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Daily Do Now

2024-2025

For the 2025-26 school year, be sure to bookmark this new link.

The News Literacy Project

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How to use this collection

Use these 5- to 10-minute bell ringer activities to reinforce news literacy concepts and spark discussion.

Refer to the “speaker notes”* section at the bottom of the slides for educator links and instructions.

Each slide aligns with one of five primary standards from our Framework for Teaching News Literacy.

The standard alignment is included in the speaker notes.

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The News Literacy Project

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The News Literacy Project

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Table of Contents

Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4
Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8
Week 9	Week 10	Week 11	Week 12
Week 13	Week 14	Week 15	Week 16
Week 17	Week 18	Week 19	Week 20
Week 21	Week 22	Week 23

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Week 23

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Why do you think the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography was awarded to Doug Mills of The New York Times?

What does Mills capture in this series of photos?

Quality journalism

Doug Mills of The New York Times

Winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Tell students the Pulitzer Prizes are awarded each year to celebrate the best of American journalism. This example is for the category of breaking news photography, which may be a single photograph or series of photographs of an event that occurs with no advance notice and requires spontaneous coverage in the moment.
Have students review the series of images and answer the questions with a partner.
Discuss students’ responses. Tell students that the Pulitzer Prize committee for Breaking News Photography awarded the 2025 Pulitzer to Doug Mills for “a sequence of photos of the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, including one image that captures a bullet whizzing through the air as he speaks.” Say: Why is it important to have professional journalists – including photojournalists – at events that are important to the public?
Ask how many students saw the bullet in the first photo of the sequence. For any who didn’t see it, point it out. If you need a static image, use the link below.

Link:

To read more about Doug Mills and this striking and historic series of photos, explore the Pulitzer Prize page on breaking news photography: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/22680.

Extension:

Review some of the other Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists at https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year.

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Watchdog role

Which is an example of watchdog journalism?

(1 of 2)

A.

B.

The News Literacy Project

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Watchdog role

Which is an example of watchdog journalism?

(2 of 2)

A.

B.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

1. Reveal the answer: A. Say, “These stories were published by the Columbus Dispatch, a daily newspaper in Ohio. The first is an example of watchdog journalism because it shines a light on an issue of public importance and holds local restaurants accountable for health violations. The watchdog role of the press includes journalists’ efforts to monitor unjust, unlawful or questionable practices by businesses, politicians and those in power. The second story on growing interest in Italian beef isn’t watchdog journalism, but it still provides important or interesting information to readers and is an example of quality news reporting on Columbus’ local food scene.”

2. Discuss how the watchdog role of news organizations relates to press freedom and the ability of journalists to do their work without fear of retaliation. Why does one depend on the other?

Links (Note: Articles may be behind a paywall):

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2025/03/21/columbus-franklin-county-restaurant-inspections-food-spots-violations/82567549007/

Archive link

https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/dining/2025/04/12/the-bear-italian-beef-buona-restaurant-columbus-ohio/82781264007/

Archive link

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Strong evidence?

This social media post claims that melting icebergs do not cause rising sea levels.

Does this post provide strong evidence for this claim? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain why they believe this evidence is strong or not.
Reveal the answer: This is not strong evidence. Say: This post claims to show how ice cubes melting in a container of water cast doubt on climate change because the water volume doesn’t change after the ice melts. Though this visual might seem convincing, it omits important context and does not provide strong evidence for the claim. (According to a Reuters fact check, experts say the post is misleading because sea levels are mainly rising due to land-based ice falling into oceans, not ice that’s already in the water.)
Discuss: Why are posts accompanied by images or videos an effective way to spread unverified information? How could you investigate and fact-check the claim in this post? (For example, you could start by checking the comments to see if anyone calls this post into question. You could also do a quick internet search using keywords to see whether reputable news organizations have fact-checked this claim.)

Extension:

Complete the “Evaluating Evidence Online” mission on Checkology.

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Reflect

What about you?

What values and beliefs are an important part of who you are?
How might misinformation exploit these beliefs to mislead you?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students answer these questions in a notebook. (Answers might include beliefs about family, faith, nationality, political identity and social or cultural issues.)
Hold a class discussion on why we react emotionally to some topics more than others. Why would misinformation try to target emotions? What are some steps you can take to avoid being misled? (e.g., taking stock of personal beliefs, acknowledging personal biases, and slowing down when you feel yourself react emotionally to an online claim.)

Link:

Full infographic: https://newslit.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Misinfo_infographic_FINAL-11x17-2.pdf

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Week 22

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What is this flyer?

Opinion
Propaganda
News

Zone it

(1 of 2)

“Chicken Little’s hysteria about the sky falling was based on a fact that got blown out of proportion. It’s the same with global warming. There’s no hard evidence it is occurring. In fact, evidence the Earth is warming is weak.”

The News Literacy Project

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What is this flyer?

Opinion
Propaganda
News

Zone it

(2 of 2)

“Chicken Little’s hysteria about the sky falling was based on a fact that got blown out of proportion. It’s the same with global warming. There’s no hard evidence it is occurring. In fact, evidence the Earth is warming is weak.”

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer and say: This flyer is propaganda. Its main purpose is to provoke people using misinformation or distorting facts. It was part of a 1991 advertising campaign run by Informed Citizens for the Environment, a climate change denial organization created by the coal industry.
Discuss: What separates propaganda from opinion? What clues can help you determine if something is propaganda? (Possible answers: Propaganda often uses false information and inflammatory tactics to manipulate emotions, while opinions ideally use sound logic and fact-based evidence.)

Link:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/18/the-forgotten-oil-ads-that-told-us-climate-change-was-nothing

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Press freedom

See if you can rank these countries in order of greatest degree of press freedoms* to least.

*Press freedoms refer to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment.

Jamaica
Iran
United States
Norway

(1 of 2)

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Press freedom

See if you can rank these countries in order of greatest degree of press freedoms* to least.

*Press freedoms refer to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment.

Norway (1 out of 180)
Jamaica (24)
United States (55)
Iran (176)

(2 of 2)

MOST

LEAST

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the correct answers. Ask students why they chose their rankings. Say: Each year the nonprofit Reporters Without Borders ranks 180 countries from strongest to weakest in terms of their degree of press freedoms — the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment. In 2024, Norway (1) topped the index. Jamaica ranked 24, while the United States ranked 55 and Iran (176) was scored near the bottom.
Discuss: Do these rankings surprise you? Why or why not? What are some ways that press freedoms can be protected or restricted? Should journalists ever be restricted in their reporting? If so, under what circumstances would restrictions be appropriate?

Extension:

Explore the 2024 press freedom map in more detail. Have students select a country and read more about the degree of press freedoms there. Ask them to share their findings in a written response, or discuss as a class.

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Analyze the source

Read the excerpt.

What type of source is Dawn Kramer?

A. Official source

B. Expert source

C. Eyewitness source

(1 of 2)

Hint: Lacey is a township in New Jersey impacted by the wildfire. Dawn Kramer is a resident of Lacey who talked to reporters about her experience evacuating.

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Analyze the source

Read the excerpt.

What type of source is Dawn Kramer?

A. Official source

B. Expert source

C. Eyewitness source

(2 of 2)

Hint: Lacey is a township in New Jersey impacted by the wildfire. Dawn Kramer is a resident of Lacey who talked to reporters about her experience evacuating.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer and say: This is an eyewitness source. An eyewitness is someone who was present when an event happened and gives a firsthand account. While eyewitness sources can be important, they might give journalists partial or conflicting stories.
Discuss: Why would a journalist choose to quote an eyewitness source for a story about a wildfire? Who else would be important to interview for information on the fire? Why are multiple credible sources an important component of quality journalism?

Link to full story:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/23/new-jersey-wildfire-map-evacuations-updates/83226502007/

Extension:

Have students read the full story and tally up how many sources are included. What type of sources do they see (official, expert, eyewitness)?

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Verify

Read the excerpt. How could you investigate these false claims?

The News Literacy Project

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Reflect:

What about you?

Do you get mental health information on social media?
What steps can you take to make sure the information is credible?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students answer these questions in a notebook. (Answers might include doing an internet search to see what credible sources say.)
Hold a class discussion on why it’s important to fact-check health information. Why would people turn to social media as a source? When can you trust health and wellness information? What separates quality health information from less reliable content?

Link:

Full graphic: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/22/teens-social-media-and-mental-health/pi_2025-04-22_teens-social-media-mental-health_0-07/

Extension:

Complete the “Be Health Informed” lesson on Checkology to further explore how to evaluate health and wellness information.

