Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Grade:

6-12

Topic:

Media Literacy

Unit:

Teaching for Tomorrow

Overview

In this lesson mini, students develop critical thinking skills to analyze how media shapes their daily lives, learn to detect bias in information sources, evaluate AI-generated images, assess the credibility of media messages, and envision the future of media technology. Through these explorations, students gain tools to identify creator intentions, recognize misinformation, understand historical contexts, and thoughtfully navigate an evolving digital landscape.

Ideas for Implementation

English

Social Studies

Digital citizenship/technology

STEAM programs

Library media

Journalism/media production

Library/information science

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

algorithm (noun): a set of rules or instructions followed by a computer to solve problems or complete tasks

assumption (noun): something that is accepted as true without proof, often influencing perception or behavior

bias (noun): a tendency to favor one perspective or outcome over others, often in a way that is unfair or unbalanced

credibility (noun): the quality of being trusted and believed in, especially in relation to information sources

critical thinking (noun): the practice of analyzing facts and ideas carefully to form a reasoned judgment

disinformation (noun): false information spread deliberately to mislead or deceive people

framing (noun): the way information is presented, which can shape how it is understood or interpreted

impact (noun): the effect or influence something has on a person or situation

manipulate (verb): to control or influence something or someone in a skillful but often unfair or dishonest way

media literacy (noun): the ability to critically access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms

misinformation (noun): false or inaccurate information, especially when shared without harmful intent

perception (noun): the way something is understood or interpreted based on individual awareness or experience

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for exploring the future of media involve real-world experiences and creative applications that help students meaningfully reflect on how media shapes society and their role within it. Here are some examples:

AI or Human Gallery: Students curate a digital or physical gallery of paired content examples (text, images, videos), one created by AI and one by humans. Visitors must guess which is which, with explanations provided afterward highlighting the detection strategies students learned in class. Note: Be sure to check with school and district policies for AI when selecting tools.

Bias Audit Challenge: Students conduct a weeklong audit of their personal media consumption, documenting examples of bias, misinformation, or manipulation techniques covered in this lesson mini. They analyze patterns in the media they consume and develop practical strategies to diversify their information sources.

Credibility Rating System: Students develop and test a practical rating system for evaluating online information based on the credibility factors explored in Activity 4. They apply their system to evaluate popular information sources used by teens and present findings through an interactive demonstration or website.

Media Evolution Timeline: Connecting to Activity 5’s future focus, students research significant changes in media over the past 50 years and create a visual timeline, or infographic, that extends 10 years into the future with evidence-based predictions. This helps students contextualize current trends within historical patterns while practicing future forecasting skills.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Activity

1:

Media All Around Us

By the end of the activity, students will be able to analyze how different types of media influence their daily lives and develop critical thinking skills to evaluate media messages by identifying creator intentions, recognizing bias, and understanding historical context.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student)

Examples of media (social media video, news article, podcast clip, photograph, printed advertisement, etc.)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will explore the world of media and reflect on the types of content they encounter every day. Begin by explaining what media literacy is—the way we understand and question the media we see, hear, and use to determine whether it’s accurate or biased, or trying to influence us.

Ask students, “What does media literacy mean to you?” Invite a few students to share, and then explain that media literacy is the ability to critically access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in various forms. It teaches us to question who created a message and why, understand how media influences our thoughts and behaviors, recognize fact from opinion, and create responsible content—essential skills for navigating today’s information-saturated digital world. Emphasize to students that this awareness is the first step in the development of strong media literacy skills.

Distribute the Media Landscape: Categories and Examples handout to each student. Ask students to read through the categories and examples silently, and to circle all types of media they engage with on a regular (almost daily) basis as a self-inventory.

Ask students to select three examples they circled on the handout. Then invite them to turn to a partner and explain why they interact with each of those types of media and what purpose it serves in their daily lives.

Give students a few minutes to discuss the following questions as a class:

What types of media do you engage with most frequently?

What role does each type of media play in your life?

How do you decide which media to trust?

Display a series of familiar media examples for students, such as an approved social media video, a news article, a podcast clip, a photograph, or a printed advertisement. Using their handouts as reference, ask students to identify which media category each example belongs to. Discuss cases where examples might overlap multiple categories, reinforcing that media classification isn’t always straightforward.

