Elementary
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing print advertisements and public service messages about dogs and endangered species. Writing scripts for ads or public service announcements promoting actions to protect animals.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Elementary Critical Thinking Skill BuildingLower Elementary
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing print advertisements and public service messages about carrot-related food products and writing scripts for ads or public service announcements promoting healthy eating habits.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Plants (lower elementary)Lower Elementary
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing print advertisements and public service messages about bottled water and vitamin water and writing scripts for ads or public service announcements promoting their water consumption design for a healthy body, budget and earth.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Elementary Critical Thinking Skill BuildingLower Elementary
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing messages about African countries by examining images in currency.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Elementary Critical Thinking Skill BuildingUpper Elementary
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
Students analyze videos produced by and about people of the African diaspora in the Americas for messages about representations of their peoples' freedom, resistance, and ties to Africa.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to reflect on choices for peacemaking during the Iraq War, especially among those serving in the military.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Iraq WarMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze television commercials for messages about stereotypes and counter-stereotypes of elders.
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode two web videos for messages about industrial and sustainable agriculture.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze excerpts from a documentary, an animated film and a video of a music performance, all centering on the song “All You Need Is Love,” for messages about artistic expression, historical context and interpretation.
Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze excerpts from music videos about America for messages about identity, media forms and historical and cultural context.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze covers from American Rifleman magazine from the 1970s, 1990s and 2010s for messages about changing target audience.
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson exploring possible reasons for militant Muslim attacks on the west by analyzing and comparing four editorial writings, a speech by President George W Bush and an interview with Osama bin Laden.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: The U.S. at War and Peace: American Revolution to the War in IraqHigh School, College
30-60 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze images of things found in ancient Egypt to determine which might be considered media and to explore how the cultural characteristics of places change over time.
Upper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze two film clips for messages about the ancient Egyptians and Kushites, the role of racism in archaeology and storytelling choices in documentary film.
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze a brief clip from the feature film, "The Day After Tomorrow" and a science blog post for conflicting perspectives on the potential impacts of extreme weather events related to global climate change.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze excerpts from a documentary and a TV mini-series about Aretha Franklin singing “Amazing Grace” for messages about artistic expression and the impact on individuals and society.
Middle School, High School, College
15-30 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze a web video and film trailer about the impacts of oceanic plastic pollution for messages about artists actions for environmental awareness.
Upper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing the carbon footprint implications for various products using short readings and "green" advertisements culminating in student reflection on personal consumer choice as it relates to sustainability.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: Climate ChangeHigh School, College
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about the impact of the BP oli spill on Gulf Coast fisheries by decoding headlines and video clips.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: News Accuracy and CredibilityHigh School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze the viral video “Baby Shark” to practice observation, link evidence to a document, assess what is true and not about sharks, and reflect on the credibility of media messages.
Lower Elementary
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson exploring bias in the representation of late 20th century Iraqi history in historical timelines created by the US State Department and People Judge Bush.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: War in Iraq: Whose Voice, Whose Story?High School, College
30-60 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze a Scholastic news article and a page of a website called Bag the Ban for different perspectives on the use of plastic bags and their effects on our environment.
Upper Elementary
15-30 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze two short excerpts from websites about plastic bags for conflicting perspectives on the costs and benefits of plastic shopping bags.
Upper Elementary
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson comparing varied perspectives about growing corn as a biofuel commodity by decoding three text excerpts and six video clips.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Food, Water, and AgricultureHigh School, College
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson in which students will complete and present a multimedia research project on just and sustainable economic development projects in their bioregion.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: FingerlakesHigh School, College
Over 60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using posters to teach about the origins of the Soviet Union.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: The Birth of the USSRHigh School, College
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using excerpts from four songs to reflect on the meaning of black identity in the black freedom/civil rights movement.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Black Freedom/Civil RightsMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode a news article and an opinion piece about the connections between the Black Lives Matter movement and climate change for issues related to social and scientific content and geographical context.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze a cigarette ad, an excerpt from an investigative documentary, a clip from a TV news program and a clip from a dramatic feature film for messages about the tobacco industry’s efforts to mislead the public about the health consequences of smoking.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze video clips from feature film and documentary film for messages about songwriting and social protest.
High School, College
15-30 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about primary and secondary source representations of the Boston Tea Party.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Playlist: The U.S. at War and Peace: American Revolution to the War in IraqUpper Elementary, Middle School
15-30 Minutes
This media literacy activity was created to integrate the teaching of English language instruction with media literacy for educators in Panama. In this media literacy activity students watch short video clips with English narration and text to analyze authorship, purpose and target audience and to discuss environmental issues related to bottled water.
Middle School, High School
15-30 Minutes
Students analyze a magazine cover, a T-shirt, a book cover, a webpage, a button and a comic for messages about butterflies, endangered species and media forms.
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary
15-30 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze online graphs and text for messages about the connections between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students analyze pairs of different covers for the same children’s book for messages about techniques, purpose and target audience.
Upper Elementary
15-30 Minutes
In this media literacy activity students analyze videos for messages about the effectiveness of different carbon sequestration solutions in reversing the impacts of greenhouse gas releases on climate change.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short song excerpts to compare musical forms carrying abolitionist messages.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Abolition of SlaveryMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to teach about strategies activists have taken to remedy environmental injustice.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Environmental JusticeMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Students evaluate pages from Dr. Seuss books that were removed by the family for perpetuating stereotypes and then analyze a tweet and replies that includes support and criticism for censoring those images - discussing both the issues and the civility of the comments.
High School, College
30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson introducing the concept of a "complete breakfast," identifying packaging clues about sugar in cereal and recognizing tricks in the construction of breakfast cereal commercials.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Kindergarten LessonsLower Elementary
15-30 Minutes, 30-60 Minutes
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short song excerpts to reflect on messages about gay liberation and resistance to homophobia.
This lesson is part of a "kit" or collection of media decoding lessons on a particular topic. You can explore that kit using the link below:
Unit: Gay LiberationMiddle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
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