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Week 21

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Zone it

What is this Instagram post?

A. Opinion

B. News

C. Raw information

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Zone it

What is this Instagram post?

A. Opinion

B. News

C. Raw information

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Watchdog role

In journalism, what is the watchdog role? What does it mean to serve as a watchdog?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Ask students to reflect on the questions and write their own definition for “watchdog role” in their notebooks.
Share the formal NLP definition: The watchdog role is played by any person or organization that monitors or documents the actions of others to discover deceitful, corrupt or unlawful activity. This role is often played by news organizations — for example, as they monitor and report on government offices and meetings or corporate activity — but citizens can also act as watchdogs by documenting unjust or illegal practices.
Hold a class discussion. In what ways can a free press act like a watchdog on behalf of the public? How can ordinary citizens also act as watchdogs? Can you think of any examples?

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From the copy desk

Copy editors routinely use a dictionary to see if a word is one word, two words or hyphenated. Take this quiz and see how you fare!

Freestanding or free standing
Goodnight or good night
Racecar or race car
Wishlist or wish list
A lot or alot

Nevermind or never mind
Emptyhanded, empty-handed or empty handed
Ultraviolet, ultra-violet or ultra violet

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

Per Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the bolded words are correct.

Freestanding or free standing
Goodnight or good night
Racecar or race car
Wishlist or wish list
A lot or alot

Nevermind or never mind
Emptyhanded, empty-handed or empty handed
Ultraviolet, ultra-violet or ultra violet

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Reveal the answers on the slide.

2. Ask students how they did. Were there words that they commonly picked incorrectly? Why do they think it would be important for standards-based news organizations to use dictionaries? What might a reader think if they saw a word spelled incorrectly?

3. Say: Even copy editors don’t know the spelling or hyphenation of every word, so they often turn to a dictionary. An article with misspelled words may come across as sloppy, at the least, or a reader may begin to question the article itself if it is not written well.

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Analyze

What do you think?

What opinion does this editorial cartoon express?
Do you agree with the cartoonist?
How do algorithms shape what you see online?

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Which image is a real photo?

AI or not?

(1 of 2)

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Which image is a real photo?

AI or not?

AI-GENERATED

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer and discuss as a class: Do you see any clues that indicate which photo is real and which is generated by artificial intelligence? (Sometimes, as in this example, there might not be any obvious signs.)
Explain that the rise of more convincing fake visuals created with AI technology means finding the source and context of an image is often more important than hunting for visual clues of authenticity. Any viral image that can’t be verified through a reliable source – using a reverse image search, for example – should be approached with skepticism.

Extension:

Show this NLP video (also on Instagram) on how quickly generative AI technology has advanced in generating photorealistic images and video. Discuss steps students can take to verify visuals (e.g., investigating the source, searching for credible fact checks or news coverage, doing a reverse image search, etc.).
Distribute copies of NLP’s infographic “6 things to know about AI.”

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Week 20

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(2 of 2)

1

2

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First Amendment

Fill in the blank:

The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom to petition the government and freedom to ___________ peacefully.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

Fill in the blank:

The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment are Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom to petition the government and freedom to _assemble_ peacefully.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Watch the video. Respond to the questions below.

What clues showed that this video was generated using artificial intelligence? What steps could you take to fact-check this video?

NewsLit Tips

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students watch the video and answer these questions in a notebook.
Hold a class discussion to see how many clues students could identify. (Answers: 1. The polar bear has five legs at one point in the video; 2. Its paw transforms into a furry hand; 3. The polar bear goes through a man’s arm; 4. The creator labeled the video as AI-generated.) Then discuss what steps students could take to fact-check other videos that they suspect were created using AI tools. Their answers might include checking for AI disclaimers in a content creator’s account bio, doing a quick internet search and practicing critical observation skills.

Link:

TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@newslitproject/video/7444977940510690602 (also available on Instagram).

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Consider this

The scenario:

What would you do? Use the four principles from the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics as a guide.

Would you grant these requests?
How would you explain your decision to your audience?

Imagine you are the editor of a student newspaper. Some students are asking you to remove their names from stories about pro-Palestinian protests. They say they are worried about their safety because of recent actions by immigration officials at college campuses.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the scenario and answer the questions in their notebooks.
Discuss students’ responses. How should journalists balance different ethical principles? For example, how should journalists balance their obligation to the public and reporting truth with the principle to minimize harm?

Extension:

For more about this ethical scenario, read and discuss this Nieman Reports piece: https://niemanreports.org/student-journalists-press-freedom-splc/.
For more about SPJ’s code of ethics, have students explore the additional explanations beneath each journalism principle: https://www.spj.org/spj-code-of-ethics/.

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Reflect:

Read the excerpt. Respond to the questions below.

What about you? Should schools be required to teach students about artificial intelligence? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 19

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

1

2

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

1. Reveal the answer: C. Two.

2. Say: The first ad at the top of the page is a more traditional advertisement for a Netflix series. The second ad in the bottom left corner might be harder to spot. Even though it might look like a news story, it is an advertisement paid for by the company BookBub. The main clue is the small label at the bottom that says “Sponsored.” This is an example of branded content, a type of nontraditional advertising created to resemble and blend in with other types of information, such as news.

3. Discuss: What makes some ads more difficult to identify online? Why is it important to be able to distinguish news from advertising?

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First Amendment

How is this an example where exercising one First Amendment freedom is dependent on exercising another freedom?

A church plans to hold an outdoor service in a public park.

Reminder: The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment are:

Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of the press

4. Freedom to petition government

5. Freedom to assemble peacefully

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

1. Have students reflect on this scenario in their notebooks.

2. Invite students to share out some of their responses. Ask them to explain their reasoning.

3. Reveal the answer: This scenario involves two distinct First Amendment freedoms: religion (church service) and assembly (gathering in a public park). Say: Your First Amendment rights do not stand alone – they work together to reinforce one another. Think about it this way: If you had the right to assemble, but no free speech, your freedom of assembly would be diminished because you wouldn’t be able to express yourself freely within a group. Likewise, if religion were protected, but not assembly, then how could you practice your religion with others?

4. Ask students if they can think of other examples where exercising one First Amendment right depends on exercising another.

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Headline this!

(1 of 2)

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Headline:

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:

Show the real headline from Forbes.
Discuss: What do you think of this headline? How did yours compare? Why do you think Forbes chose this headline? What makes a headline fair, accurate and engaging?
Hold a vote in your classroom on whether students would keep reading the story based on the headline. Is there another headline option they feel is more effective? Why?

Extensions:

Have students read the full Forbes story. Would they revise their headline after reading the full story? What did they find out in the story that wasn’t included in the headline? Why is it important to read the full article and not just skim headlines?
Play this short News Goggles clip (also available on Instagram) that features a news editor explaining what makes a good headline. Discuss: What are some common features in news headlines?

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NewsLit Matchup

ChatGPT	Randomized trial	False context	Ad hominem
Expert opinion	Stolen satire	False dilemma	Straw man
Google Gemini	Cohort study	Fabricated content	Dall-E
Systematic review	Claude	Imposter content	Slippery slope

Directions: Put these words into four groups of four based on which words share something in common or are connected in some way.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:�1. Share the words on the slide. Tell students it is important to know the terms for certain concepts in news literacy.

2. Give students directions: There are four sets of four words that have connections. Ask students to put these words into four groups of four words that are connected. You can provide the resources below for hints and answers.

3. Advance to the next slide to see the answer.

Resource links:

“6 things to know about AI” infographic: https://newslit.org/educators/resources/6-things-to-know-about-ai/
“Levels of scientific evidence” infographic: https://newslit.org/educators/resources/levels-of-scientific-evidence/
“In Brief: Misinformation” infographic: https://newslit.org/educators/resources/in-brief-misinformation/
“Arguments and Evidence” poster: https://newslit.org/educators/resources/arguments-and-evidence/

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ChatGPT	Google Gemini	Dall-E	Claude
Randomized trial	Cohort study	Systematic review	Expert opinion
False context	Imposter content	Fabricated content	Stolen satire
Ad hominem	Slippery slope	False dilemma	Straw man

(2 of 2)

Directions: Put these words into four groups of four based on which words share something in common or are connected in some way.

NewsLit Matchup

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Reflect:

Read the excerpt. Respond to the questions below.

What do you think? Should there be laws regulating deepfakes? Why or why not?

Deepfake: Digitally manipulated photo, video or audio that appears to show someone doing or saying something they never did.

