Developing Media Literacy Mini-Unit

Summary

In today’s fast-moving information landscape, teaching students how to critically analyze news is more important than ever. This media literacy lesson on energy equips teachers with ready-to-use tools to help students navigate bias, credibility, and evidence in reporting about complex energy topics.

Designed for middle school through AP Environmental Science, the unit uses a scaffolded “I Do, We Do, You Do” structure to gradually build independent media literacy skills. Students begin with background knowledge from Switch Classroom lessons, then apply analysis techniques using the Project Look Sharp decoding guide and real-world articles from Ground News. Along the way, they practice identifying claims, perspectives, assumptions, and evidence, while comparing their conclusions with professional bias ratings.

The teacher guide provides alignment to NGSS and AP Environmental Science practices, ensuring that the activities reinforce both science content and critical thinking competencies. Students leave the unit with practical strategies for evaluating sources, recognizing bias, and communicating conclusions with evidence.

This lesson not only deepens understanding of energy issues but also prepares students with lifelong skills to question, analyze, and communicate information in a world full of competing narratives.