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
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