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Week 18

The News Literacy Project

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Word Wall

What is propaganda?

Information that provokes you — often by using false or distorted information to manipulate your emotions.
Information that documents an event or trend. It has not been analyzed, checked, edited, explained or placed in any context.
Information that sells you a product or service.

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

Would the following scenario violate a person’s First Amendment rights?

Being arrested for writing an online post criticizing the government.

The News Literacy Project

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Consider this

The scenario:

What would you do? Use the four principles from the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics as a guide.

Would you report the information?
How would you explain your decision to your audience?

Imagine you are a journalist who has mistakenly been added to a top-secret group chat involving U.S. war plans. The chat contains details about an upcoming U.S. attack on a foreign country.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the scenario and answer the questions in their notebooks.
Discuss students’ responses. How should journalists balance different ethical principles? For example, how should journalists balance their obligation to the public and reporting truth with the principle to minimize harm?

Extension:

For more about this ethical scenario, read and discuss this Poynter piece by journalism ethics expert Kelly McBride: https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2025/jeffrey-goldberg-atlantic-trump-signal-war-plans-pete-hegseth-journalist-added-classified-group-chat/.
For more about SPJ’s code of ethics, have students explore the additional explanations beneath each journalism principle: https://www.spj.org/spj-code-of-ethics/.

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Spot the AI:

Can you spot the real whale among the AI-generated fakes?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the AI:

Answer: Whale #3

REAL

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the correct answer: Whale #3. Other video tips: 1) Whale #1 included a label that read “Creator labeled as AI-generated.” 2) For Whale #2, remember to look for additional context if a video seems strange or illogical. 3) A reverse image search helped verify that Whale #3 is authentic by surfacing a news article about the rescue. 4) The video of Whale #4 included a face in the background that strangely morphed into hands in the clip.
Hold a class discussion. How can you determine if an image is AI-generated or authentic?

Link:

Full NLP TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@newslitproject/video/7486206290419518762 (also available on Instagram).

Extension:

Complete the “AI or not?” classroom activity to have students consider the impact of generative AI technology on the information landscape.

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Reflect:

Do you avoid the news?

If something major happened in the world, what would you do to learn more?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students reflect on the questions and write their thoughts in a notebook.
Ask students to discuss their responses with a partner.
Poll the class: Do you try to avoid the news? Compare the class result with the results from the national survey.
Hold a class discussion: What makes people avoid the news? How can you stay credibly informed about local, national or world issues that matter to you? What sources do you turn to when something major happens in the world? How can you make sure these sources are credible?

Link:

Full report: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/journalism/documents/lims2025/lims2025.pdf

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Week 17

The News Literacy Project

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What is the primary purpose of this video?

To entertain
To persuade
To sell
To inform

Primary purpose

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Answer: To sell.

This is an advertisement for Nike featuring tennis star Serena Williams.

Primary purpose

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

True or False?

The First Amendment allows public schools to punish students who refuse to say and/or stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

False.

The First Amendment allows public schools to punish students who refuse to say and/or stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Read the excerpt and answer these questions:

In journalism, what does it mean to “act independently”?
Why would paying sources compromise a journalist’s independence and be considered unethical?

Quality journalism

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the excerpt and answer the questions in their notebooks.
Discuss student’s responses. Say: The Society of Professional Journalists is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. Although certain journalism policies vary across newsrooms, SPJ publishes a code of ethics that is commonly shared across the industry. Acting independently is one foundational principle included in SPJ’s code of ethics. In journalism, being independent means that the information news organizations produce is not subject to undue influence or conflicts of interest.

Link:

For more about SPJ’s code of ethics, explore the additional explanations beneath each journalism principle: https://www.spj.org/spj-code-of-ethics/.

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Word Wall

What is confirmation bias?

An online space in which only information that supports a given belief is shared or repeated.
The natural tendency to accept information that agrees with your beliefs and question information that conflicts with those beliefs.
The unjustified or irrational belief that there’s a cause-and-effect relationship between two events.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the correct answer: B. Confirmation bias is the natural tendency to accept information that agrees with your beliefs and question information that conflicts with those beliefs. Confirmation bias can make it extremely hard for people to change their views or beliefs about a given subject, since it causes them to treat evidence in inconsistent and unfair ways. (Note: Answer A refers to an echo chamber and answer C refers to superstition.)
Hold a class discussion. How do you react when information challenges or contradicts your personal views on a given subject? How could confirmation bias deepen divisions between people who disagree? What are some ways to guard against confirmation bias?

Extension:

Check out this infographic to learn more about cognitive biases like confirmation bias.

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Reflect:

Do you think journalists are more biased, less biased or about the same as other people who create content about current events? Why?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students answer these questions in a notebook and explain their reasoning.
Ask students to discuss their initial thoughts with a partner. They should be able to support their opinions with some explanation (answering the why).
Click to reveal the results from NLP’s teen survey, which found that 80% of teen respondents believed that journalists are more or equally biased compared to other content creators. Hold a discussion: What are some ways that news organizations minimize the influence of bias through journalism standards? Do other content creators have similar guidelines for characteristics like accuracy, fairness and verifications?

Link:

Teen survey: https://newslit.org/news-literacy-in-america/

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Week 16

The News Literacy Project

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Is this:

Opinion
News
Advertising
Propaganda
Raw information
Entertainment
Something else?

Information Type

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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This is advertising.

Information Type

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Press freedom

Read the excerpt. How could this order have a “chilling” effect on press freedoms?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the excerpt and respond to the question.
Say: Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment. This story is about a Mississippi newspaper sued by city officials for an editorial criticizing the city. A judge recently ordered the newspaper to remove the editorial from its website, raising concerns among press freedom advocates. A “chilling” effect refers to groups like journalists feeling restricted in what they can say or report out of fear of retaliation and potential legal consequences.
Hold a class discussion: How could suing newsrooms for reporting critical of government officials impact press freedom and the press’ watchdog role?

Link:

Full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/us/mississippi-judge-newspaper-editorial.html

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Is it legit?

What details offer strong clues on whether this post is legit?

Select all that apply.

The number of views.
The “Grok” watermark.
The image quality.
The lost inventory total.
The time and date.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain why they believe certain details offer strong clues on whether this post is legitimate.
Reveal the answers: B. and D. Say: This is not an authentic photograph of a Temu warehouse fire. This is an AI-generated image. AI-generated content is increasingly difficult to spot, but these images sometimes contain clues about their origins. In this case, a watermark for Grok, an AI chatbot that can also generate images, can be seen in the bottom-right corner, and there is a symbol for Grok in the upper right-hand corner. This post also uses humor and is poking fun of Temu’s low prices by noting that inventory lost in the fire only totaled $56.19. This use of humor suggests it has a purpose other than to inform and signals that it’s worth questioning the claim made in this post.
Discuss: What steps could you take to fact-check this post? How can you tell if an image is AI-generated or authentic?

Extension:

Complete this RumorGuard slide deck that features a walk-through on how to debunk this rumor.

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From the copy desk

Celebrate Grammar Day (March 4) with this question. Which sentence is correct and why?

A) If I was taller, I could reach the top shelf.

B) If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.

C) If I am taller, I could reach the top shelf.

D) If I will be taller, I could reach the top shelf.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

The correct answer is:

A) If I was taller, I could reach the top shelf.

B) If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.

C) If I am taller, I could reach the top shelf.

D) If I will be taller, I could reach the top shelf.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Say: The correct answer is B: If I were taller, I could reach the top shelf. This is a case of proper subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is a verb form used to express a wish, proposal, suggestion or a hypothetical (imagined) situation. Because this is a hypothetical situation (being taller), you would use the subjunctive mood form of the verb “was,” which is “were.” A sign of a credible, standards-based media organization is the use of proper grammar. Fun fact: National Grammar Day is always on March 4 because the founder, Martha Brockenbrough, said: “It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”

Extension: Have students read more about the subjunctive mood at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary blog: https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/getting-in-the-subjunctive-mood. Then ask students to come up with their own sentences using subjunctive mood.

Links:

Read more about National Grammar Day at this Grammar Girl page: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/national-grammar-day

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Reflect:

Do you think schools should be required to teach media literacy? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students consider if schools should be required to teach media literacy.
Ask students to discuss their initial thoughts with a partner. They should be able to support their opinions with some explanation (answering the why or why not).
Poll the class: Do you think schools should be required to teach media literacy? Yes, definitely; Yes, in some cases; or No, never.
Hold a class discussion. How does the class result compare with the national results from the News Literacy Project’s teen survey?

