What is the media? What does it do? Students examine the types and roles of the media by taking on the role of newsmaker and agenda setter.
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This Web Activity goes with the Bias lesson in our News Literacy unit. The activity is designed to give students hands-on practice and a deeper understanding of the concepts in the lesson.
Each slide includes a link and a set of questions. Use the companion worksheet in the Bias lesson materials to give students a place to note their answers. (They can write them in the answer space on each slide, too, but there isn’t an easy way for you to download/compile those answers in My iCivics.)
Learn about unilateral presidential appointments, nominations, and the Senate confirmation process. Then investigate the role the media plays as a gatekeeper and agenda setter in the accompanying news skills-related activity.
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Students try their hand at a simplified districting exercise and learn about the common gerrymandering practices of packing and cracking districts. Students then explore the media’s traditional roles as gatekeeper, agenda setter, and watchdog in a news literacy-related activity!
First, teach students about filibusters and how and why senators use them. Next, help students develop their news literacy skills by taking a look at how news coverage of a filibuster can be transformed through neutral, positive, or negative framing.
Teach students about presidential pardons, commutations, and the limitations on these powers. What's more, students learn about fact-checking websites and how to conduct an independent web search to verify a claim.
Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!