Display the Media Literacy article for the class. Read the introduction aloud, or invite a student to do it. Focus on the concept of media literacy and why it’s important to develop critical thinking skills to evaluate the flood of media messages encountered in today’s world. Emphasize two key concepts defined in the introduction:

misinformation: false content shared without intent to mislead

disinformation: intentionally deceptive content

Distribute the Media Analysis handout to the students. Ask them to choose a piece of media that recently had an impact on them, such as a news article, a social media post, or an advertisement. Ask them to think about the reaction it caused—fear, anger, happiness, curiosity, something else. Offer a quick model to set the tone—for example: “A piece of media that recently had an impact on me was a news story about wildfires in my state because it made me think about how climate change is affecting people close to home.” Have students complete Part 1 of the handout, reflecting on how that piece of media influenced their thoughts, emotions, or actions.

With the Media Literacy article still displayed, invite students to work in pairs to read through the “Basic Assumptions” section of the article on their own devices. Have students use Part 2 of their handouts to reflect on the piece of media they chose. They will apply the concepts from the article to analyze who created the content, the purpose behind it, and how social, political, and economic factors may have influenced its message. Students will then discuss their findings with their partners, examining the constructed nature of the media and its potential impact.

Have students continue working with their partners to complete Parts 3 and 4 of their handouts. First, they will read the “Development” section of the article and reflect on how the historical development of media literacy influences the piece of media they chose, considering the evolution from cultural-studies scholars to AI-generated content. Then they will read the “Different Approaches” section and decide whether they align more with the “protectionist” or “celebrationist” perspective, citing reasons for their choice.

After students complete their partner work, bring the class back together. Have students share highlights from their handouts, focusing on how media literacy has evolved and the different perspectives they explored. Encourage a few volunteers to explain whether they feel more aligned with the protectionist or celebrationist approach.

Divide the class into two groups: one representing the protectionist approach, and the other the celebrationist approach. Ask for a student volunteer to share an example from their handout to kick off the debate. Remind students:

The protectionist group will argue how the media might be harmful and why students should be shielded from its influence.

The celebrationist group will argue how the media could be engaging and educational, emphasizing the importance of students exploring media critically.

Have each group select two or three students to present their arguments, using the shared example to support their perspectives. Facilitate the debate by giving each side time to present, allowing rebuttals, and encouraging the class to ask questions or share thoughts. Afterward, invite the class to reflect on which approach seems most relevant in today’s media landscape.

To wrap up, invite students to take a few minutes to write a brief personal reflection on their experience throughout the activity (Part 5 of the handout). Ask them to focus on whether their perspective on media has changed (and, if so, how), what actions they can take to engage with media more critically, and how understanding the impact of media will influence their future consumption. Then call on a few volunteers to share their thoughts with the class, facilitating a final discussion on how these insights can be put into practice.

Differentiation and Variations

Language Scaffolds for Multilingual Learners: Provide key vocabulary lists with visual supports and translations in students’ home languages for terms such as media literacy, protectionist, celebrationist, misinformation, and disinformation. Create sentence frames for discussions and written reflections (e.g., “The creator of this media wanted to _____ because _____”). Pair multilingual learners with supportive language partners during discussions. Allow students to process complex ideas in their home languages before sharing in English. This supports student learning by reducing language barriers while maintaining high cognitive engagement with media literacy concepts.

Structured Discussion: Provide students with guided questions to help them engage deeply in discussions about the protectionist versus celebrationist approaches. Allow time for students to express their views and share insights, ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute critically. This supports student learning by providing structure for deeper analysis and thoughtful discussion.

Advanced Challenge: Students ready to extend their learning can explore digital media tools, such as social media algorithms or AI-generated content, and evaluate the influence of these tools on media consumption. Students can present their findings to the class and lead a discussion about how these tools affect media literacy. Exploring real-world media tools deepens students’ understanding and promotes critical thinking.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Observing: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Observing strategy. In this model, one teacher provides direct instruction to the entire class while the other observes student behavior and engagement to gather evidence of learning. This approach allows for detailed observation and assessment, helping identify students who need additional support or intervention. By focusing on student responses and participation, the observing teacher can ensure that the learning needs of all students are addressed and met in the activity. Research shows that targeted observation can lead to more effective intervention strategies, improving student performance.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces the media literacy activity and guides students through the handout, explaining how to reflect on their media experiences. Teacher B observes students’ responses, noting any areas that need clarification.

