Staying Informed

Overview

IThis lesson examines why citizens must look at news from multiple sources. Students will examine different news sources for one week and critically analyze a current issue.

Grade Levels

9 – 12

Objectives

Students will:

• list different ways citizens can stay informed about current issues;
• explain why it is important to examine news from multiple sources; and
• critically examine a current issue.

Estimated Time

Class Time: 1 day

Research Time: 1 week

Materials Needed

• E-Learning Module: Getting Involved
• Internet connection with Macromedia FLASH® enabled
• Projection device
• One piece of chalk and a chalkboard or a marker and a whiteboard
• Pencil and paper

Procedure

1. As a class, generate a list of ways citizens can stay informed about current issues. Students may say newspapers, television, radio, the Internet, magazines, or other sources. Write this list on a chalkboard or whiteboard.
2. Take a poll about which way students prefer to learn about current issues. Ask students if they think one source of information is better than another.
3. Have students answer the following questions: Do you assume that everything you read or hear about the news is completely accurate or true? Why or Why not?, How do you think different newspapers, news broadcasts, or news Web sites distinguish themselves from each other?, What are some ways in which the same events could be presented in different ways and still be considered news?
4. Use a projection device to show students the videos located under "Becoming Informed" in the Getting Involved E-Learning module. Discuss why it is important to examine issues from multiple sources.
5. Have the class create a list of current issues they are interested in. Write this list on a chalkboard or whiteboard.
6. Ask students to choose one current issue listed on the chalkboard or whiteboard. Have them learn more about this issue by examining six different news sources. You may want to refer them to the list of sources the class created. Students should examine different news sources for one week.
7. Tell students to write a paper in which they explain the issue they examined, discuss the opposing viewpoints about the issue, describe any factual discrepancies among the news sources, and discuss whether or not a particular source influenced their opinion.

Extension and Adaptation Activities

Extending the Activity

Conduct a whole class discussion about the news sources students viewed. Ask students which sources they thought were particularly reliable and why. Which sources did they think were biased?

Cross-Curricular Activity

Have the class choose five current issues that are of interest to them. Then have the class create their own newspaper that contains articles about these issues. Some students may want to write an editorial piece, but the rest of the articles should be non-biased.

Assessment

Basic Concepts and Processes

Ask your students to respond to the following requests for information and assess their knowledge of key concepts taught in this lesson.

1. List at least three different ways citizens can stay informed about current issues.
2. Why it is important to examine news from multiple sources?
3. Describe a current issue and explain how different news sources reported the issue.

Scoring Guide for Student Surveys

Elements	Possible Score	Assigned Score	Notes
Correct spelling and grammar	10
Good beginning, middle, and end	10
Explains the issue	25
Discusses opposing viewpoints about the issue	25
Describes factual discrepancies among the news sources	15
Discusses whether or not a particular source influenced his or her opinion	15

Lesson Plan Feedback

If you have suggestions for improving this lesson plan, or if you have ideas for others using the module, please let us know. We value your input. Thank you!

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