Link:

Teen survey: https://newslit.org/news-literacy-in-america/

Extension:

Write to a state representative or compose an op-ed sharing thoughts about whether schools should be required to teach media literacy.

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Week 15

The News Literacy Project

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Do you think the Super Bowl and other NFL playoff games are rigged? Why? What makes people vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking in the world of sports?

Reflect:

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students reflect on the questions and write their thoughts in a notebook.
Ask students to discuss their responses with a partner.
Poll the class: Do you think the Super Bowl and other NFL playoff games are rigged?
Hold a class discussion: How does the class result compare with the national results from NLP’s teen survey? What makes people vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking in the world of sports? How can you speak up when a friend shares conspiratorial beliefs that might be harmful?

Link:

Teen survey: https://newslit.org/news-literacy-in-america/

Extension:

Watch NLP’s recent webinar “Hard hits, hidden truths: How investigative journalism tackled the NFL’s concussion problem.” The webinar features a discussion with investigative journalist Jeanne Marie Laskas about her reporting on concussions in the NFL. It also covers the watchdog role of a free press. As a class, discuss the watchdog role investigative journalists play in a democracy by documenting abuses by individuals, corporations and government entities. In what ways can investigative journalism bring about social or political change?

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Ad or not?

Can you find the main clues that tell you what this post is?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Ask students: Is this Instagram post an ad?
Reveal the answer. Say: This post is an ad. Ashley Kalita is a motor racing content creator. The main clues are the “#ad” in the caption and the “paid partnership” disclosure beneath the username.
Discuss: What other words, labels, hashtags or context clues might indicate something is an advertisement? Do you think it is important for people to know when they’re encountering an ad? Why?

Extension:

Read “I’m a Gen Z journalist. My generation doesn’t know what that means.” The piece was written by a Gen Z sports journalist who covers Formula 1 motor racing. Discuss the professional standards that separate quality journalism from branded content produced by influencers. Why would teams and sponsors offer perks to journalists and content creators who cover their sport? How do conflicts of interest impact the credibility of information?
Complete the “Branded Content” lesson on Checkology.

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First Amendment

True or False?

Burning the U.S. flag is protected under the First Amendment.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

True.

Burning the U.S. flag is protected under the First Amendment.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Strong evidence?

This social media post claims to show an egg frying in a pan heated only by the sun in Arizona.

Does this post provide strong evidence for this claim? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain why they believe this evidence is strong or not.
Reveal the answer: This is not strong evidence. Say: This post claims to show how hot it can be in Arizona by frying an egg in a pan that was purportedly heated only by the sun. Though the video might seem convincing, there’s no evidence that the pan wasn’t heated by another source beforehand.
Discuss: Why are posts accompanied by images or videos an effective way to spread unverified information? How could you investigate and fact-check the claim in this post? For example, you could start by checking the comments to see if anyone calls this post into question. You could also do a quick internet search using keywords to see whether reputable news organizations have fact-checked this claim.

Extension:

Complete the “Evaluating Evidence Online” mission on Checkology.

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Analyze

What do you think?

What opinion does this editorial cartoon express?
Do you agree with the cartoonist?
How can you determine whether a news source is credible?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students analyze the cartoon and answer the questions in a notebook.
Hold a class discussion. What is the cartoonist saying about the state of our online information environment? What separates standards-based journalism from other information on social media? How can you determine whether a news source is credible?

Link:

Cartoon: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFNlx6iuWZ-/?hl=en

Extension:

As a class, review NLP’s “Is it legit? 5 steps for vetting a news source” infographic. Then have students select one tip that they want to try the next time they come across an unfamiliar news source. Consider having students complete the “Is it legit?” Checkology activity for additional practice.

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Week 14

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two
Three

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Watchdog role

Which is an example of watchdog journalism?

(1 of 2)

A.

B.

The News Literacy Project

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Watchdog role

Which is an example of watchdog journalism?

(2 of 2)

A.

B.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

1. Reveal the answer: A. Say, “ProPublica’s reporting on Nike’s sustainability promises and the company’s private jet pollution is an example of watchdog journalism. The watchdog role of the press includes journalists’ efforts to monitor unjust, unlawful or questionable practices by those in power. Sometimes the watchdog role means exposing wrongdoing by government officials. Other times, it’s about uncovering unethical practices by large corporations. While The Wall Street Journal’s piece on Nike missing the boom in running culture isn’t an example of watchdog journalism, it still provides important or interesting information to readers and is an example of quality news reporting.”

2. Discuss how the watchdog role of news organizations relates to press freedom and the ability of journalists to do their work without fear of retaliation. Why does one depend on the other?

Links:

ProPublica: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-vQifVvY9E/?hl=en&img_index=1

The Wall Street Journal: https://www.instagram.com/wsj/p/C9IXjK0y066/

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From the copy desk

Merriam-Webster Dictionary said the word fortnight was one of its most frequent lookups in 2024, due to Taylor Swift’s song by the same name.

But do you know what “fortnight” means?

A period of a week.
A period of two weeks.
A month.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

The answer is B.

Fortnight means a period of 14 days – or two weeks. It’s been in use for more than 700 years but is primarily a British word.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Share the answer: B and say: Fortnight means a period of 14 days, or two weeks. It’s been in use for more than 700 years but is primarily a British word.

Extension:

Discuss the 2024 Words of the Year from Merriam-Webster (“polarization”) and Oxford University Press (“brain rot”). Ask students if they know what those words mean. If they had to pick a word of the year for 2024, what would it be? Why?

Links:

Merriam-Webster 2024 Word of the Year: https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-of-the-year

Oxford 2024 Word of the Year: https://corp.oup.com/word-of-the-year/

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Which common characteristics of conspiracy theories do beliefs about the Super Bowl being rigged demonstrate?

Conspiratorial thinking:

They present exciting, sensational narratives.
They provide a sense of community.
They offer someone to blame.
All of the above.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Which conspiracy theory traits apply to theories about the Super Bowl being rigged?

Conspiratorial thinking:

They present exciting, sensational narratives.
They provide a sense of community.
They offer someone to blame.
All of the above.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

1. Reveal the answer: D. Say, “Conspiracy theories appeal to our psychological need for exciting stories, community and someone to blame as we cope with fears and anxieties. You can stumble across them online even when searching for reliable information. These compelling narratives, and the false evidence they include, can draw you in, manipulating your emotions and using your cognitive biases against you to trick you into believing them.”

2. Discuss whether students have ever come across conspiracy theories online. What were they about? What makes them appealing? How can they be dangerous?

Link:

Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/kansas-city-chiefs-tayvoodoo-super-bowl-conspiracy-f01013fe?st=xocg6y&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

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Reflect:

Have you ever been misled by fake content? What made it convincing? How did you find out it was fake?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 13

The News Literacy Project

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Strong evidence?

This meme falsely claims that sea levels aren’t rising.

Does this meme provide strong evidence for this claim? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

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Is this:

Opinion
News
Advertising
Propaganda
Raw information
Entertainment
Something else?

Information Type

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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This is advertising.

Information Type

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

True or False?

It is possible to repeal (remove) the First Amendment from the U.S. Constitution.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

Any part of the U.S. Constitution can be amended or repealed, but it is extremely unlikely.

True.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

The AP Stylebook recently issued this guidance:

Do you agree with AP’s guidance? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions

Have students reflect on this question in a notebook.
Discuss this style guidance as a class. Say, Most journalists follow a standard style guide, like the AP Stylebook, in an effort to be fair, accurate and consistent. How does style guidance like the example above demonstrate a concern for fairness and accuracy? If you were the owner of a newspaper, would you follow AP’s guidance or develop your own guidance? What would your guidance say?

Extension

Read the AP’s full style guidance on the Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley. Why would the AP recommend keeping Gulf of Mexico but change Denali to Mount McKinley? Do students agree with these recommendations? Why or why not?

Link

AP style guidance on Gulf of Mexico, Mount McKinley: https://www.ap.org/the-definitive-source/announcements/ap-style-guidance-on-gulf-of-mexico-mount-mckinley

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Reflect:

Would you ever choose to go a week without a smartphone? Why or why not? How would you get news?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 12

The News Literacy Project

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Analyze

What do you think?

What opinion does this editorial cartoon express?
How does this cartoon relate to the watchdog role of the press?