Media Literacy Discussion: Teacher A leads a discussion on the protectionist versus celebrationist approaches to media literacy, using the article as reference. Teacher B circulates, engaging with students to deepen their understanding and providing additional prompts if needed.

Debate Facilitation: Teacher A facilitates the debate, encouraging critical engagement with the media literacy concepts. Teacher B monitors the debate, supporting students who need help articulating their arguments. Afterward, Teacher B leads a reflection, highlighting key insights and suggesting ways to apply the learning moving forward.

Closing Reflection and Application: Teacher A leads the final reflection, guiding students in considering how their media habits and perspectives have changed. Teacher B observes students’ reflections, offering additional insights or clarification if needed, and highlighting how the concepts learned can be applied in their daily media consumption.

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Activity

2:

Exploring Bias in Information

By the end of the activity, students will be able to analyze how language and word choice can reveal bias in written communication, and practice revising statements to reflect a more balanced perspective.

30-40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will explore how the wording of a statement can influence how people understand or interpret it. Begin by writing the following statement on the board or projecting it clearly:

School lunch is always terrible, and students should pack lunch from home instead.

Let students know this statement does not represent your opinion. Instead, it serves as an example for analyzing how bias can show up in information. Emphasize that identifying bias is an important skill when examining all types of media, including news articles, social media, and everyday conversations.

Read the statement aloud, or invite a volunteer to do so. Ask students to think about this statement as they would with any piece of information they encounter in the real world. Clarify that the purpose of this activity is not to agree or disagree with the opinion, but to focus on how the message is written and what that can reveal.

Have students turn to a partner and briefly share their initial reactions, focusing on the language used and how it made them feel. Allow 2–3 minutes for discussion. Then invite a few pairs to share their observations with the class.

Guide a brief class discussion by asking the following questions:

How does this statement make you feel?

What is your initial reaction to it?

What specific words create strong emotions or reactions?

What information might be missing from this statement?

Keep the original statement visible throughout the discussion. Then distribute the Detecting Bias handout, and read aloud the four questions from Part 1:

Which words in the statement are absolute or extreme? (e.g., always, terrible)

What assumptions does the statement make about school food?

How might the author’s personal experience or opinion shape this message?

Are perspectives or facts left out? If so, which?

Invite students to quietly reflect and respond to the questions on their own.

After students complete their responses, return to the original statement as a class. Work together to revise the sentence by thinking aloud as you guide the discussion. Ask students what specific changes could be made to present a more balanced version. Encourage multiple options and ideas, without labeling any as “correct” or “better.” If students don’t raise the following questions, consider adding them to the discussion:

The word always might have an effect on how we read the sentence. Does it leave room for different experiences?

The word terrible also stands out. It’s a strong word. Does it describe everyone’s opinion, or might it reflect just one point of view?

Where the statement says, “students should pack lunch from home,” what kinds of assumptions does the statement’s author make about what students can or should do?

What small changes could help to make the statement more neutral? How could we keep the main idea but write it in a way that considers more perspectives? What would that sound like?

Tell students that they will try this process again, in Part 2 of the handout, but this time in small groups and with new topics. Organize students into groups of three or four. Assign each group a different statement from the list below (or others you choose). You may give the same statement to more than one group or provide alternatives depending on your class size and time:

Video games are completely useless and waste everyone’s time.

Social media is the best way to stay connected with friends and family.

Homework should be banned because it’s always stressful and never helpful.

Everyone should play sports because it’s the only way to stay healthy.

Reading books is boring, and no teenager actually enjoys it.

School uniforms are perfect and solve all dress code problems.

Tell students their task is to use the four analysis questions from Part 2 of the handout to examine their assigned statement. Then, in their groups, they will reframe the statement by removing biased or emotionally charged language and presenting a more neutral, balanced version. Encourage students to consider whose voices are represented, what assumptions are made, and how shifting the language affects the tone.

Once groups finalize their revised statements, ask each group to share the original and revised versions with the class. After each group presents, invite the rest of the class to reflect on the following questions:

Does the new version offer a more balanced perspective?

In what ways did changing the language affect how the message is understood?

To wrap up, invite students to reflect on their discoveries. Prompt discussion around how identifying bias helps them interpret media and other sources of information more thoughtfully. Ask:

How can recognizing bias help you better understand the messages you see and hear?

In what ways might these skills be useful when reading the news, viewing posts online, or talking with others?

