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.
How to Fact-Check History
This lesson and its accompanying seven-minute video introduce students to a professional fact-checker, who describes the methods and processes he employs to verify information that appears in news stories. The video explains which claims can be fact-checked, and why some sources are more reliable than others. How do fact-checkers engage in analysis of contemporary and historical claims? How do we distinguish between “bad facts” and “bad narratives” when critiquing media sources? Examine the tools that fact-checkers use to identify and interrogate claims, and put those skills into practice.
Bell Ringer: Social Media and Democracy
Students learn about the effects of social media on society including the impact on civic engagement and social disintegration.
The Media and Partisanship
Hear from John Dickerson, a correspondent for 60 minutes, in an interview with Sal as he discusses how partisanship and the media has changed since the founding of the United States.
Resources for Teaching Media Literacy
Here is a curated collection of the classroom resources on media literacy that can be found at CivicsRenewalNetwork.org. Check back as more resources are added to the list. Read More ⟶