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.

Christine Jorgensen: 1970 Film Poster & 2010 Webpage

Students analyze a 1970 film poster and a 2010 webpage for messages about early transgender choice and about what makes media messages sensational or sympathetic. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Out and Affirmed." 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.

Civil Liberties For Workers Poster

Students analyze a flyer protesting state and military suppression of strikers for messages about injustice to workers and about techniques of persuasion. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Which Side Are You On?” To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Claiming Feminist Identities

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using diverse media imagery to teach about the history of the late 20th century women's liberation movement in the U.S.

Clickbait – Can You Spot It?

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 analyze webpages to identify clickbait strategies.

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: 2008 Election Magazine Covers

Related to kit: Media Constructions of Presidential Campaigns

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Media Construction of Presidential Campaigns. Students in this video decode various magazine covers portraying Barack Obama during the 2008 election.

College Level: Decoding "Last Words" by Nas

Related to kit: Media Constructions of Social Justice

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Media Construction of Social Justice. Students in this video decode the rap song "Last Words" by Nas to gain insight about prison life and the greater justice system.

College Level: Farming, Community and Sustainability

Related to kit: Media Constructions of Sustainability: Food, Water, and Agriculture

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Media Construction of Sustainability. Students in this video examine clips from a film and a commercial to decode farming in the US.

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.

Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism

Students analyze a book cover for messages about women of color and identities and about media representationms of young women of color. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Claiming Feminist Identities." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Columbus “Discovers” America: What’s The Story?

Students analyze three illustrations for messages about Columbus and the Tainos, and reflect on changing perspectives on history.

Comic Superheroes and Historical Context

Students analyze comic book covers for messages about historical context and book cover design techniques.

Commercials, Part 1

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson introducing the concept of advertiser intent and tricks in the construction of TV commercials.

Commercials, Part 2

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson introducing the concept of target audience and tricks in the construction of TV commercials.

Community Impacts of Mountaintop Removal

Students analyze a webpage for messages about community impacts of mountaintop removal and about media production techniques to motivate action. 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 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.

Confirmation Bias, Coronavirus and the 2020 Presidential Campaign

In this media literacy activity students analyze the credibility of a controversial pro-Biden political ad attacking President Trump on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, a tweet in response by Trump War Room, and an article from the fact-checking website Politifact about the controversy. Students then analyze their own confirmation bias as they reflect on how they evaluate the credibility of sources on political issues.

Confrontation in the Streets: What Do You know?

In this media literacy activity students analyze a viral video and a TV news program on the same event for messages about historical context and viral messages in social media.

Confronting Racism in the Women's Suffrage Movement

Students analyze a pamphlet reprinting a speech by African American educator and suffragist Mary Church Terrell for messages about African American women's rights efforts and about racism in the women's suffrage movement. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Hear Our Voices”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Congressional Blog Posting on Immigration Reform

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.

Conspiracy Theories About COVID-19: Who’s Selling? Who’s Buying?

In this media literacy activity students analyze media documents that allege conspiracies related to the coronavirus. Students then analyze media messages for credibility and reflect on their own biases in interpreting conspiracy theories.

Constructing King

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing diverse media representations of Dr. King including conflicting video interpretations of Dr. King and Malcolm X.

Constructivist Media Decoding in the Social Studies: Leveraging the New Standards for Educational Change

Related to kit: Media Constructions of Presidential Campaigns

This article explores the role that media analysis can play on educational reform tied to the new NCSS C3 Framework for the Social Studies and the Common Core ELA standards for secondary social studies. It uses examples from media decoding activities on the Project Look Sharp website tied to specific standards. It also explores professional development tools that support methodological shifts towards inquiry and assessments of critical thinking skills. By Chris Sperry, The Journal of Media Literacy, Vol. 62, pg. 46-54, 2015.

Consulting

Project Looksharp personnel are available for coaching and consulting about media literacy in K-12 and teacher education, including ways to integrate media literacy into an existing curriculum, use media literacy with particular student populations (e.g., English as a second langauge or at-risk students), or build media literacy offerings into staff development within a school district.

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.

Covering Black Lives Matter: Front Page Constructions

In this media literacy activity students analyze newspaper front pages for messages about media representation of nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd.

Covering the War

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson contrasting messages about key events in the Iraq War as presented on newspaper front pages.

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.

Creativity in Mentoring

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing four short excerpts from feature films about mentoring by elders.

Creativity in Music

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing four short excerpts from films about aging and musical creativity.

Creativity in Preserving Cultural Tradition

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing four short film excerpts about the roles of elders in preserving cultural traditions.

Creativity in Relationships

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing four short film excerpts about creativity in relationships among elders.

Creativity in Service

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing four short film excerpts about creativity in service among elders.

Credibility, Information and Science

Designed for secondary science and environmental studies teachers, this 2 hour to full day workshop will explore the role of the internet and other media on our students understanding of information.

Critical Race Theory – Whose History? Whose Story?

Students analyze clips from a variety of video sources for messages about the teaching of U.S. history, critical race theory and the power of media to persuade.

Critical Thinking & the News

Democracy requires an educated and literate citizenship. This 2-hour workshop provides guidelines and strategies for training our students to consistently assess the credibility, accuracy, and bias of various news sources.