Differentiation and Variations

Language Scaffolds for Multilingual Learners: Provide a vocabulary bank with key terms (bias, neutral, assumption, perspective, reframe) along with visual examples and sentence starters such as “This statement shows bias because…” or “A more neutral way to say this would be….” This scaffolding helps multilingual learners to participate meaningfully in discussions while building academic language skills.

Bias Detection: Create a bias detection checklist with concrete questions like “Does this statement use words that make you feel angry or excited?” and “Does this statement say ‘always’ or ‘never’?” This structured approach breaks down the complex skill of bias detection into manageable, observable steps.

Multimedia Analysis: Have students analyze the same topic across multiple media formats (newspaper headline, social media post, TV news chyron, podcast title) to identify how bias appears differently in various platforms. This challenges students to apply their skills across contexts and develop deeper media literacy awareness.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Assisting: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Assisting strategy. In this model, one teacher leads the activity while the other circulates, assisting individual students as needed. This ensures that when students encounter difficulties, they receive immediate help in the form of personalized support and answers to their questions. By addressing students’ unique needs and keeping them on track, this approach enhances individual learning experiences and fosters a supportive classroom environment. Studies indicate that immediate feedback and individualized attention can significantly enhance student understanding and retention of material.

Activity Introduction: The lead teacher introduces the day’s objective: exploring how language can influence interpretation and reveal bias. The assisting teacher circulates to check for understanding and supports students who need help connecting the goal to prior knowledge.

Analyzing the Sample Statement and Class Discussion: The lead teacher displays and reads aloud the sample statement: “School lunch is always terrible, and students should pack lunch from home instead.” The teacher prompts students to reflect on the emotional tone and possible bias, guiding a whole-class discussion with questions such as “What words stand out?” and “What is missing?” The assisting teacher circulates during partner and whole-class discussions to clarify instructions, encourage participation, and provide scaffolding for students who need help articulating their ideas or identifying biased language.

Detecting Bias Part 1: The lead teacher distributes or projects the Detecting Bias handout and reads the four analysis questions aloud. Students independently analyze the original statement using the handout and then come together as a class to collaboratively revise the statement, with the lead teacher guiding the discussion and modeling how word choices affect tone and perspective. The assisting teacher supports students during independent work by rephrasing questions, offering examples, or helping identify biased language, and continues to assist during the revision by recording student suggestions, redirecting off-track responses, and ensuring all students remain engaged and understand the process.

Detecting Bias Part 2: The lead teacher explains the small-group task: analyzing a new biased statement and then collaboratively rewriting it in a neutral tone. The assisting teacher supports group formation and moves among groups to answer questions, mediate disagreements, and ensure the analysis is on track.

Group Presentations: The lead teacher facilitates presentations, prompting each group to share their original and revised statements. The assisting teacher manages classroom behavior, ensures visibility of each group’s work, and may prompt audience members to reflect using guiding questions.

Wrap-Up and Reflection: The lead teacher guides students through a reflective discussion on the value of identifying bias and how this skill applies to media, conversations, and daily life. The assisting teacher takes note of key insights and helps prompt quieter students to share takeaways or connect the lesson to their own experiences.

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Activity

3:

Can You Spot the AI?

By the end of the activity, students will be able to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to the creation of media and evaluate the impact of AI-generated content on perception and interpretation.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that today’s activity will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) connects to the media and images they encounter daily. Explain that AI can create content like images, videos, and text, and that this content may sometimes appear indistinguishable from what a person might produce. Clarify that the goal of this activity is to practice evaluating information thoughtfully, not to decide whether AI is good or bad.

Begin by broadly defining AI as technology designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Ask students to consider the following open-ended question:

How might AI affect the way we understand or interpret what we see in media?

Give students a moment to reflect on this question individually. Then invite them to turn and talk with a partner to share their thinking. After a few minutes, ask for volunteers to share their thoughts with the class. Use their ideas to highlight that recognizing AI’s role in media is part of developing media literacy.

Distribute a Getting to Know AI handout to each pair and tell them they will continue working with their partner. Display the Spotting AI: Knowing How to Recognise Real vs AI Images article for the class. Show the first five image sets, each containing one real and one AI-generated image. After each set, ask students to decide which image they believe is real and which is AI generated. They should record their answers and reasoning in Part 1 of the handout, focusing on visual clues such as lighting, texture, or composition. Once all pairs are ready, reveal the correct answers. If a group’s answer is incorrect, invite them to reflect on what influenced their decision and how they might refine their approach.