Source: Provided by Ann Telnaes

Cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned from The Washington Post after an editor rejected her cartoon showing the Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos, and other media and tech executives bowing before President-elect Donald Trump.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Have students analyze the cartoon and answer these questions in a notebook.
Hold a class discussion. In a statement posted to Substack, Telnaes wrote, “As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable.” How does this cartoon aim to do that? Is it effective? Why or why not?

Link:

https://anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-quitting-the-washington-post

Extensions:

Have students pick one of these cartoons created by fellow cartoonists in support of Telnaes following her resignation. What message does their chosen cartoon convey? Is it effective?
Complete the “Power in Art” lesson on Checkology to further explore the watchdog role of editorial cartoonists.

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two

How many ads do you see?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Spot the ads

Zero
One
Two

How many ads do you see?

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Conspiracy theories

A conspiracy theory is an unfounded explanation of an event or situation that blames the secretive work of sinister, powerful people or organizations such as the government, a company or even an influential personality.

Make a list of conspiracy theories you’ve heard of.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Conspiracy theories

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Share the results of NLP’s teen survey.
Say, Eight in 10 teens on social media reported seeing posts that spread or promote conspiracy theories, and of those, 81% said they are inclined to believe one or more of them.
Ask students why they think people fall for conspiracy theories.

Link:

Teen survey: https://newslit.org/news-literacy-in-america/

Conspiratorial Thinking poster: https://newslit.org/educators/resources/conspiratorial-thinking/

Extension:

Complete the “Conspiratorial Thinking” Checkology lesson to learn to recognize conspiracy theories and explain what makes people vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking.

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Which standard of quality journalism does the excerpt in red demonstrate?

Fairness
Avoidance of bias
Documentation

Which standard?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the passage, answer the question and explain their reasoning. (Note: You can review NLP’s seven standards of quality journalism using this poster.)
Reveal the correct answer: A. Fairness. Say: In journalism, fairness means treating sources and subjects with appropriate respect, and giving subjects a chance to share their points of view or respond to any assertions or allegations about them. In this example, the reporter demonstrated a concern for fairness by reaching out to China’s video game regulator about the restrictions, even though this group did not respond.
Hold a class discussion. How does fairness strengthen a news source’s credibility? How can you look for the standard of fairness in news sources you follow online? If someone is mentioned in a critical story, for instance, did the journalist give that person a chance to comment?

Link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/08/30/china-video-games-kids-ban-weekday/

Extension:

Check out the “Practicing Quality Journalism” Checkology lesson. Students learn about the standards of quality journalism by playing the role of reporter in a game-like simulation of a breaking news event.

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News log:

Think back over the previous week. Where did you learn about current events?

Make a list. How many different types of sources are on your list?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 11

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Ad or not?

Can you find the main clue that tells you what this post is?

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

Would you say that professional journalists and the organizations they work for in the United States are doing more to…

Protect democracy

Harm

democracy

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Which standard of quality journalism does the excerpt in red demonstrate?

Fairness
Avoidance of bias
Documentation

Which standard?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the passage, answer the question and explain their reasoning. (Note: You can review NLP’s seven standards of quality journalism using this poster.)
Reveal the correct answer: C. Documentation. Say: Documentation — including records, data, reports, video, audio and photos — is often used by reporters to check or confirm what sources have told them.
Hold a class discussion. How does documentation strengthen a news source’s credibility? How do you see documentation used by information sources you follow online?

Link:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-12-12/la-county-probation-official-los-padrinos-juvenile-hall-recording

Extension:

Check out the “Practicing Quality Journalism” Checkology lesson. Students learn about the standards of quality journalism by playing the role of reporter in a game-like simulation of a breaking news event.

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Which logical fallacy does this claim demonstrate?

Appeal to tradition
Appeal to nature
Appeal to emotion

Logic check

Herbal cures for headaches are natural, so they are safer and more effective than synthetic drugs and treatments.

CLAIM

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain their reasoning.
Reveal the correct answer: B. Appeal to nature. Say: “Appeal to nature” is a common logical fallacy. We’re tempted to think things that are “natural” are safe or even good for us. Marketers know this, which is why they often position “all natural” as a selling point, and cast doubt on things that are synthetic, artificial or processed. But there are lots of “natural” things in the world that are harmful and dangerous. (For example, poison ivy and arsenic are natural.)
Hold a class discussion. Have you seen “all natural” or “natural” used to describe products or remedies on social media? Why do you think people are vulnerable to this logical fallacy?

Extension:

Check out the “Evaluating Science-Based Claims” Checkology lesson. Students learn how to recognize science-based claims and assess their credibility; explore why people resist and deny science; and gain the skills to evaluate science journalism.

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WARNING

The following slide includes findings from a report on eating disorders and self-harm.

The News Literacy Project

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Reflect:

What is your experience with YouTube’s algorithm? How can algorithms cause harm?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 10

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News or opinion?

Can you find the main clue that tells you what this post is?

The News Literacy Project

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Watchdog role

What do you think?

What trends do you notice in this graph?
How might news organizations keep political leaders from doing things they shouldn’t?

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

(1 of 2)

Assure
Ensure
Insure

Match the terms in Column A with the definitions in Column B.

Column A Column B

A reference to insurance
To make sure or give confidence
To guarantee

The News Literacy Project

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(2 of 2)

From the copy desk

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Share the definitions on this slide: According to the Associated Press, use assure to mean to make sure or give confidence; use ensure to mean guarantee; and use insure for references to insurance.

2. Ask students why they think it is important for standards-based media to use the correct words. How could typos and grammatical errors impact a news organization’s credibility? Say: At standards-based news organizations, such as credible newspapers, copy editors check for grammar, accuracy and other issues that uphold an organization’s values and maintain its credibility.

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Word Wall

What is a filter bubble?

When algorithms surround us with online content that is limited to viewpoints we already agree with.
A set of rules that a computer uses to automate certain processes.
The use of words and phrases that affect the audience’s perception of the issue or event being covered.

The News Literacy Project

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Reflect:

Do you use generative AI to find information?

Why or why not?

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Week 9

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Find the clues

What clues tell you that this post is an advertisement?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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What clues tell you that this post is an advertisement?

Find the clues

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answers and say: This is an example of branded content, a type of nontraditional advertisement created to resemble and blend in with other types of information such as news, skits or product reviews. Branded content should be labeled and is referred to in different ways, such as “sponsored content,” “content marketing,” “advertorial” and “brand journalism” or using hashtags such as #ad or #sponsored.
Discuss: What other words, labels, hashtags or context clues might indicate something is an advertisement? Do you think it is important for people to know when they’re encountering an ad? Why?

Extension:

Complete the “Branded Content” lesson on Checkology.

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Analyze

What do you think?

What opinion does this editorial cartoon express?
Do you agree with the cartoonist?
How do you navigate this “split” in your own life?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Have students analyze the cartoon and answer these questions in a notebook.
Hold a class discussion. What is the cartoonist saying about the state of the country? How do you know? What does it mean for America to be “split”? How can you hold civil and productive conversations with someone who has a different view than yours?

Link:

Cartoon: https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/11/06/the-country-is-split-editorial-cartoon/

Extension:

As a class, review NLP’s “How to speak up without starting a showdown” infographic. Then have students select one tip that they want to try the next time friends or family share false information. Have students write a reflection on how they will put this tip into action. Consider using a role-play activity for students to practice.

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First Amendment

True or False?

When an American citizen's First Amendment rights are violated, the authorities will pursue the matter on behalf of that person if it's reported to them.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

False.

When an American citizen's First Amendment rights are violated, the authorities will pursue the matter on behalf of that person if it's reported to them.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Reflect

Read the excerpt.

What steps can you take to fact-check claims made by content creators?

The News Literacy Project

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(1 of 3)

From the copy desk

What would you delete or change in this passage?

Americans marked the day after Thanksgiving by looking for bargains. Among the bargain hunters was grandmother Meryl Perez, who arrived early to the outlet mall to snag a pair of Louboutin shoes for herself.

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

Editors work to avoid giving people a label that may not be relevant, full or fair – or that broadly paint a whole group of people.

(2 of 3)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:�1. Read what the AP Stylebook says about shorthand labels: Think carefully before using shorthand descriptions. Are they relevant, full and fair? Labels such as socialite, playboy, grandmother or former football star shouldn’t be the first or only description of someone whose life or career has included other notable endeavors.

2. Invite students to address why they think it is important to not use shorthand descriptions for individuals. What labels did they see in the original excerpt?

3. Advance to the next slide to review the original example, now edited.

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(3 of 3)

From the copy desk

Americans Shoppers marked the day after Thanksgiving by looking for bargains. Among the bargain hunters was grandmother Meryl Perez, who arrived early to the outlet mall to snag a pair of Louboutin shoes for herself.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Share the excerpt above.

