Scientific misinformation abounds online. Improve students’ ability to evaluate scientific information on the internet with these curricular materials. These lessons and tasks can be used in a variety of subject areas, but we’ve compiled this group of materials specifically for science educators because they present students with science-related sources.
Civic Online Reasoning for the History Classroom
Historical misinformation abounds online. Improve students’ ability to evaluate historical information on the internet with these curricular materials. These lessons and tasks can be used in a variety of subject areas, but we’ve compiled this group of materials specifically for history educators because they present students with history-related sources.
How2Internet: Use Media Literacy Skills to Navigate the Misinformation Highway
Students will use media literacy skills to navigate through the perils of the land of online misinformation with the Teen Fact Checking Network, and then analyze their own social media platforms to see if they may be stuck in an echo chamber.
Decoding Media Bias
Students will examine where people in the U.S. get their news, how news selection amplifies one’s political views, and how media organizations decide to cover stories.
Protecting the Independence of the Judiciary from Disinformation
Disinformation threatens the independence of the judiciary. In this lesson, students will analyze and find examples of disinformation as it relates to; bots, ads, sock puppets, memes, and inauthentic domains. After understanding the types of disinformation, students will read Chief Justice Roberts’s 2019 End of Year Report to find out the power of disinformation and
Marbury v. Madison, The Empowerment of the Judiciary – Video
Marbury v. Madison (1803) is the landmark decision that established the principle of judicial review. But the facts behind the case are complicated and often confusing to students, especially the part about original jurisdiction. This 15-minute video tells the story of Marbury in a clear and straightforward way. It uses period images—portraits and newspaper headlines—as
Getting Started with Civil Discourse
This unit provides lesson plans to help teachers cultivate respectful and constructive discussions among students in the classroom, promoting critical thinking, empathy, and effective communication skills.
Choice Board: U.S. Presidents and the Press
Throughout history, U.S. presidents have carved out their relationships with the press. In this lesson, students will hear from author and historian Harold Holzer as he discusses how several presidents, from George Washington to Donald Trump, navigated their interactions with the media and implemented strategies to communicate with the press, some of which are still used today.
Bell Ringer: Activist Lilli Vincenz
Charles Francis, president of the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., talks about the life of Lilli Vincenz and her contributions to the gay rights movement.
History of Political Polling in the United States
This lesson features the history of political polling in the United States going back to the 19th century and the development and use of polling since then.