After reviewing the first five sets, invite a few partner groups to share how they made their choices. Facilitate a short discussion for each group, asking the class what visual details they also noticed. Capture common observations or strategies on the board to build a list of helpful techniques for analyzing images.

Have students revisit one AI-generated image set. Part 2 of the handout asks them to consider how that image might be used to shape interpretation or public opinion. Encourage students to examine elements such as color, facial expression, and composition, and to reflect on how these might influence perception, even unintentionally.

Share two examples of how AI-generated images might be used in different contexts. One example might involve creating visuals for abstract scientific concepts. Another could involve modifying an image to suggest something misleading. Present these as illustrations, not endorsements, to support students’ analysis.

Introduce the Artificial Intelligence: Searle, John and Turing, Alan video. Briefly explain that Searle and Turing each proposed important ideas about how AI might simulate or represent thinking. Let students know the video will offer an overview of two different perspectives.

After viewing the video, students will complete Part 3 of the handout with their partners. They will reflect on the Turing Test and the Chinese Room argument by answering one question about each theory, exploring the distinction between simulating intelligence and actual understanding.

In Part 4, students will choose a real-world example of AI technology they have used or encountered, such as a virtual assistant or an AI art tool. They will describe what the AI does, why it may seem intelligent, and whether they think it learns or relies on preprogrammed behavior. Invite several groups to share their examples. After each one, ask the class to consider how the example might influence the way people interact with or interpret technology.

To wrap up the activity, return to the Spotting AI article and display the remaining five image sets. As you scroll through each one, invite students to call out whether they believe each image is real or AI generated as a quick, fun challenge. Time permitting, invite volunteers to briefly explain the visual clues that led to their choices. Keep this section active and fast paced to reinforce earlier observations and strategies. Then end with a class reflection. Ask students to share one new insight or skill they gained related to evaluating AI-generated media, using prompts like “Who created this image?” “What is its purpose?” or “What’s left out?” to support discussion. Emphasize that thoughtful observation and questioning help us navigate media with greater awareness and care.

Differentiation and Variations

Language Scaffolds for Multilingual Learners: Create “AI Media Detective” reference sheets with visual examples, key vocabulary, and student-friendly definitions in both English and students’ home languages. Strategically pair multilingual learners with supportive peers and allow initial discussions in their preferred language before transitioning to English responses. Display sentence frames on anchor charts to support participation and offer multiple ways to demonstrate understanding, including visual representations and voice recordings alongside written work.

Independent Research: For more advanced students, allow the option to explore AI-generated media beyond the provided examples, such as deepfakes or AI-created videos. This will help deepen their understanding of the role AI plays in media manipulation and misinformation.

Real-World Connections: Help students apply their learning to the media they consume daily, such as virtual assistants, recommendation algorithms, or social media content. This will provide context for understanding how AI shapes the media they encounter and how to critically engage with it.

Collaborative Teaching

Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching,” both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly. This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces the lesson by explaining that students will explore how AI influences the media they encounter, including the ways it can create realistic images, videos, or text. Teacher A emphasizes that the focus is on developing observation and evaluation skills. Teacher B supports by addressing any clarifying questions and offering brief, neutral context on how AI technologies are used to generate content.

Image Analysis and Group Work: Teacher A guides students through viewing real and AI-generated image sets, encouraging them to look for visual clues and record their thinking. Teacher B circulates to support partner groups, offering guiding questions and helping students articulate their reasoning without revealing answers.

Discussion Facilitation: Teacher A leads a class discussion on strategies students used to distinguish the images, prompting them to share the visual details that informed their decisions. Teacher B extends the discussion by encouraging students to consider how image features might influence perception or interpretation, helping surface deeper analysis.

Critical Thinking and Reflection: Teacher A introduces the Turing Test and Chinese Room argument, explaining each concept as a perspective on how AI might simulate or reflect intelligence. Students are encouraged to discuss how these theories relate to what they have observed. Teacher B supports reflection by helping students connect these ideas to their own examples of AI use, asking neutral questions that promote analysis.

Student Sharing and Analysis: Teacher A invites groups to present real-world AI examples, facilitating a conversation around how these technologies might influence media consumption or user behavior. Teacher B offers feedback and guides students to think critically about what makes these technologies appear intelligent, and whether they represent learning or preprogrammed behavior.