2. Ask students if they see the differences in the edited version.

3. Explain: First, not all Americans are shopping the day after Thanksgiving. So “Americans” can be changed to “shoppers.” Second, is it relevant to label Meryl Perez as a “grandmother”? It might be relevant if the story goes on to say that she was shopping for her grandchildren as well or that her grandchildren were with her. But, in this context and this sentence, it does not seem relevant, so “grandmother” was deleted. (Students may have other edits as well.)

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Week 8

Election edition

The News Literacy Project

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News or opinion?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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News or opinion?

(2 of 2)

News

Opinion

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer: The example on the left from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is opinion and includes a clear “opinion” label near the headline. The example on the right from The New York Times is news.
Say: It can be challenging to separate news from opinion, as opinion journalism and news can look very similar and can be about the same newsworthy events — such as when to expect election results. Evaluate the tone and word choice. News articles should impartially present the facts, while opinion pieces may include emotive language.
Hold a class discussion. What separates news from opinion? When we’re looking to be informed, what roles do news and fact-based opinions play?

Links:

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Think

Have you seen or heard any election rumors that fit these trends?

What will you do if you see friends or family members sharing posts that push these narratives?

Reflect

The News Literacy Project

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Breaking news

Why might standards-based news organizations wait to call election results when other sources have declared a winner?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:

Have students answer the question, “Why might standards-based news organizations wait to call the election when other sources have declared a winner?”
Read the “MIND THE GAP” tip.
Say: Standards-based news organizations do not engage in speculation. They will only call election results when reporters have thoroughly verified information. When the outcome of a race is clear on election night, expect news organizations to call it. But know that, even then, the results aren’t official until the vote is certified by officials — a process that can take weeks.
Discuss how to navigate breaking news about election results. Some general tips for breaking news include:

Mind the gap: Keep in mind there’s often a gap between what the public wants to know and the verified information available. Unconfirmed or completely bogus content often rushes in to fill that gap.
Beware bad actors: Remember that bad actors often capitalize on breaking news situations to spread falsehoods for easy likes and shares.
Do a quick search: This is often your best defense against misinformation.
Look for evidence: Claims that make bold assertions but provide no links or other evidence should always be approached with caution.
Seek credible sources: Be intentional about looking for credible news and not relying on social media algorithms to bring you updates.
Practice patience: Quality journalism and verification take time. Be ready to follow news developments over time.

Have students reflect on the information they’re seeing about the election and how that relates to breaking news tips.

Link:

https://newslit.org/tips-tools/breaking-news-checklist/

Extension:

Read more about how one standards-based news organization, The Associated Press, calls races. How long did it take AP to call the 2020 presidential election? What process do AP reporters follow when declaring a winner?

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Strong evidence?

An ordinary social media user posts a video claiming to show mail-in ballots being destroyed in Pennsylvania – a key swing state in the 2024 presidential election.

Does this video provide strong evidence for this person’s claim? Why or why not?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain why they believe this evidence is strong or not.
Reveal the answer: This is not strong evidence. Say: Videos shared by ordinary users on social media might feel compelling, but they are generally not strong evidence for claims shared in a post. In this case, U.S. officials quickly debunked the viral video as fabricated and found that it was part of a Russian disinformation campaign “to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the U.S. election and stoke divisions among Americans.”
Discuss: Why do videos or images shared online feel convincing even if they are unverified? How could you investigate the source of this video? Why would Russian actors fabricate and amplify this viral clip?

Extension:

Complete the “Evaluating sources online” mission on Checkology.

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Press freedom

Read the excerpt. What is “press freedom”?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the excerpt and write their own definition of “press freedom.”
Say: Press freedom is the degree of legal and/or constitutional protections that journalists have in doing their jobs, and whether they are able to report freely without fear of retaliation. This new report from Reporters Without Borders explores some of the challenges journalists face in swing states that make conditions difficult for newsgathering.
Hold a class discussion: How could growing hostility from local politicians impact journalists’ ability to do their jobs? How could government officials’ lack of responsiveness to journalists’ requests affect the flow of information in a community? Why might this be especially concerning in key swing states during the 2024 election?

Link:

Full report: https://rsf.org/en/usa-rsf-report-shows-press-freedom-shortcomings-key-swing-states-ahead-2024-election

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Week 7

The News Literacy Project

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News or not?

Image credit: The Washington Post’s election quiz

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Display the image. Ask students if they think the post is news or not.
Reveal the answer: This is not credible news.
Say: This image is from a quiz The Washington Post created to help people determine if what they’re seeing is real. This is what the Post said about this example: “This is not a real Washington Post article. When you see inflammatory language or images in the news, make sure you check the URL. This is a screenshot of a fake Russian site at the address washingtonpost.pm. The Justice Department recently shut down this website after it was identified as part of ‘Doppelganger,’ a Russian disinformation campaign that sought to undermine U.S. elections by using AI to imitate media outlets.”
Hold a class discussion. When we’re looking to be informed, how can we ensure we’re really encountering news? What parts of this post would make you skeptical that it would come from The Washington Post?

Link:

Full Washington Post quiz (link warning: profanity): https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2024/election-misinformation-quiz-ai-fake-real/

Extension:

Visit Misinformation Dashboard: Election 2024 and try to find other examples of impostor content for the 2024 election.

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From the copy desk

Text that has been edited is one sign of standard-based media. Even punctuation can make a difference. Which sentence is correct?

(1 of 2)

I wonder who’s hacking the school website.
I wonder who’s hacking the school website?

The News Literacy Project

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(2 of 2)

From the copy desk

The correct answer is:

I wonder who's hacking the school website.

“Sentences beginning with ‘I wonder’ are not questions – they’re simply pondering declaration – and do not conclude with question marks,” writes Benjamin Dreyer, former copy chief of Random House, in his book, Dreyer’s English. (This also extends to sentences beginning with “Guess who” or “Guess what,” such as “Guess who is coming to dinner.”)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Share that the correct answer was A: I wonder who’s hacking the school website.

2. Read the following: Benjamin Dreyer, former copy chief of Random House, a big book publishing company, says in his book Dreyer’s English: “Sentences beginning with ‘I wonder’ are not questions – they’re simply pondering declaration – and do not conclude with question marks.” This also extends to sentences beginning with “Guess who” or “Guess what,” such as “Guess who is coming to dinner.”

3. Discuss with students why punctuation is important in standards-based media. Say: At standards-based news organizations, such as credible newspapers, copy editors check for grammar, accuracy and other issues that uphold an organization’s values and maintain its credibility.

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How many news outlets are there where we live?

(0, 1, 2 or more)

News Decline

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Ask students to look at the map and decide whether there are zero, one or two or more news outlets where they live.
Tell students the Medill School of Journalism released their 2024 report on the state of local news. Some of the findings include: “Newspapers continue to disappear at a rate of more than two per week; in the past year alone, 127 newspapers have shut their doors. … A little fewer than 5,600 newspapers remain, 80% of which are weeklies. … As news organizations continue to contract, news deserts – areas that lack consistent local reporting that fills critical information needs – continue to expand. … almost 55 million people in the United States have limited to no access to local news.”
Discuss why having access to news is important.

Links:

The State of Local News 2024 Report from the State of Local News Project https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/state-of-local-news/2024/report/

Extension

Use The State of Local News 2024 link to explore the map interactively by hovering over various counties.

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What is a conspiracy theory?

Word Wall

Widespread voter fraud is undermining U.S. elections.
The government is hiding evidence of witches and ghosts so kids can trick-or-treat on Halloween.
An unfounded explanation of an event or situation that blames the secretive work of sinister, powerful people or organizations.
All of the above.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the correct answer: D. The first two options are examples of conspiracy theories. The third is its definition. A conspiracy theory is an unfounded explanation of an event or situation that blames the secretive work of sinister, powerful people or organizations such as the government, a company or even one influential personality. These explanations are easily proven false because they are based on faulty logic and reasoning as well as false evidence, and because other explanations already exist and are proven to be true.

Link to article associated with image:

https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conspiracy-theories-misinformation-trump-musk-0e5a84b1d9e6cd63cd8ca22ee9900387

Extension:

Check out the “Conspiratorial Thinking” Checkology lesson to learn to recognize conspiracy theories and explain what makes people vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking.

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Reflect

Here are five tips to think critically online. Which one(s) do you do?

