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Mini-lesson: Gerrymandering (HS)

Lesson Plan

In this Media Moment Mini-lesson, students have the opportunity to 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. By summarizing topline stories from a newspaper, news website, or television news broadcast, students evaluate if a news organization appears to be keeping watch or setting an agenda.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The student will be able to...

  • Define gerrymandering

  • Explain how gerrymandering is used to create a political advantage

  • Explain the impact of the media on monitoring and influencing government and the public sphere

  • Recognize the media acting in its roles as gatekeeper, agenda setter, and watchdog