Wrap-Up and Reflection: Teacher A leads a concluding discussion where students reflect on key strategies they learned for evaluating AI-generated content. Prompts encourage students to consider authorship, intent, and the elements that shape interpretation. Teacher B helps reinforce these insights by asking students how they might apply these skills in everyday media experiences.

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Activity

4:

Media Credibility Challenge

By the end of the activity, students will be able to evaluate the credibility of media content by identifying specific signs of misinformation and applying critical thinking strategies to analyze the information they consume.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will explore how to recognize credible information and identify signs of misinformation—an essential part of media literacy. Begin by writing these two terms on the board:

misinformation (noun): false or inaccurate information, especially when shared without harmful intent

disinformation (noun): false information spread deliberately to mislead or deceive people

Explain that while both terms involve false information, the key difference is intent—misinformation spreads through error, while disinformation spreads through deliberate deception. Both are harmful to public discourse and critical thinking.

To illustrate this concept, write the following example on the board or display it digitally: “New Study Finds Eating Chocolate Improves Memory by 70%!” Ask students to take a moment to think about this headline, then lead a brief discussion using questions such as the following:

Would you believe this if you saw it online?

What makes it sound convincing, or suspicious?

Why might someone share this, even if it turns out to be false?

Would this be an example of misinformation or disinformation? How could you tell?

What questions would you ask before believing or sharing this headline?

How might your personal feelings about chocolate affect how you respond to this headline?

Explain that this type of eye-catching headline is often how misinformation spreads. Today’s activity will help students look more critically at the media they consume and learn how to identify what’s trustworthy and what’s not.

Distribute the Break the Fake handout to each student. Let students know this guide will help them track their thinking throughout the activity and respond to key ideas as they explore media credibility. Review the handout briefly to ensure students understand its structure and how to complete it.

Display and play the Know About Fake News Propaganda and How to Sort Fake News from the Real video for the class, asking students to respond to the questions in Part 1 of their handout as they watch. Consider pausing at key points to allow students time to process and record their thoughts.

After the video, lead a whole-class discussion to review key takeaways and check for understanding. Invite a few students to share something they wrote on their Break the Fake handouts—such as a reason fake news is created, a strategy for spotting it, or why it’s important for readers to stay alert. Use the discussion to reinforce that media literacy means actively questioning the information we come across, especially when it’s designed to grab attention or influence opinion.

Display the News Literacy article and scroll down to the section titled “Spotting False Information.” This portion explains how to recognize false or misleading content in news and online media. Explain that news literacy is the ability to critically evaluate news and information, and that it’s a key part of media literacy—the broader skill of analyzing all types of media and how it influences our thinking. Read the article together as a class, pausing to define key terms, such as misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories, and answer questions.

Divide the class into groups of two or three students, and assign each group one visual from the article. Ask groups to study their assigned visual and discuss what it shows, how it could mislead someone, and why it fits into a category of misinformation covered in the article. Provide guiding questions to focus their analysis, such as the following:

What message is the visual trying to convey?

What specific techniques or language might mislead someone?

Which type of misinformation (e.g., false context, fabricated content, conspiracy language) best describes this visual, and why?

Instruct each group to use terms and concepts from the reading (e.g., false context, fabricated content, conspiracy language) as they analyze their assigned visual. Give groups time to take notes and prepare a brief explanation of their visual (in Part 2 of their handout), using evidence from the article to support their thinking.

Bring the class back together, and invite each group to share what they discovered about their assigned visual. Consider establishing a time limit of 2–3 minutes per group to ensure all groups have time to present. Encourage students to be creative in how they present—options might include acting out how someone might be tricked by the image, narrating the breakdown like a news segment, or walking the class through the visual as if teaching a fact-checking strategy. As each group presents, prompt the class to listen for connections between the examples—common tactics, emotional hooks, or signs of manipulation. If helpful, record key terms and patterns on the board to reinforce shared learning.

Ask students to return to their Break the Fake handout and transition to a final reflection and wrap-up based on what they’ve learned (Part 3). Prompt them to write a short response explaining one way they plan to approach media differently after this activity. This could include something they’ll do before sharing a post, how they’ll check for accuracy, or a red flag they’ll now look out for. Let students know this reflection is about applying their learning to their real media habits—thinking critically about what they read, watch, and believe. Invite a few volunteers to share their takeaways with the class.

