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Farming, Community, and Sustainability
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing the roles of community, farmers and farm labor in food system sustainability using visual imagery, film and song.
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
Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Food Security
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing videos and text excerpts as a means to understand the conditions required for food security, the causes of food insecurity and potential solutions leading to food security.
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
Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Food Waste: What’s the Problem? What’s the Solution?
In this media literacy activity students analyze videos for messages about the problems and potential solutions related to global food waste and climate change.
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Frogs and Atrazine
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short informational writing excerpts to consider opposing views on the possible relationship between frog popultion decline and the use of the herbicide atrazine.
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 the Environment: Endangered SpeciesMiddle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
GMO Yes or No - Decoding Movie Trailers
Students analyze two short movie trailers for messages about GMOs, to ask and answer questions about sourcing and credibility, and to reflect on their own confirmation biases.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
GMOs: Bias and Credibility in Media Messages
Students analyze three web videos from corporate, academic and activist sources for messages about genetically modified organisms, techniques used to sway the viewer, and questions about credibility and one’s own confirmation biases.
High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
GMOs: For Whose Benefit and At What Cost?
Students analyze a magazine cover, a book cover and a web page for messages about genetically engineered food and about sponsorship 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.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Geoengineering: Can Techno Fixes Save Us From Climate Change?
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode two articles about geoengineering for credibility and for conflicting perspectives about its usefulness as a tool to combat climate change.
High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Giant Redwood Trees of California, 1874 Painting
Students analyze a 19th century painting for messages about California redwood forests and about painters' techniques of representation. 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.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Gladys City Oil Stock Certificate
Students analyze an early 20th century stock certificate for messages about oil, land management and about historical context. 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.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Green Revolution
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson exploring arguments for and against green revolution technology by reading excerpts from four articles about Norman Borlaug, founder of the Green Revolution.
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: Economics & Social JusticeKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Food, Water, and Agriculture
High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
Green Transportation: Electric Cars vs. Bicycles
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze two short excerpts from online articles for messages about the economic and environmental benefits and costs of electric vehicles.
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Greta Meets Malala: How Different Media Forms Present the News
In this media literacy activity students analyze media reports on the meeting between Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai. In addition to learning about the two young activists, students reflect on the qualities of different media forms including news and opinion articles, a tweet and posts on Instagram and Facebook.
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Guiding Our Food Choices
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson considering how food choices impact personal, social and environmental health by analyzing web pages and diagrams.
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
Group - Small (3-5 Members), Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Habitat Destruction: The Idea of Progress
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode a painting and a Facebook post for messages about the impact of habitat destruction on biodiversity.
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: BiodiversityKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Heroes for Animal Protection
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing a book and video about songbird steward Rachel Carson and composing a social message about being an animal steward.
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: Animals (lower elementary)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Heroes for Plant Protection
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing a book and video about tree steward Wangari Maathai and composing a social message about being a plant steward.
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: English Language ArtsUnit: Plants (lower elementary)
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Heroes for Water Protection
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing a book and video about water steward Marion Stoddart and composing a social message about being a water steward.
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: Water (lower elementary)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
High School Science: The Great Global Warming Swindle
An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Media Constructions of Global Warming. Students analyze a short video clip from the film The Great Global Warming Swindle, compare the information in the clip with a chart, and reflect on issues of credibility and bias in media representations and our own biases when evaluating information.
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Constructivist Media Decoding
Critical Thinking And The News
Assessing Credibility & Bias
Science And Environment
High School
College
History of Chemicals in the Environment
Media literacy and critical thinking unit using diverse media imagery to teach about how chemicals in the environment have been perceived by people in the U.S. and how the media has constructed that public perception. Focus topics include pesticides, fertilizer, gasoline additives and persistent organic pollutants.
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 the Environment: Chemicals in the EnvironmentMiddle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
History of Endangered Species
Media literacy and critical thinking unit using diverse media imagery to teach about how endangered species have been perceived by people in the U.S. and how the media has constructed that public perception. Focus topics include indigenous perspectives, whaling, habitat destruction and the Endangered Species Act.
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 the Environment: Endangered SpeciesMiddle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
History of Resource Depletion
Media literacy and critical thinking unit using diverse media imagery to teach about how resource depletion has been perceived by people in the U.S. and how the media has constructed that public perception. Focus topics include water, forests, oil and consumption.
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 the Environment: Resource DepletionMiddle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes, Over 60 Minutes
How Do We Decide How Much To Eat And Drink?
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing web pages and food diagrams to discern messages about food servings.
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: Food ChoicesKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
How Do We Decide What to Eat and Drink?
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing web pages for messages about how food choices impact personal health.
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: Food ChoicesKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
How Do We Identify Good Sustainability Stories? (Upper Elementary)
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: ProductionKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Individual, Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
How Much Water Did it Take to Grow That?
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing web pages and bar graphs to discern messages about the impact of agriculture on freshwater availability.
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 BuildingUnit: Water (upper elementary)
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Human/Animal Relations
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to reflect on messages about human and animal relations.