Be critical of what you read. Don’t just accept things you read on social media.
Don’t share too much! Don’t post things that might hurt someone or embarrass you in the future.
Ask questions. Think about who created the media and how it makes you feel.
Talk about it! Find out what other people have to say about what you see and read.
Use media to create. Take advantage of technology to share your thoughts.

The News Literacy Project

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Week 6

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AI or not?

Which image is a real photo?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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AI or not?

Which image is a real photo?

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer and discuss as a class: Do you see any clues that indicate which photo is real and which is AI-generated?
Explain that the rise of more convincing fake visuals created with AI technology means finding the source and context of an image is often more important than hunting for visual clues of authenticity. Any viral image that can’t be verified through a reliable source – using a reverse image search, for example – should be approached with skepticism.

Extension:

Show this NLP video (also on Instagram) on how quickly generative AI technology has advanced in generating photorealistic images and video. Discuss steps students can take to verify visuals (e.g., investigating the source, searching for credible fact checks or news coverage, doing a reverse image search, etc.).
Distribute copies of NLP’s infographic “6 things to know about AI.”

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From the copy desk

(1 of 2)

What do these words have in common?

Beach reads

Street corn

Touch grass

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

(2 of 2)

These three words were among 200 added to the dictionary!

Beach reads: A usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance).

Street corn: Grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder).

Touch grass: to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Share the definitions and what they have in common. Say: Recently, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which is used by many standards-based news organizations, added 200 new words. These are the definitions for those words:

Beach reads: A usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance).
Street corn: Grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder).
Touch grass: to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions.

2. Ask students why they think these words were added to the dictionary.

3. Say: Lexicographers, the people who select the words to be added, continuously monitor words being used in real life and then decide which words to add.

Extension:

Read the Merriam-Webster.com blog on which words were added and how they were selected.

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Find the clues

What clues tell you that this post is an advertisement?

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Find the clues

What clues tell you that this post is an advertisement?

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answers and say: This is an example of branded content, a type of nontraditional advertisement created to resemble and blend in with other types of information such as news, skits or product reviews. Branded content should be labeled and is referred to in different ways, such as “sponsored content,” “content marketing,” “advertorial” and “brand journalism” or using hashtags such as #ad or #sponsored.
Discuss: What other words, labels, hashtags or context clues might indicate something is an advertisement? Do you think it is important for people to know when they’re encountering an ad? Why?

Extension:

Complete the “Branded Content” lesson on Checkology.

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Protected or not?

Is the social media user in this scenario protected by the First Amendment? How does this relate to freedom of speech?

A social media user is banned by the platform for posting conspiracy theories about a school shooting.

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

1. Have students reflect on this scenario in their notebooks.

2. Invite students to share out some of their responses. Ask them to explain the reasoning.

3. Reveal the answer: No, this scenario is not a protected form of speech under the First Amendment. Say: “Freedom of speech under the First Amendment means that the government is prohibited from censoring speech or punishing individuals’ right to speak. It does not mean that you can expect to say and publish whatever you want without other people, private companies or institutions placing limits on you or even suing you. Since social media platforms are private companies, they can suspend users for violating their community standards, which the companies determine on their own.”

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Reflect

What about you?

What role should regular social media users play in stopping the spread of audio deepfakes?
How can deepfakes of political candidates impact elections?

Audio deepfake: Media that has been digitally manipulated to make a person appear to say something they never said.

The News Literacy Project

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Week 5

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Opinion zone

Summarize

In your own words, what does an editorial board do?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 1: Students distinguish news from other types of information and can recognize both traditional and nontraditional advertisements.

Educator instructions:

Have students write their summaries in a notebook.
Say, “An editorial board is traditionally a team that includes veteran journalists in the opinion department of a news organization. This department is separate and independent from the news department. The board is seen as the voice of the publication’s opinions, but its purpose is not to represent the views of newsroom staffers. Through articles known as editorials, this team shares opinions on major issues of public importance.”
Hold a class discussion. How is opinion journalism different from straight news? Are the opinions of editorial boards particularly valuable? Do they play an important role in shaping public discussion and debate in democracy? Why or why not?

Links:

Full editorial board explainer: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/opinion/editorialboard.html

Extension:

Have students compare two New York Times pieces on the imprisonment of American journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia. The first is a July 2024 news report on his trial verdict. The second is an opinion piece from the editorial board about the verdict. Discuss: What differences do you notice? What is the primary purpose of each piece? How do they each contribute to your understanding of an important issue? (Note: Gershkovich was released in August 2024 as part of a prisoner exchange.)

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Reflect: This/that

Verify an image.

An image shows up in your social media feed from a politician with a claim that seems like it might be true. You could complete a reverse image search to determine its credibility.

2. Look up a news organization’s ethics policy.

Which are you more likely to do? Why?

An article shows up in your social media feed from an unfamiliar news source. You could try to find out if the source has an ethics policy, one sign of credibility.

The News Literacy Project

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Word Wall

What is an algorithm?

An unsupported or undocumented statement; a claim with no evidence.
A set of rules that a computer uses to automate certain processes.
An opinion piece published by a standards-based news organization that is written by a guest contributor who is not a newspaper employee.

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

True or False?

The government can favor one religion over another.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

The government can favor one religion over another.

False.

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Headline this!

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:�1. Share the article excerpt and ask students to imagine they have to write a headline for this story. Say: A headline should accurately capture what the story is about and be engaging enough to make people want to read more.

2. Invite students to share out some of their responses. Ask them to explain the reasoning behind their word choices and headline framing.

3. Advance to the next slide to reveal and discuss the actual headline.

Link:�Full story: https://www.salon.com/2024/10/03/gen-z-younger-millennials-more-financially-stressed-survey-says/

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Headline this!

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:

Show the real headline from Salon.
Discuss: What do you think of this headline? How did yours compare? Why do you think Salon chose this headline? What makes a headline fair, accurate and engaging?
Hold a vote in your classroom on whether students would keep reading the story based on the headline. Is there another headline option they feel is more effective? Why?

Extensions:

Have students read the full story. Would they revise their headline after reading the full story? What did they find out in the story that wasn’t included in the headline? Why is it important to read the full article and not just skim headlines?

Link:�Full story: https://www.salon.com/2024/10/03/gen-z-younger-millennials-more-financially-stressed-survey-says/

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Week 4

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News or opinion?

Can you find the main clue that tells you what this post is?

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Press freedom

Read the excerpt. What does “freedom of the press” mean in this context?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 2: Students acknowledge the importance of the First Amendment in American democracy and a free press to an informed public.

Educator instructions:

Have students read the excerpt and write their own definition of “press freedom.”
Say: Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment. This story is about Mississippi Today reporter Anna Wolfe facing possible jail time for refusing to disclose confidential sources from her coverage of a welfare fraud scandal in the state.
Hold a class discussion: How could suing or putting journalists in jail impact press freedoms? Why would some sources need to be protected from being revealed publicly?

Link:

Full article: https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/09/brett-favre-anna-wolfe-jail-sources

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Reflect: This/that

Pick a current events topic you care about. This could include the environment, health, social media trends, free speech or social justice causes.

You want to share your opinion on this topic in an informed, responsible way. What do you do? (Pick one.)

Explore a variety of opinions on the topic.

Why are these actions important?

Reference credible sources when you share your opinion.

1

2

The News Literacy Project

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STEM connect!

Strong or weak evidence?

You watch a video online of someone saying a new skincare product worked great for them and cleared up their acne.

Does this scenario provide strong or weak evidence for this person’s claim? Why?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Have students share their answers and explain why they believe this evidence is strong or weak.
Reveal the answer: This evidence is weak. Say: Individual experiences shared on social media are an example of anecdotes. They appeal to emotion and should not be considered scientific evidence.
Discuss: Have students ever come across anecdotes on social media that make claims about health? Why do these stories feel convincing? What would be a stronger form of evidence for health-based claims?

Vocabulary:

Anecdotes: Personal stories based on individual perceptions of events or phenomena (personal experiences). “Anecdotal evidence” is extremely unreliable.

Extension:

Infographic: “Levels of scientific evidence” (NLP’s resource library).

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From the copy desk

Editors work to ensure that gender-neutral terms are used. Per The Associated Press Stylebook — which is used by most journalists — one of these terms is not preferable. Which do you think it is?

Human-caused
Man-made
Artificial
Human-made

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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From the copy desk

Despite guidance to avoid “man-made” for more gender neutral language, the term appeared in a 2023 AP story. Can you figure out why?