Differentiation and Variations

Media Literacy Glossary for Multilingual Learners: Provide a reference sheet with key terms (misinformation, disinformation, fabricated content) in English and students’ home languages, with visual examples for each concept. Allow multilingual learners to annotate their analysis first in their preferred language before transferring to English for the presentation.

Extended Exploration: Encourage advanced students to find a real-world example of misinformation online and explain how it connects to one of the tactics discussed in class. This promotes deeper critical thinking and media literacy application.

Interactive Fact-Check Challenge: Transform the analysis portion into a timed “fact-check challenge” in which student teams compete to identify the type of misinformation and its potential impact on readers. Award points for accuracy, thoroughness of analysis, and creative solutions for how consumers could verify the information. This gamified approach increases engagement while reinforcing key media literacy skills.

Collaborative Teaching

Alternative Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to an Alternative Teaching strategy. In this model, one teacher instructs most of the class while the other works with a small group of students who need specialized attention or remediation. This provides targeted instruction for students who need extra help, ensuring they can keep up with their peers. It also allows for enrichment activities for advanced students, addressing diverse learning needs and ensuring that all students receive the appropriate level of challenge and support. Studies have shown that differentiated instruction significantly benefits students who have varied learning needs, leading to more equitable educational outcomes.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces the activity, explaining that students will explore how to recognize credible information and spot misinformation in the media they encounter every day. Teacher B supports students by clarifying key terms such as misinformation and disinformation and encouraging students to share examples of unbelievable or suspicious headlines they’ve seen online.

Video and Handout Work: Teacher A plays the Know About Fake News Propaganda and How to Sort Fake News from the Real video and prompts students to complete Part 1 of the Break the Fake Handout as they watch. Teacher B moves around the room offering clarification, checking for understanding, and supporting students who need help interpreting video content or responding to the prompts.

Article Reading and Visual Setup: Teacher A reads aloud the “Spotting False Information” section of the News Literacy article, pausing to define key terms and unpack examples. Teacher B reinforces definitions, checks for comprehension, and previews the visual analysis portion to help students prepare for group work.

Student Sharing and Analysis: Teacher A facilitates group presentations, encouraging students to be creative and clearly explain their visuals and analyses to the class. Teacher B prompts students to identify shared tactics or patterns across groups and records key terms on the board to reinforce whole-class learning.

Wrap-Up and Reflection: Teacher A asks students to complete the final reflection in Part 3 of their Break the Fake Handout, explaining how they will apply what they learned to their real-life media habits. Teacher B supports students as they write and invites a few volunteers to share their takeaways with the class.

Reality Check: Media Literacy for a Changing World

Activity

5:

Envisioning Digital Futures

By the end of the activity, students will be able to analyze how media trends may evolve over time, predict potential impacts of emerging technologies on information sharing, and develop strategies to navigate a changing digital landscape.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Blank paper (one sheet per student pair)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Begin by acknowledging that discussions about future technology and media involve speculation that may be influenced by our current perspectives, biases, and limitations in foresight. Remind students that throughout history, predictions about media and technology have ranged from remarkably accurate to completely mistaken, and that today’s activity encourages creative thinking while recognizing these limitations.

Tell students that during today’s activity they will explore how media might change over the next 10 years and consider what skills, habits, or mindsets they’ll need to keep up. Begin by asking, “What do you think media will look like a decade from now?” Encourage students to think broadly—this could include changes in technology, how people share information, or new challenges such as AI-generated content or misinformation. Write students’ ideas on the board to create a collaborative brainstorm and get them thinking about the future of media from multiple angles.

Display the Idea Web graphic organizer for the class. Explain that this handout will help them explore how a media-related topic might change in the future. Walk through a specific example as a class. For instance, in the top box, write “AI-generated news.” Then model how to complete the next layer by adding related ideas such as “credibility concerns,” “speed of content creation,” and “impact on journalism jobs.” Continue by adding a few sample thoughts in the final layer, such as a prediction, a potential challenge, or a question for each branch. Emphasize that the goal is for students to stretch their thinking and explore different angles of a single topic.

