2016 Balancing Facebook Viewpoints

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding Blue Feed/Red Feed posts about the outcome of the 2016 election for sources, bias and interpretation.

2016 Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding videos about the candidacies of Shirley Chisholm and Hillary Clinton for message, historical context, target audience and technique.

2016 Campaigning Leading to Fear

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding website images and text from articles about the suggestion that Donald Trump's candidacy causes fear among students for message, sourcing, credibility and bias.

2016 Constructing Candidate Biography

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton film biographies for messages, point of view and target audience.

2016 Ensuring Voting Rights

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding news videos about voting rights for message, point of view, credibility and bias.

2016 Explaining the Result

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding TV news clips explaining the outcome of the 2016 election for point of view, credibility and interpretation.

2016 Meaning in Memes

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding memes about the 2016 election for the impact of social media forms and interpretation.

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.

2016 Satirizing Women Candidates

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding political cartoons about the Hillary Clinton and Victoria Woodhull campaigns for message, historical context and purpose.

2016 Targeting Messages on Immigration

Media literacy and critical thinking activity decoding two Donald Trump speeches on immigration for message, target audience and rhetorical technique.

6 Key Concepts in Media Analysis

Key concepts to be aware of to practice critical thinking when evaluating media messages.

A Deeper Sense of Literacy

Related to kit: Media Constructions of War: A Critical Reading of History

Basic principles and best practices for using a curriculum-driven approach are described, with specific examples from social studies, English/Language arts, math, science, health, and art, along with methods of assessment used to address effectiveness in the classroom. By Cyndy Scheibe, American Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 48 No. 1, September 2004.

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 Media Chronology

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson about Dr. King's public accomplishments and their representation in the media.

A Native American Views Immigrants Editorial Cartoon

Students analyze an editorial cartoon for messages about who is an immigrant and about the use of irony in editorial cartoons. 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.

A Pair of Portraits

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson comparing portraits of George Washington and King George.

A Revolution in Iran

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson reviewing the history of U.S./Iranian relations by analyzing Time magazine covers.

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.

Abolitionist Tactics for Freedom

Students analyze a poster warning of slave catchers and a lithograph print of Henry "Box" Brown who successfully escaped from enslavement for messages about abolitionist organizing tactics and about target audience for abolitionist media messages. 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.

Abolitionist Trading Cards

Students analyze abolitionist trading cards for messages about the nature of identity and family under enslavement and about the creation of creative media forms to oppose slavery. 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.

Abortion Rights: What does the Button Say?

Students analyze six buttons for messages about pro-choice and pro-life arguments and about buttons as a media form designed to persuade. 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.

Activity Name 1

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students decode (name the media document type) for messages about (name the core content information or literacy skills).

Additional Practice Videos for First Grade

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.

Additional Practice Videos for Kindergarten

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.

Advertiser's Power of Persuasion - Animals

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.

Advertiser's Power of Persuasion - Fruits & Vegetables

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.

Advertiser's Power of Persuasion - Water

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.

Advertising Targeting LGBTQ Consumers

Students analyze an advertisement for messages about LGBTQ consumers as a target group for advertisers and about LGBTQ affirmative symbols. 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.

African Money

Media literacy and critical thinking lesson analyzing messages about African countries by examining images in currency.

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.

After War Begins

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.

After the War: Civil Rights

Students analyze two posters from the mid-1940s for messages about the origins of the civil rights/Black freedom movement and about historical context. This simple decoding activity has been taken from a larger lesson with many slides titled “Challenging White Supremacy." To access this lesson, type the title with quotes into the PLS keyword search bar.

Ageism in Advertising: Promoting or Countering Stereotypes?

Students analyze television commercials for messages about stereotypes and counter-stereotypes of elders.

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.

Alchemist or Chemist? Two Painters' Views

Students analyze images of paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries for messages about early chemists and about why someone might pay to commission paintings. 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.

All You Need is Love: The Beatles in Music and Film

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.

Am I Not a Man and a Brother?

Students analyze an anti-slavery graphic image from 1850 and a 2009 Google image search return for "Abolition of Slavery" for messages about the nature of enslaved Africans and about the resonance of iconic abolitionist imagery. 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.

America: Through Music Videos

Students analyze excerpts from music videos about America for messages about identity, media forms and historical and cultural context.

American Rifleman: Message Shifting Over Time

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.

An Assessment of Student Critical Thinking Skills

This describes a high school level assessment of media literacy and metacognitive skills in which students examine a YouTube video, excerpts from an opinion article, and a webpage screenshot about GMOs and answer questions about media messages, authorship, purpose, bias, credibility and how the students’ own biases impact their analysis.

Analyzing the Roots of Terrorism

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.

Ancient Chemists - Anasazi Basketmaker & Mimbres Potter

Students analyze images of an Anasazi woven basket and a Mimbres ceramic bowl for messages about chemistry in ancient media forms. 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.

Ancient Egypt - Ancient Media?

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.

Ancient Nubia & Ancient Egypt: What’s the Story?

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.

Animals and Images: What do you See?

Students analyze different types of images for messages about image forms and about reptiles, amphibians and dinosaurs.

Anti-Chinese Labor Party Poster

Students analyze an 1879 anti-Chinese labor party poster for messages about Chinese immigrant workers and about racism in the early labor movement. 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.

Anti-Semitism: Then and Now

This is a media literacy and critical thinking activity in which students analyze a poster, a tweet and an editorial cartoon for messages about anti-Semitism.

Anti-Suffrage Editorial Cartoon

Students analyze an anti-suffrage cartoon for messages about point of view and pro-suffrage tactics. 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.

Anti-Suffrage Media Forms and Arguments

Students analyze a poster, an editorial card and a stereo card for messages about media forms used to further anti-suffrage arguments. 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.