Critical Thinking and Health: Media Literacy Lessons for Elementary Grades

Related to kit: Critical Thinking & Health: Nutrition and TV Commercials

This webinar offers pedagogical techniques and curriculum materials to help young children understand biases and misleading messages found in food advertising and toy commercials aimed at them, including cereal ads and advertising for foods and beverages that imply they have a lot of fruit in them. Part of the webinar specifically focuses on gender techniques and gender stereotyping in toy commercials.

Cyberbullying: How It Hurts & How to Help

In this media literacy activity students analyze videos made for students for messages about the effects and remedies for cyber-bullying.

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.

Declaration of Independence

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing rights and grievances in the Declaration of Independence.

Declaration of Sentiments

Students analyze text from the founding document of the first women's rights convention for messages about the interrelationship between between the early women's rights movement and the Declaration of Independence and about personal reflections on human rights. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Hear Our Voices”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Decoding the Dollar Bill: Historical Context and Identity

Students analyze the imagery, symbols and words on the dollar bill for messages about the United States, historical context and our own identities.

Decoding the Twenty: Andrew Jackson and Harriet Tubman

In this media literacy activity students analyze images related to the twenty dollar bill for messages about U.S. history and historical context.

Deepfakes: What Do We Believe? What Do We Share?

Students evaluate Internet images and videos as fake or true and reflect on how confirmation bias impacts our judgments.

Defining Sustainability

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

Demonstration Video: Choosing a Just Right Book

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.

Demonstration Video: Gender Stereotypes and Google Algorithms

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

Demonstration Video: Interpreting Charts of Media Use: Gen Z vs. Boomers

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

Demonstration Video: January 6, 2021: Newspaper Front Pages

Middle School teacher, Mary Kate Longeran, leads her students through a decoding of domestic and international newspapers - using the Project Look Sharp lesson: “Storming the Capital” - to analyze media construction and bias in news coverage. (Total Time: 8:57) Published 2023

Demonstration Video: Wash Your Hands - Kindergarten

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

Demonstration Video: What is Media - Kindergarten

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.

Demonstration Video: Who is Family? - Kindergarten

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?”

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.

Dinosaurs: What’s True and What’s Not?

Students analyze messages about dinosaurs in a film, an advertisement, a website, a video game, a TV program and a fiction and non-fiction book - and assess the credibility of each source.

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 .

Discovering Ramadan

Students analyze a tweet, calendar, and book covers related to the celebration of Ramadan to discover unique traditions associated with the holy month and to contrast media forms.

Dissent or Treason

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using diverse media imagery to teach about the history of antiwar movements during the Iraq War.

Does Fair Use of Copyright Apply in Education?

Explains Project Look Sharp's approach to creating curriculum that contains copyrighted media materials. Media materials can be reproduced and used where critiquing of the media is the central objective.

Doing Family Time

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to reflect on the impact of imprisonment on prisoners and on the family members of prisoners.

Dolores Huerta & the United Farmworkers

Students analyze a poster and a street mural for messages about Dolores Huerta, the United Farmworkers and about the use of symbols in media messages. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Working For Peace Working for Justice”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

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.

Dorothy Day: Catholic Worker and Peacemaker

Students analyze a calendar cover and a painting for messages about Dorothy Day, the Catholic Worker movement and about discerning media forms. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Working For Peace Working for Justice”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Dred Scott Case

Students analyze a poster for a meeting about the Dred Scott case for messages about African American abolitionists' responses to the Dred Scott decision and about target audience for abolitionist public meetings. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Arguing For Freedom”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

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.

Educating Girls

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze two short video clips for messages about the barriers to and benefits of girls' education.

Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law

Students analyze an 1850 print, "The Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law" for messages about authorship, purpose and values. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Arguing For Freedom”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

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.

Election 2020 – The Facts are Clear but Who Do We Trust?

In this media literacy activity students analyze a collection of tweets from President Trump, a televised press conference statement by President-elect Joe Biden, a video opinion piece by Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, a press release from the U.S. Government office for cyber-security and infrastructure security and an online fact checking webpage by the Annenberg Public Policy Center for messages about the 2020 Presidential election results and media credibility.

Elementary Level: Decoding Money

Related to kit: Introducing Africa: Critical Thinking and Media Literacy

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Introducing Africa. Students in this video compare two African currencies to the U.S. Dollar to gain insight about cultural differences.

Elementary Level: First Contact Between Europeans and Native Americans

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using our lesson, First Contact. Students in this video decode two opposing paintings to understand how Europeans impacted Native American life.

Elementary Level: Gender In Children's Commercials

Related to kit: Critical Thinking & Health: Nutrition and TV Commercials

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Critical Thinking and Health. Students in this video decode the commercial "Magic Kissing Dragons" to analyze media messaging about gender.

Elementary Level: Paintings of George Washington and King George

Related to kit: Causes of the American Revolution

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Causes of the American Revolution. Students in this video decode differences in paintings of George Washington and King George.

Elizabeth Cady Staton & Susan B. Anthony: Women's Revolution

Students analyze the front page of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony's newspaper, The Revolution, for messages about purposes of media production and about historical context. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Hear Our Voices”. To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

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 Genres Through Book Covers - Lower Elementary

Students analyze book covers for messages about literary genres.

Exploring Genres Through Book Covers - Upper Elementary

Students analyze book covers for messages about literary genres and compare texts in different genres in terms of their approach to similar topics.

Exploring Terms

Critical thinking lesson teaching key vocabulary and concepts about national, ethnic, religious and linguisitc identities within the Middle East.