This unit introduces students to the purpose and practice of media literacy. It includes pre- and post-visit activities designed to bracket the Believe It or Not? ED Class ( The activities also can be done independent of a visit to the Newseum.) Students will come to understand why not all information is trustworthy and how to differentiate the good from the bad. They practice using a set of tools – the consumer’s questions – to deconstruct and evaluate information sources.
Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits, and its Newseum Institute serves as a forum for First Amendment study, exploration and education. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum.
Featured Resources
Choose the News
This unit guides students as they explore how the news is chosen, becoming more informed and critical news consumers as they deepen their understanding of the process by which the free press operates.
From Provocative to Productive: Teaching Controversial Topics
Get first steps for creating a respectful yet vibrant environment for students to explore diverse ideas on controversial topics, from politics to profanity, religion to racism. Four guidelines and a debate leader checklist provide a foundation for those seeking to steer productive conversations about controversial subjects.
Getting Counted: Is the system fair?
Throughout U.S. history, Americans have silently stewed and actively protested that presidential elections are unfair and fixed against them. Do they have a point?
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand why people are critical of the political process.
EXPLORE THE DEBATE: Do all voters have an equal voice in American democracy?
Election 2016: Chaotic Conventions Debate
SUMMARY: Students use a case study to debate the efficacy of our system for electing a president.
OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the purpose of party conventions, how they have evolved and their impact on the candidates and the electorate.
1. Ask students what they know about the bumpy road from presidential candidate to party nominee. What steps and events do contenders have to go through?
2. This case study is one of four in the Election Procedures section of the EDCollection that covers: declaring candidacy, competing in primaries and caucuses, being nominated at the national convention, and the final weeks of wooing voters before the general election.
Election 2016 Case Study: Entering the Race
In 2016, 22 people led the field of Republicans and Democrats running for president. They were joined by about 1,800 third-party, fringe and joke candidates. But is this field as open as it seems?
Election 2016 Case Study: Campaign Trail Theatrics
Running for president is a lot like putting on a show. As candidates tour across the country, they stage carefully choreographed events in hopes of impressing voters.
Election 2016 Case Study: Chaotic Conventions
National conventions are supposed to be a show of party power and solidarity, but there’s always the potential for dissent. Too many internal clashes lead parties to worry about their chances for victory in November.
Election 2016 Case Study: Entering the Race
In 2016, 22 people led the field of Republicans and Democrats running for president. They were joined by about 1,800 third-party, fringe and joke candidates. But is this field as open as it seems?
Election 2016 Case Study: Getting Counted
Throughout U.S. history, Americans have silently stewed and actively protested that presidential elections are unfair and fixed against them. Do they have a point?
