Consumer Choices About Natural Resource Use Assessment

Media literacy and critical thinking assessment analyzing messages in a book cover and poster and writing an opinion piece on consumer choices,

"American Progress" Painting

Students analyze a 19th century painting for messages about progress and about personal interpretation of media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Bald Eagles: Saving Our Symbol" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about bald eagles, DDT and about purpose and funding in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Beaver Trapping" Diagram

Students analyze an 18th century diagram for messages about beaver trapping and about target audience.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Biodiversity and the Future of Life" Book Cover

Students analyze a book cover for messages about biodiversity and about editorial choices for book covers. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Black Death" Insecticide Advertisement

Students analyze images of a 19th century advertisement for messages about chemical insecticide and about techniques to persuade. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Buffalo Bill: Wolf Fighter" Dime Novel

Students analyze an early 20th century magazine cover for messages about human animal relations and about historical context in media message interpretation. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Buffalo Land" Book Illustration

Students analyze a 19th century book illustration for messages about the slaughter of the buffalo and about fact and opinion in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"DDT is Good for Me" Magazine Ad

Students analyze images of a 1940s magazine ad for messages about the suggested benefits of DDT and about target audience in advertising. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"DDT: For Good or Ill?" Editorial Cartoon

Students analyze an editorial cartoon for messages about DDT, viruses and about stereotyping in political cartooning.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Dead in the Water" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about fertilizers and Gulf of Mexico dead zones and about how the mission of media producers impacts the media message. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Dying from Dioxin" Book Cover

Students analyze a book cover for messages about human and environmental impacts of toxic chemicals and about artistic techniques in book cover design.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Ethyl Controls" Magazine Ad

Students analyze images of a 1930s magazine ad for messages about leaded gasoline and about implied values in advertising. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Ethyl War" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about the history of leaded gasoline and about credibility and impact of media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Greenwash" Book Cover

Students analyze a book cover for messages about corporate environmentalism, greenwashing and about designer choices to promote book sales. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Highways of the Forest" Drawing

Students analyze a 19th century drawing for messages about wilderness transportation and about personal interpretation of media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Iceland Resumes Commercial Whaling" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about commercial whaling and about editorial decisions in webpage design. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Indian Treaty of Greenville" Painting

Students analyze an 18th century painting for messages about U.S. occupation of Native American lands and about benefit and harm in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"La Virgenia Pars" Map

Students analyze a 16th century map for messages about perspectives on marine life and about historical context in media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Niagara Waterfall" 1704 Engraving

Students analyze an 18th century engraving for messages about European explorers' first impressions of Niagara Falls and about target audience. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"No Place Like Home" Celebrating Biodiversity Magazine Cover

Students analyze a magazine cover for messages about the balance of nature and about artistic technique in poster design. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Our Filthy Seas" Magazine Cover

Students analyze a magazine cover for messages about ocean pollution and about artistic design choices. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Passenger Pigeon Shoot" Etching

Students analyze a 19th century etching for messages about passenger pigeon hunts and about historical context in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Resource Wars" Global Challenges Book Cover

Students analyze a blog page for messages about peak oil and about sponsorship of media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Roosevelt and Muir" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about the origins of the national park system and about values in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Study Sees Global Collapse of Fish Species" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about commercial fishing and about editorial decisions in webpage design. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Sun Mad Raisins" Poster

Students analyze a poster for messages about pesticides and about artistic techniques to convey fear. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Tarzan" Deforestation Poster

Students analyze a poster for messages about deforestation and about sponsorship of media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"The American People" - Rachel Carson & Ronald Reagan in an Editorial Cartoon

Students analyze an editorial cartoon for messages about Rachel Carson, Ronald Reagan and about historical context in political cartooning.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"The Great Louisiana Toxics March" Webpage

Students analyze a webpage for messages about environmental injustice, toxic waste and purpose in website design.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"The Poisoning of America" Magazine Cover

Students analyze images of a magazine cover for messages about toxic chemical waste and about the ways in which advertisers use fear to sell. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"The Price of Research" - Conflicting Claims on Atrazine

Students analyze two journal covers for messages about research on the environmental impacts of pesticides and about target audience and purpose in media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty" Report Cover

Students analyze a report cover for messages about the history of the environmental justice movement and about the personal impacts of social justice movements and media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Tropical Rainforest" Book Cover

Students analyze a book cover for messages about rainforest protection and about credibility in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"When the Rivers Run Dry" Book Cover

Students analyze a book cover for messages about drought and about credibility in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Which Face Will You Wear?" DuPont Ad

Students analyze images of a 1940s magazine ad for messages about chemicals and consumer choices and about implied values in advertising. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Chemicals in the Environment." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

"Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex" Etching

Students analyze a 19th century etching for messages about whaling and about the impact of media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

2016 Media Making the Candidate?

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding articles about the role of the media in creating Donald Trump's candidacy for the impact of media, bias and interpretation.

