In this unit, students will understand where “fake news” comes from, why it exists and how they can think like fact checkers to become fluent consumers, evaluators, and creators of information. They will apply this knowledge by selecting a controversial topic to evaluate, synthesize, and analyze all aspects before sharing with a local audience.

The goal for this unit is to have students analyze a variety of sources on a current events subject of their interest, identify the different perspectives, and defend their own position.This is one lesson from a larger unit on Evaluating Media. This unit will also cover identifying credible sources, analyzing fake news and the role of propaganda, identifying the different ways news is communicated in different communities. This unit will take place in the beginning of the school year to help instill evaluative and critical thinking research skills as we discuss and explore our big ideas throughout the school year. The end goal is to have students create a digital resource for their topic that we can share out as an educational tool for others. We’ll be creating a padlet that links to all of their presentations (students will have their choice in medium, as long as it is digital) that we will share with our school community and ideally can connect and share with other schools and students. There is also a possibility of using PenPalSchools to share out final resources, but that would depend on getting approval from the district to utilize that website.

This unit explores the various ways information and ideas about climate change are presented through a variety of media. This includes the evaluation of social media posts, research into climate change issues, and an exploration of contemporary art and artists. This was designed and taught in an honors 9th grade English Language Arts Classroom by Dr. Tavia Quaid in response to student interest in climate change and to reinforce key information literacy skills.

We may be leaving out information or disregarding it because it doesn't conform with our own beliefs.  Students will learn about confirmation bias, different perspectives and how to avoid confirmation bias.  This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website, "Who Am I Online?". 

This is an essay/assignment designed for a college-level (100/200) media course focused on fake/biased news reporting. 

**The resource is published by Common Sense EducationCommon Sense Education has created the Deep Fakes and Democracy lesson plan to educate students on how misinformation influences the Democratic process. Common Sense also has a broader section on Hoaxes and Fakes in its Digital Citizenship Curriculum: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/hoaxes-and-fakes

Students examine what deepfakes are and consider the deeper civic and ethical implications of deepfake technology. In an age of easy image manipulation, this lesson fosters critical thinking skills that empower students to question how we can mitigate the impact of doctored media content. This lesson plan includes a slide deck and brainstorm sheet for classroom use.

The information revolution of the 21st century is as significant and transformative as the industrial revolution of the 19th century. In this unit, students – and by proxy their families – will learn about the challenges of our current information landscape and how to navigate them. This unit is split into four modules. These modules can be done sequentially or stand on their own, depending on students’ needs and teachers’ timeframes. In this module (1 of 4), students analyze their own use of online social media platforms and learn how filter bubbles and confirmation bias shape the content of their media environment. 

In a world of 24-hour news cycles, social media, and deep fakes it is difficult to discern what is true, what is opinion, and what is out-right false. The ability and habit of fact-checking information is increasingly important in light of recent global health crises and upcoming elections. This course will cover strategies for identifying misleading media, fact-checking news, and engaging in critical discussions about the information that we consume and share. This course is designed to dicussion-based and focused on personal reflection and practice. This course was created for the Honors Program at NC State University

Students will learn the potential costs and benefits of social media, digital consumption, and our relationship with technology as a society in the three-week lesson. This inquiry based unit of study will answer the following questions:

Essential Question: How can we use science fiction’s ability to predict the future to help humanity?

Supportive Questions 1: What predictions of future development has science fiction accurately made in the past? This can include technology, privacy, medicine, social justice, political, environmental, education, and economic.

Supportive Question 2: What predictions for future development in contemporary science fiction are positive for the future of humanity? What factors need to begin in your lifetime to make these predictions reality?

Supportive Question 3: What predictions for future development in contemporary science fiction are negative for the future of humanity? What factors need to begin in your lifetime to stop these negative outcomes?

With so many people getting their news from their social media newsfeed, how can they evaluate what is good and what might be fake?  With the help of a Youtube video on the subject, student do some evaluating.  This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website, "Who Am I Online?"

Fake News on the WebThis unit showcases lessons about Fake News, how students can learn to recongnize legitimate news stories from the fake stuff, and why recognizing the truth on the internet is so important.

In 2016, Oxford Dictionaries chose "post-truth" as the word of the year. As literacy has shifted from published hardcopy to an online landscape, it is more important than ever to engage and empower students in navigating the complicated battleground of fake news verses responsible, fact-based news. In this multi-day lesson, students will 1) examine terms associated with “fake news” and evaluate sources for their reliability and authenticity, and 2) develop a set of norms for responsible use of online news sources that spans academic and personal interaction with media.Cover image: "Fake news" by pixel2013 from Pixabay.com

The media plays an important role in how you interpret current events. The news media can use particular wording to sway public opinion. This seminar will help you build necessary skills to analyze and understand the media you consume to help you make informed decisions.StandardsCC.8.5.9-10.F: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.CC.8.5.9-10.I Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.CC.1.2.11-12.D Evaluate how an author’s point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.CC.1.2.11-12.F Evaluate how words and phrases shape meaning and tone in texts.

Indiana Standard:
7.RN.2.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what a text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
7.RN.3.3 Determine an author’s perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from the positions of others.

Common Core Standard:
Reading Standards for Informational Text Grades 6-12
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others

How does the media influence peoples’ opinion of the government during a national crisis? Students will read several articles on a current (or historical) national crisis and write an argumentative essay analyzing how the media influences the opinion of the people toward the government during a national crisis using relevant evidence from both current and historical resources.