×
<< BACK TO THE TEACH HUB

Lesson 1: Journalism

Lesson Plan

What separates journalism from other kinds of information out there? Would you know reliable reporting if you saw it? This lesson introduces students to journalistic standards and ethics. Students learn basic markers of high-standards reporting based on the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. They flex their new skills by analyzing a variety of examples to identify what reliable reporting looks like.

Web Activity Link: https://www.icivics.org/node/2518248/resource

Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!

This resource was created with support from the Raab Family Foundation.

Pedagogy Tags

Teacher Resources

Get access to lesson plans, teacher guides, student handouts, and other teaching materials.

Reliable Reporting & Journalism Lesson Plan - Journalistic Standards
Reliable Reporting & Journalism Lesson Plan - Anonymous Sources Activity
Reliable Reporting & Journalism Lesson Plan - Web Activity

Related Resources

  • Lesson Plan

    Lesson 2: Misinformation

    Misinformation? Disinformation?? Fake news??? Don't be fooled! Train your students to examine news stories for evidence of transparency and verification that will help them distinguish legitimate news from unreliable information.
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Lesson 3: Bias

    Strip the fear out of bias by showing students how to notice the word choices and framing that show up when bias is present in a news story. Students learn about methods journalists use to produce high-quality objective reporting to see how journalists address bias and present stories from neutral view points.
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Lesson 4: Opinion & Analysis

    Opinions can be cleverly disguised as news. Can you tell the difference? After completing this lesson, hopefully so! Learn to distinguish news from opinion, recognize standards of opinion journalism, determine if an opinion has merit, and more.
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Mini-Lesson A: Monetization

    Reality check: The news is a business! Help students learn how news providers monetize the news through advertisements and consider how the news/profit relationship affects journalism and news audiences.
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Mini-Lesson B: Satire

    Satirical news stories, like political cartoons, are meant to poke fun—not trick people. Help your students learn to spot satire and understand both the joke and the purpose of this news-related genre.
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Mini-Lesson C: Algorithms & You

    Do algorithms impact you? Do you even know what they are? Algorithms help bring us many of the functional products and tools we use today. This mini-lesson offers students an introductory look at how social media platforms use algorithms and how that use selectively curates the content users see. Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!
    View kami
  • Lesson Plan

    Mini-Lesson D: Privacy Policies & You

    Do you casually bypass website privacy policies? In this mini-lesson, students review key aspects of website privacy policies and learn about options they have in keeping their data safe.
    View kami
  • Game

    NewsFeed Defenders

    Fight hidden ads, viral deception, and false reporting as a NewsFeed Defender!
    View
  • Lesson Plan

    NewsFeed Defenders Extension Pack

    Make your students’ game play more meaningful with activities designed specifically for NewsFeed Defenders. This easy-to-use resource set means deeper learning for students and best practices around game-centered learning for you!
    View kami

See how it all fits together!

View Scope and Sequence