2016 Responding to Climate Change

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding Republican and Democratic Party platforms about climate change for message, structure and differentiating fact form opinion.

A History of Global Warming in Science, Politics, and the Media

Media literacy and critical thinking unit using diverse media imagery to teach about how global warming has been perceived by people in the U.S. and how the media has constructed that public perception.

A.I. – Pros, Cons, Credibility and Bias

Students analyze short videos for messages about the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, the bias and credibility of each source, and our own thinking about the issue.

African and Free – Maroon Resistance in the Americas

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.

Agriculture: Sustainable v. Industrial

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode two web videos for messages about industrial and sustainable agriculture.

Apocalyptic Weather Systems in Movies: Science Fact or Science Fiction

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.

Artistic Repurposing as Environmental Activism

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.

BP Oil and Gulf Fisheries

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about the impact of the BP oli spill on Gulf Coast fisheries by decoding headlines and video clips.

Ban the Bag or Not? What Else Should We Know?

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.

Being Consumers: Four Views

Students analyze a catalog cover, a poster and 2 webpages for messages about consumerism and about visual techniques to attract interest in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Benefits And Costs Of Using Plastic Shopping Bags

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.

Biofuels

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.

Bioregional Economy

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.

Black Lives Matter and Climate Change: What's the Connection?

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.

Bottled Water?

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.

Boulder Dam Report Cover

Students analyze a report cover for messages about dam construction and about target audience. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Briefing: Project Look Sharp's Decoding Media Constructions and Sustainability

Antonio Lopez, in his coda to Greening Media Education, summarizes the complex set of skills needed “to bring ecologically oriented cultural practice into the realm of media education (which) promotes systems thinking, collaborative learning, critical thinking, lifelong learning and digital media literacy.” This article offers cases studies of two Look Sharp lessons, one for elementary age students and another for upper level high school, each of which was designed with these skills in mind as a way to bring Lopez’s vision into practice in the classroom.

Buffalo Hunt: Slaughtered for the Hide

Students analyze a 19th century magazine cover for messages about buffalo hunting and about point of view in media messages.This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Butterflies in the Media

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.

COVID-19 & Climate Change: Graphing the Connection

In this media literacy activity students analyze online graphs and text for messages about the connections between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

Carbon Sequestration: Solutions to Climate Change

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.

Carbon Trading: Arguments for and Against

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze a webpage from the World Economic Forum and an online comic book for conflicting perspectives on the impacts of carbon trading.

Case Study: From Witness to Action

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to teach about strategies activists have taken to remedy environmental injustice.

Chevron and Species Protection: Differing Perspectives

Students analyze a magazine advertisement and a mock ad for messages about waterfowl protection, greenwashing and corporate responsibility. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Chukchi Sea Oil Drilling

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short informational writing excerpts to reflect on the pros and cons of Alaskan oil drilling.

Climate Change, Agriculture & Sustainability

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson reflecting on the impacts of climate change on agriculture and the role of agricultural practices in contributing to climate change.

Climate Change, Biodiversity and Magazine Cover Priorities

Students analyze a webpage for messages about climate change, biodiversity and about editorial choices for magazine covers. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Climate Change: Do Corporations Have an Obligation to Share Their Research Findings for the Public Good?

This is a media literacy activity in which students analyze two web video clips for conflicting perspectives on Exxon's research into climate change and its responsibility to release its findings to the public.

Climate Disaster: Young People Act

In this media literacy activity students analyze videos of young climate activists for messages about the forms and effectiveness of climate disaster protest.

Climate: Climate Change & Biodiversity

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode webpages for messages about the impact of climate change on ecosystem biodiversity.

Climate: What Can We Change?

In this media literacy activity students analyze children’s videos for messages about the impacts of climate change and what people can do to help.

