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The Common Core Standards as applied to Media Literacy

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The Common Core Standards as applied to Media Literacy

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The Empire State Information Fluency Continuum

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The Empire State Information Fluency Continuum

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These documents will be most helpful if you are planning lessons and units for specific grade levels. For each grade level, you will find a chart of the priority skills and assessments for all four standards and then the coinciding graphic organizers.

Click the graphic organizers below to download them in Word format.

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SLSA: Information Fluency Continuum: Section 5: Assessments by Grade

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The Current State of Media & Children Our children live in a world of powerful 24/7 media. In addition to children's exposure to traditional forms of media and advertisements like television, print (magazines, books), and billboards, new media has exploded in recent years.

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By Common Sense Media | June 4, 2020

The word "literacy" usually describes the ability to read and write. Reading literacy and media literacy have a lot in common. Reading starts with recognizing letters. Pretty soon, readers can identify words -- and, most importantly, understand what those words mean. Readers then become writers. With more experience, readers and writers develop strong literacy skills. ( Learn specifically about news literacy.)

Media literacy is the ability to identify different types of media and understand the messages they're sending. Kids take in a huge amount of information from a wide array of sources, far beyond the traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines) of most parents' youth. There are text messages, memes, viral videos, social media, video games, advertising, and more. But all media shares one thing: Someone created it. And it was created for a reason. Understanding that reason is the basis of media literacy. ( Learn how to use movies and TV to teach media literacy.)

The digital age has made it easy for anyone to create media. We don't always know who created something, why they made it, and whether it's credible. This makes media literacy tricky to learn and teach. Nonetheless, media literacy is an essential skill in the digital age.

Specifically, it helps kids:

Learn to think critically. As kids evaluate media, they decide whether the messages make sense, why certain information was included, what wasn't included, and what the key ideas are. They learn to use examples to support their opinions. Then they can make up their own minds about the information based on knowledge they already have.

Become a smart consumer of products and information. Media literacy helps kids learn how to determine whether something is credible. It also helps them determine the "persuasive intent" of advertising and resist the techniques marketers use to sell products.

Recognize point of view. Every creator has a perspective. Identifying an author's point of view helps kids appreciate different perspectives. It also helps put information in the context of what they already know -- or think they know.

Create media responsibly. Recognizing your own point of view, saying what you want to say how you want to say it, and understanding that your messages have an impact is key to effective communication.

Identify the role of media in our culture. From celebrity gossip to magazine covers to memes, media is telling us something, shaping our understanding of the world, and even compelling us to act or think in certain ways.

Understand the author's goal. What does the author want you to take away from a piece of media? Is it purely informative, is it trying to change your mind, or is it introducing you to new ideas you've never heard of? When kids understand what type of influence something has, they can make informed choices.

When teaching your kids media literacy, it's not so important for parents to tell kids whether something is "right." In fact, the process is more of an exchange of ideas. You'll probably end up learning as much from your kids as they learn from you.

Media literacy includes asking specific questions and backing up your opinions with examples. Following media-literacy steps allows you to learn for yourself what a given piece of media is, why it was made, and what you want to think about it.

Teaching kids media literacy as a sit-down lesson is not very effective; it's better incorporated into everyday activities. For example:

With little kids, you can discuss things they're familiar with but may not pay much attention to. Examples include cereal commercials, food wrappers, and toy packages.

With older kids, you can talk through media they enjoy and interact with. These include such things as YouTube videos, viral memes from the internet, and ads for video games.

Here are the key questions to ask when teaching kids media literacy:

Who created this? Was it a company? Was it an individual? (If so, who?) Was it a comedian? Was it an artist? Was it an anonymous source? Why do you think that?

Why did they make it? Was it to inform you of something that happened in the world (for example, a news story)? Was it to change your mind or behavior (an opinion essay or a how-to)? Was it to make you laugh (a funny meme)? Was it to get you to buy something (an ad)? Why do you think that?

Who is the message for? Is it for kids? Grown-ups? Girls? Boys? People who share a particular interest? Why do you think that?

What techniques are being used to make this message credible or believable? Does it have statistics from a reputable source? Does it contain quotes from a subject expert? Does it have an authoritative-sounding voice-over? Is there direct evidence of the assertions its making? Why do you think that?

What details were left out, and why? Is the information balanced with different views -- or does it present only one side? Do you need more information to fully understand the message? Why do you think that?

How did the message make you feel? Do you think others might feel the same way? Would everyone feel the same, or would certain people disagree with you? Why do you think that?

As kids become more aware of and exposed to news and current events, you can apply media-literacy steps to radio, TV, and online information.

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What is media literacy, and why is it important?

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What is media literacy, and why is it important? - Learn more and get Common Sense Media's research-backed tips.

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The blurring of entertainment, information, and persuasion is reshaping work, life, and citizenship. As a result, our relationship to media has never been so important nor so complex. By asking critical questions about what they watch, listen to, read, and use, students can be better prepared to be responsible communicators who can use a variety of formats and genres for self-expression and advocacy.

Covering a wide range of topics including the rise of news partisanship, algorithmic personalization and social media, stereotypes and media addiction, advertising and media economics, and media influence on personal and social identity, Renee Hobbs helps students develop the lifelong learning competencies and habits of mind needed to navigate an increasingly complex media environment.