Ask students to find a partner. Distribute one Idea Web graphic organizer to each pair. Consider providing a list of possible topics students might explore, such as deepfakes, social media algorithms, influencer culture, bias in news reporting, data privacy in media, virtual reality news experiences, or citizen journalism. Instruct the student pairs to choose a media-related topic they believe will be important in the future and write it in the center box. In the final layer, they expand on each of those ideas by adding predictions, challenges, examples, or connections. Let students know that this is a thinking tool designed to help them explore multiple angles of a single topic through conversation and collaboration. Circulate and check in with pairs, posing questions to help them deepen their analysis when needed.

Ask each pair to choose one idea from their completed Idea Web graphic organizer and create a “Future Snapshot” that imagines how this idea might appear 10 years from now. It can be a headline, a social media post, a protest sign, an ad slogan, or a news alert—written in fewer than 50 words and visually engaging. Snapshots should reflect both potential benefits and challenges. Distribute blank paper to the student pairs, and give them time to create their snapshots on paper.

Tell students it’s time to see the future! Post each Future Snapshot around the classroom. Consider numbering the snapshots for easy reference during discussion. Once all snapshots are displayed, invite students to walk around and take a close look at the different visions their classmates imagined. As they take their gallery walk, they can try to guess which media topic inspired each snapshot. After the walk, ask a few partner groups to briefly present their snapshots and explain the ideas they were based on.

Bring the class back together, and lead a discussion using the Future Snapshots as a starting point. Ask, “What themes or patterns did you notice across the snapshots? Were any surprising or thought provoking?” Choose one or two snapshots to model deeper analysis for the class—for example: “This one shows a fake news broadcast. What media topic do you think it’s connected to? What might this snapshot be saying about the future of information?” Encourage students to share their interpretations and make connections to their own thinking from earlier in the activity. Ask students to consider which potential future developments they find most concerning and what skills or knowledge they might need to navigate these changes effectively.

To wrap up, give each student a copy of the What Stuck with You? exit ticket. Let them know this is a chance to reflect on what stood out to them, what they feel confident about, and what they’re still thinking through. After students complete the exit ticket independently, bring the class back together for a brief Q&A to revisit key ideas and close out the learning. Remind students that while predicting the future is challenging, developing adaptable thinking skills and maintaining a critical approach to media will serve them well regardless of how technology evolves.

Differentiation and Variations

Future Media Vocabulary Bank for Multilingual Learners: Provide a visual reference sheet with key media and technology terms in both English and students’ home languages. Include images and simplified definitions alongside sentence frames for discussions (e.g., “I predict that ___ will change because ___”). Allow multilingual learners to draft ideas in either language before finalizing their Future Snapshots.

Collaborative Thinking Support: Allow students to generate ideas for the Idea Web graphic organizer through small-group discussion before completing the organizers in pairs. This supports students who benefit from verbal processing and collective brainstorming.

Media Future Debate Forum: Transform the gallery walk into a structured debate in which student pairs present opposing views on whether their imagined future media development would be mostly beneficial or harmful to society. Each pair prepares brief arguments for both positions, forcing students to consider multiple perspectives and potential consequences of emerging media technologies.

Collaborative Teaching

Activity Introduction: The lead teacher introduces the activity, explaining that students will explore how media might change in the next 10 years and consider what skills or habits will help them stay informed. The assisting teacher supports the brainstorm by recording students’ ideas on the board and encouraging contributions that reflect a range of media experiences.

Idea Web Modeling: The lead teacher displays the Idea Web graphic organizer and walks the class through a sample topic. The assisting teacher helps clarify the organizer’s structure, defines key terms, and invites students to contribute to parts of the model to check understanding.

Partner Work on Idea Webs: The lead teacher explains the task and gives students time to complete the organizer in pairs. The assisting teacher circulates to support pairs who need help expanding their thinking or organizing their responses.

Snapshot Creation: The lead teacher introduces the Future Snapshot activity and shares a few example formats. The assisting teacher checks that each pair has selected a focused idea from their web and offers support as they begin writing or sketching.

Gallery Walk: The lead teacher prompts students to post their snapshots and leads the walkthrough. The assisting teacher encourages students to ask questions, make observations, and identify connections between snapshots.

Class Discussion: The lead teacher facilitates a whole-class conversation to explore themes that emerged during the gallery walk. The assisting teacher builds on students’ responses, reinforces key concepts, and supports students who may need help articulating their thinking.

Wrap-Up and Exit Ticket: The lead teacher distributes the What Stuck with You? exit ticket and explains the purpose of reflecting on today’s activity. The assisting teacher supports students as they write and helps facilitate the closing Q&A.

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