Developing Media Literacy – Mini-Unit

This media literacy lesson on energy equips teachers and students with the skills to analyze, question, and communicate about complex energy topics. Using a scaffolded “I Do, We Do, You Do” format, the unit combines videos, activities, and decoding guides to help students build independence in evaluating media.

The lesson begins with clips from journalist Justin Worland (TIME) discussing how to consume and create reliable media. Students then practice thinking critically about energy language by defining and refining terms such as sustainable, renewable, and net-zero to make them more precise. In groups, they apply these skills by annotating real-world articles, identifying claims, perspectives, assumptions, and use of evidence.

To deepen the analysis, students use tools from Project Look Sharp and Ground News to evaluate bias, factuality, and credibility. The final stage challenges students to independently decode an article and communicate their conclusions with evidence.

Aligned to NGSS Science and Engineering Practices and AP Environmental Science Science Practice 3, this mini-unit builds critical thinking, data analysis, and communication skills while engaging students in timely energy issues. Teachers receive a complete package: a teacher guide, student guide, videos, and handouts for classroom-ready use.