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SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR FRIENDS OF THE MEDIA EDUCATION LAB! ORDER NOW!

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Table of Contents

PART I: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA

PART II: JUDGMENTS ABOUT TASTE, QUALITY, AND TRUST

PART III: MEDIA ECONOMICS

PART IV: MEDIA IMPACT

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The blurring of entertainment, information, and persuasion is reshaping work, life, and citizenship. As a result, our relationship to media has never been so important nor so complex.

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Teaching Media Literacy Belinha S. De Abreu

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Open a world of reading. Try Sora, the new reading app for students, by OverDrive.

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Stand-alone modules on information literacy that students can click through independently

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"Named for the keyboard shortcut for ‘find,’ CTRL-F is an evidence-based program that equips students with the habits and skills needed to evaluate online information to determine what to trust."

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Guides by subject and grade, Stand-alone lessons, Subject-area kits, Featured topics

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Students analyze 3 TV commercials and a PSA for cigarettes from the 1950s-1960s to assess marketing techniques, health messages and gender stereotypes, and then read about and discuss the 1970 congressional ban on cigarette advertising on television.

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Students analyze 3 TV commercials and a PSA for cigarettes from the 1950s-1960s to assess marketing techniques, health messages and gender stereotypes, and then read about and discuss the 1970 congressional ban on cigarette advertising on television.

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Ready-made lessons and worksheets to accompany your lesson activities

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Empire State Information Fluency Continuum Lessons

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Empire State Information Fluency Continuum Lessons

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A summary of the book mentioned above

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Categories and Sample Questions for Media Decoding

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In today's media-saturated world, we need to teach our students the habits of critical thinking needed for their academic, career and civic lives. They need consistent practice in asking the right questions and in reflecting on their own meaning-making. Project Look Sharp's approach integrates materials and methodologies that teach both core subject-area learning with these media literacy skills.

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In today's media-saturated world, we need to teach our students the habits of critical thinking needed for their academic, career and civic lives. They need consistent practice in asking the right questions and in reflecting on their own meaning-making. Project Look Sharp's approach integrates materials and methodologies that teach both core subject-area learning with these media literacy skills.

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Common Sense Education - Digital Citizenship

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Common Sense Education - Digital Citizenship

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Common Sense Education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life. Find a free K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum, reviews of popular EdTech apps, and resources for protecting student privacy.

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The ESIFC and Common Sense Digital Citizenship Curriculum

The Stripling Model of Inquiry

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New York City School Library System: Digital Citizenship: Digital Citizenship

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A Pear Deck and Google collaboration with slides to help students navigate their internet presence

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Google has partnered with Pear Deck to create interactive presentations and vocabulary flashcards to accompany the Be Internet Awesome curriculum.

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Short stand-alone lessons which help students examine the credibility of recent viral news items.

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RumorGuard from the News Literacy Project

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Helping you determine the credibility of info found online

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"News literacy is the ability to determine the credibility of news and other information and to recognize the standards of fact-based journalism to know what to trust, share and act on."

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The News Literacy Project works with educators and journalists to give students the skills they need to discern fact from fiction and to know what to trust.

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Five Key Questions Form Foundation for Media Inquiry

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In the MediaLit Kit ™, the Center for Media Literacy identifies Five Key Questions as the core of our inquiry-based media literacy pedagogy. Where do they come from? Like so many good ideas that evolve slowly over time, they are simply an innovative recasting of the Five Core Concepts which the early media literacy field adapted, in turn, from traditional categories of rhetorical and literary analysis.

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Center for Media Literacy: Media Lit Kit

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Center for Media Literacy: Media Lit Kit

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"In the MediaLit Kit ™, the Center for Media Literacy identifies Five Key Questions as the core of our inquiry-based media literacy pedagogy. Where do they come from? Like so many good ideas that evolve slowly over time, they are simply an innovative recasting of the Five Core Concepts which the early media literacy field adapted, in turn, from traditional categories of rhetorical and literary analysis."

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Center for Media Literacy | Empowerment through Education | CML MediaLit Kit ™ | | Empowerment through Education

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"Critical Media Project (CMP) is a free media literacy web resource for educators and students (ages 8-21) that enhances young people’s critical thinking and empathy, and builds on their capacities to advocate for change around questions of identity."

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why media matters

Key facets of identity - like gender, social class, age, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, and disability - play prominent roles in the media we consume and create, determining how we see, understand, and experience the world and those we encounter in it.
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praise for critical media project

"

The Critical Media Project gave me an opportunity to really be able to think. The project helped me remember my past and analyze myself. By being able to think I was able to rediscover what it was that I was fighting for, what it was that motivated me. What I found most valuable about this project was that I was able to present in class and let out all the things, my life story, the hardships, and my motivation, that I had bottled up inside.

Luis Hernandez Batres
Student, Canoga Park High School

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Keep Critical Media Project Going!

Demand for Critical Media Project services outpaces current resources. With new funding CMP could expand our outreach, grow our resources and content, develop training modules for teachers, and assess our impact and value. Please consider donating today! And thank you!

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Key facets of identity -- like gender, social class, age, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, and disability -- play prominent roles in the media we consume and create, determining how we see, understand, and experience the world and those we encounter in it.

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Strengthening civil society through First Amendment & Media Literacy Education

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Help your students cultivate the knowledge, attitudes and skills to participate constructively in political discussions.