(2 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Week 3

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Analyze

Source: The Ohio State University Library

What do you think?

What opinion does this editorial cartoon express?
What relationship does it show between the press and democracy?

The News Literacy Project

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How do you complete a reverse image search?

Watch the video for tips.

When would you use reverse image search?

Social Media Skills

The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Play the video on how to do a reverse image search.
Hold a class discussion: What are some reasons you would use a reverse image search? (For instance, to verify the source of a visual or compare product prices online.)

Extension:

Have students practice using a reverse image search by using these rumor activity slides.

Links:

Original TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@newslitproject/video/7324724908632608042

NLP’s TikTok channel: https://www.tiktok.com/@newslitproject

If your school doesn’t allow access to TikTok, you can view the same video on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2KxgOaxrUN/?igsh=bmgyd2RqaGFteWtm

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Instagram will make teen accounts private by default to try to make the platform safer for children.

“Private messages are restricted so teens can only receive them from people they follow or are already connected to. ‘Sensitive content,’ such as videos of people fighting or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited, Meta said. Teens will also get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a ‘sleep mode’ will be enabled that turns off notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.”

Reflect

What about you?

What is your reaction to these changes Instagram is making?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 5: Students express and exercise civic responsibility by seeking, sharing and producing credible information as effective participants in a democracy.

Educator instructions:

Ask students to review the main points from the article that are listed on the slide.
Have them reflect on their reaction to Instagram making teen accounts private by default.
Discuss the change in the platform and how it relates to students’ lives. One point they may not realize because it’s in the article but not on the slide is the following: “While these settings will be turned on for all teens, 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to turn them off. Kids under 16 will need their parents’ permission to do so.”

Link:

Source: https://apnews.com/article/instagram-meta-teen-accounts-kids-425a05cc37f81b6ff2b7439d3884c54a

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Headline check

Compare/contrast these headlines. What do you notice?

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.

Educator instructions:�1. Have students read the three headlines, which are written about the same news event involving a teen who died after participating in a spicy chip challenge. How do these headlines compare? What differences do students notice?

2. Invite students to share some of their responses. Ask them to use specific details from the headlines to support their thoughts. Discuss how a headline should balance brevity and accuracy.

Extension:

Ask students to pick one of the news reports (linked below) and read the full story. Which headline do they feel is most fair and accurate? If they were assigned to write a headline for this story, what would it be?

Links:

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/business/one-chip-challenge-autopsy/ �New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/teen-spicy-chip-death.html �Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/paqui-spicy-chip-challenge-death-autopsy-f81c220c549ec497bcc626dec4fc2be4

Credit to Allison Carter for inspiring this idea.

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Ad or not?

The News Literacy Project

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Week 2

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Press freedom

Compared to the rest of the world, how strong do you think press freedoms* are in the United States?

*Press freedoms refer to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment.

The strongest in the world.
Good.
OK.
Bad.
Very bad.
Among the worst in the world.

(1 of 2)

The News Literacy Project

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Press freedom

Compared to the rest of the world, how strong do you think press freedoms* are in the United States?

*Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists to report and share news without fear of punishment.

The strongest in the world.
Good.
OK.
Bad.
Very bad.
Among the worst in the world.

(2 of 2)

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News or opinion?

Can you find the main clue that tells you what this post is?

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From the copy desk

What grammar, spelling or factual problems can you spot in this passage?

Tayler Swift was back on the stage yesterday at Wembey Stadium in London. Some 90,000 fans saw her return to the stage, the first time since a foiled terror plot that saw the cancellation on concerts in Vienna. After the concerts were called off, Swift fans in that German city took to the streets to sing her songs. The Eras Tour resumed at Wembley Stadium with heightened security.

(1 of 2)

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From the copy desk

Tayler Swift was back on the stage yesterday at Wembey Stadium in London. Some 90,000 fans saw her return to the stage, the first time since a foiled terror plot that saw the cancellation on concerts in Vienna. After the concerts were called off, Swift fans in that German city took to the streets to sing her songs. The Eras Tour resumed at Wembley Stadium with heightened security.

Wikimedia Commons photo

The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:

1. Show the four mistakes in this passage: Taylor is misspelled, Wembley is misspelled in the first instance, “on” should be “of” and Vienna is in Austria, not Germany.

2. Discuss: How do you think these mistakes would affect the credibility of the news outlet?

Extensions:

1. Have students tally the facts in the featured passage to demonstrate the number of facts that journalists are verifying in a typical news report. Be sure the students look for name spellings, job titles, organization names, dates, locations, etc. How would students go about fact-checking this excerpt?

2. Ask students to read this NPR article and follow-up story on corrections and getting the facts right. Have students note three things that stood out to them.

3. Have students work through this News Goggles activity to learn more about how different news organizations handle corrections.

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In your own words

Read the excerpt from a recent research report on how a group of TikTok users (called "panelists") approach information on the app. In your own words, what does this passage mean?

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Nearly 40 percent

of young people use TikTok or Instagram as a search engine over Google.

1 in 5 videos

on prominent news topics automatically suggested by TikTok contained misinformation, according to NewsGuard.

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Reflect

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What about you?

Do you use TikTok as a search engine?
How can you confirm that what you’re finding is credible?
What steps can you take?

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Reflect

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Week 1

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First Amendment

What are the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment?

Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of education
Freedom of information
Freedom of the press
Freedom to vote
Freedom to petition government
Freedom to assemble peacefully

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The News Literacy Project

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First Amendment

What are the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment?

Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of education
Freedom of information
Freedom of the press
Freedom to vote
Freedom to petition government
Freedom to assemble peacefully

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The News Literacy Project

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Headline this!

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The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:�1. Share the article excerpt and ask students to imagine they have to write a headline for this story. Say: A headline should accurately capture what the story is about and be engaging enough to make people want to read more.

2. Invite students to share out some of their responses. Ask them to explain the reasoning behind their word choices and headline framing.

3. Advance to the next slide to reveal and discuss the actual headline.

Link:�Full story: https://apnews.com/article/giant-prehistoric-salamander-tetrapod-bf56d8dfbd2e48908a87b32254f04b8d

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AP headline

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The News Literacy Project

Standard 3: Students understand why professional and ethical standards are necessary to produce quality journalism, and they can apply understanding of those standards to discern credible information and sources for themselves.�

Educator instructions:

Show the real headline from the Associated Press. (Note: The Associated Press, or AP, is a wire service with reporters all around the world and provides stories, photos and videos that other news organizations can use.)
Discuss: What do you think of this headline? How did yours compare? Why do you think the Associated Press chose this headline? What makes a headline fair, accurate and engaging?
Hold a vote in your classroom on whether students would keep reading the story based on the headline. Is there another headline option they feel is more effective? Why?

Extensions:

Have students read the full AP story. Would they revise their headline after reading the full story? What did they find out in the story that wasn’t included in the headline? Why is it important to read the full article and not just skim headlines?
Play this short News Goggles clip (also available on Instagram) that features a news editor explaining what makes a good headline. Discuss: What are some common features in news headlines?

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Ad or not?

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Which image is a real photo?

AI or not?

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The News Literacy Project

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Which image is a real photo?

AI or not?

AI-GENERATED

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The News Literacy Project

Standard 4: Students demonstrate increased critical habits of mind, including effective verification skills and the ability to detect misinformation and faulty evidence.

Educator instructions:

Reveal the answer and discuss as a class: Do you see any clues that indicate which photo is real and which is AI generated?
Explain that the rise of more convincing fake visuals created with AI technology means finding the source and context of an image is often more important than hunting for visual clues of authenticity. Any viral image that can’t be verified through a reliable source – using a reverse image search, for example – should be approached with skepticism.

Extension:

Show this NLP video (also on Instagram) on how quickly generative AI technology has advanced in generating photorealistic images and video. Discuss steps students can take to verify visuals (e.g., investigating the source, searching for credible fact checks or news coverage, doing a reverse image search, etc.).
Distribute copies of NLP’s infographic “6 things to know about AI.”

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More violence

Teen boys told the BBC that Instagram and TikTok often recommend violent and misogynistic content.

How algorithms work

TikTok says algorithm recommendations are not based on a user’s gender, but one former employee noted that some boys could get pushed violent content “right away” because other similar teen users have expressed interest in this type of content.

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Reflect

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What about you?

What topics show up on your feed? Why do you think that is?
How do social media algorithms personalize your feed just for you?
Why does your feed look different than others’?

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Reflect

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newslit.org

Follow us at @NewsLitProject

Thank you!

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