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 the Environment: Endangered SpeciesMiddle School, High School, College
Pair, Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Hunting Gorillas: Contrasting Views
Students analyze a magazine cover and a webpage for messages about bushmeat, gorillas and editorial choices 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.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Huracán María: El Impacto de la Inmigración Puertorriqueña en Florida
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity for Spanish language classes in which students analyze three short excerpts of online newspaper articles about the economic impacts on Florida resulting from the influx of Puerto Rican climate refugees following Hurricane Maria. The student handouts are in Spanish language only, while the Teacher Guide is provided in both English and Spanish.
High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Hydrofracking Pros & Cons: Arguing the Case
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode videos for messages about how hydrofracking impacts the biosphere.
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: Energy SourcesKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Hydrofracking, Media, and Credibility
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing the credibility of messages about hydrofracking as presented in video clips, diagrams and online searches.
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 CredibilityKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Fingerlakes
High School, College
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Hydropower Dams: To Build or to Dismantle?
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode videos for messages about claims related to hydropower dam building or removal.
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: Energy SourcesKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Hydropower: Benefits and Costs
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode webpages for messages about how human use of natural resources for energy affects the biosphere.
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: Energy SourcesKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
I Want to Protect These Animals
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing postcards about different classes of animals, reflecting on cyber safety in online research and creating postcards of animals students would like to protect.
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: Animals (lower elementary)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
I Want to Protect These Plants
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing postcards about plant needs for water, sunlight and pollinators, reflecting on cyber safety in online research and creating postcards of plants students would like to protect.
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)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
I Want to Protect This Body of Water
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing postcards about bodies of water, reflecting on cyber safety in online research and creating postcards of water bodies students would like to protect.
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: Water (lower elementary)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Individual, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Indigenous Representations of Cultural Pride and Resilience
Students analyze videos produced by Native Americans (Inuit, Haudenosaunee, Hopi and Hawaiian) for messages about the contributions and resilience of Indigenous nations and peoples.
Middle School, High School, College
30-60 Minutes
International Climate Agreements: How the Decisions of Government Officials Can Potentially Impact Climate Change
This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze two op-eds for conflicting perspectives on the impacts of the Trump adminstration's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accords..
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes
Interrelationships: Human & Buffalo
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode videos for messages about the interdependent relationships between people and buffalo.
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: BiodiversityKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Invasive Species: How Do We Stop an Invasion?
Media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode a poster and a webpage for messages about the impact of introducing invasive species into an ecosystem.
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: BiodiversityKit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Middle School
Middle School
Individual, Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Is There a Future in Oil?
This is a media literacy activity in which students analyze two video clips with the following question in mind: Is there a future in oil? One of the videos features a speaker representing the American Petroleum Institute who highlights the economic benefits of increasing oil and gas production while the other video clip features speakers from the Rockefeller Brothers Funds and 350.org who present the economic and environmental reasons to divest from fossil fuels and support renewable energy sources.
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Journal of Multicultural Environmental Education
Students analyze a journal cover for messages about coupling education with activism and about the role of small journals in seeding social justice movements. 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.
High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Let Us Tell You About the Animals Where We Live
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing various media documents focused on messages about human impacts on animals and creating a simple video production based on impacts to animals where you live and action ideas to protect them.
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 BuildingUnit: Animals (lower elementary)
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Group - Small (3-5 Members), Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Let Us Tell You About the Bodies of Water Where We Live
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing book covers for messages about water-centered disasters related to oil spills, drought and hurricanes and creating a simple video production based on impacts to your region's water bodies and action ideas to protect them.
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: Water (lower elementary)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Group - Small (3-5 Members), Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Let Us Tell You About the Plants Where We Live
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing book covers focused on different messages about human impacts on plants and creating a simple video production based on impacts to plants and action ideas to protect them.
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)Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Lower Elementary
Lower Elementary
Group - Small (3-5 Members), Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Logging - What About Biodiversity?
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing videos & childrens books to discern messages about the impacts of logging on biodiversity.
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: English Language ArtsUnit: Natural Resources
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
Making Videos about Sustainability Efforts
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson in which students collaboratively design a short video message about a sustainability effort.
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: Documenting Sustainability StoriesUnit: Production
Kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Upper Elementary
Upper Elementary
Pair, Whole Class
Over 60 Minutes
McCormick Reaper Company, c. 1890 Advertisement
Students analyze a 19th century advertisement for messages about empire and about early advertising 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.
Middle School, High School, College
Under 15 Minutes
Meat or Veggies? The Impact of Diet on Climate
In this media literacy activity students analyze a documentary film and a television news report for messages about how plant-based and meat-based diets impact climate change.
High School, College
Whole Class
15-30 Minutes
Merging Social Justice with Environmentalism
Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using diverse media imagery to teach about the history of the environmental justice movement beginning in the late 20th 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: Environmental JusticeKit: Media Constructions of Social Justice
Middle School, High School, College
Whole Class
30-60 Minutes