Coal: Benefits and Costs

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode a magazine cover and spread for messages about how human use of natural resources for energy affects the biosphere.

Cochabamba, Water for Sale

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short informational writing excerpts to reflect on the pros and cons of water privatization in Bolivia.

College Level: Hydrofracking, Media and Credibility

Related to kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Fingerlakes

This 9 minute annotated video demonstrates constructivist media decoding using the lesson "Exploring the Impact of Hydrofracking on Aquifers," where college students analyze pro and anti-fracking diagrams.

Community Organizing for Environmental Justice

Students analyze a webpage for messages about community building for social justice and about website design choices. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Merging Social Justice with Environmentalism." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Community Responses to Climate Disaster Recovery

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze an opinion piece and the executive summary of a governmental report for conflicting perspectives on effective climate disaster recovery efforts.

Comparing Renewables: U.S. vs. Global Energy Use

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode graphs for messages about how the use of renewable energy sources can help to reduce human vulnerability to climate change.

Consumerism & Sustainability

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson asking students to consider their own consumer decisions relating to sustainability through a process of decoding TV commercials and videos about bottled water.

Corporate Greenwashing? Exxon and Greenpeace

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.

Creative Visions of the Future

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing the imagined future of food, water and agriculture as viewed through the creative media of film, song, poetry and science fiction literature.

Damming the Rivers

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to reflect on river damming projects and on the use of water as a resource.

Dams and Rivers: To Build Or To Remove?

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing videos to discern messages about the human benefits and environmental impacts of building and removing hydropower dams

Dealing with Invasive Species: Different Approaches

Students analyze a webpage and a book cover for messages about invasive species and sponsorship and purpose in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Deciding On Our Food Choices Assessment

Media literacy and critical thinking assessment analyzing messages in posters and writing about food choice messages and persuasion techniques in posters.

Defining Sustainability

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing textual and diagrammatic definitions of sustainability presented by diverse corporate and civil society sources.

Depleted Uranium

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short informational writing excerpts to reflect on the health and environmental effects of depleted uranium as a weapon in war.

Discourse or Disinformation?

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing conflicting presentations of scientific information about global warming in various drafts of government reports, video and opinion articles .

Dolphins in the Media

Students analyze a book cover, a magazine cover, a tweet, a poster, a cartoon, a toy and an advertisement for messages about media forms, dolphins and environmental concerns.

Drinking Water: Two Points of View

Students analyze a film poster and an advertisement for messages about drinking water, target audience and techniques in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Resource Depletion." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Drought & Farming: Thirsty Crops

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode web pages and graphs for messages about how agricultural demands for irrigation impact freshwater resources during times of drought.

Drought Causes: Climate Change Impacts

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode web pages messages about the relationship between climate change and droughts.

El Nino: Connections to Global Warming

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode videos for messages about patterns of ocean warming during an El Nino year and the subsequent impacts on worldwide weather.

Endangered Peoples: Multiple Perspectives

Students analyze a DVD cover, a cartoon and a book cover for messages about people as endangered species and about techniques and interpretations in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Endangered Species Act, Spotted Owls and the Lumber Industry: Dueling Perspectives

Students analyze a magazine cover and a news article for messages about the Endangered Species Act, spotted owls and the lumber industry. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Endangered Species Act: Different Points of View

Students analyze an editorial cartoon, a webpage and a children's book cover for messages about the Endangered Species Act and target audiences. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “History of Endangered Species." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Environmental Injustice At Work

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short song excerpts to compare musical forms carrying messages about environmental justice in the workplace.

Environmental Justice – For Whom, How and Why?

In this media literacy activity students analyze videos for messages about impacts and potential remedies for environmental justice.

Ethanol: Pros and Cons

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode videos for messages about the benefits and costs of using corn-based ethanol as an energy source.

Exploring Economic Models for a Healthy Planet and a Just Society

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze three writings about sustainability and economy for conflicting perspectives on possible economic remedies to environmental destruction and economic inequality.

Exploring the Impact of Hydrofracking on Aquifers

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode diagrams for messages about how hydrofracking impacts freshwater resources.

Extreme Weather: Climate Change Connections & Water

Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode webpages for messages about the relationship between climate change and extreme weather.

Exxon Valdez, Oil and Water

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to reflect on the impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.