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Berkeley Preparatory School

Media Bias One Unit Challenge

Link to all materials: http://bit.ly/cU2aIY

Jaimie Crawford, CD McLean, Michele Timothy

Skills students will learn during unit:

Participate online in classes & discussions
Research online without Google
Use electronic reference materials and the Internet for research, evaluate sources, and properly cite electronic sources (text, graphics, sound and video)
Evaluate credibility of Internet sources
Use technology in conjunction with information and communication skills. For example: Use communication, information processing, and research tools (such as word processing, e-mail, groupware, presentation software, social networks, and the Internet) to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and communicate information)

Technology students will use:

Twitter
Libguides
Flips (to record Podcasts)
Windows Movie Maker or iMovie(to transfer podcasts)
Ning

Intersections of academic disciplines in the unit:

Both AP Government & AP Language study the impact of technology on information distribution in society, media bias, and source credibility. About 2 years ago, Jaimie & Michele realized (thanks to overlapping students and CD) that we were actually teaching a lot of the same things and using the same sources, sometimes within days of each other. So we began to talk then, about team teaching this unit. The one-unit challenge just gave us the vehicle to make it happen.

Essential questions:

How do you determine the credibility and validity of sources?
How has the 24 hour news cycle changed news reporting?
How has the development of new technologies changed news reporting?
How has the media changed in the last 5 years?

Lesson Plan (2 weeks-4 1 hour blocks per week):

LESSON	IN CLASS	HOMEWORK
1	Sotomayor clip in and out of context Monty Python clip (3 minutes) Discussion on rhetoric: Media Speed and Bias Video – Jon Stewart on Crossfire (14 minutes) Purpose of media, bias of media, what is the media’s role? Obama/Bush Joker posters	HW: Read 3 articles: Journalist guide to Twitter, How to Ask Effective Questions on Twitter, and The Highs and Lows of Public Officials on Twitter Sotomayor's 2001 address Soundbite of Sotomayor out of context Fox coverage of Sotomayor's slip of the tongue Media Matters indicts Fox for taking Sotomayor' s sound bite out of context Twitter Permission Form
2	The Role of Media 1812, Pearl Harbor, Tiananmen Square, 9-11, Iranian Elections; Twitter log on and how to follow news issues-hash tags, sample searches, DMs and follow up; Leah Betancourt's website and credentials	HW: Prepare two questions to ask Leah on issues discussed so far; email to Mrs. McLean, Mrs. Timothy, and Mrs. Crawford LUNCH THURS 9/17 in JAC
3	2009 Iranian Election Background Iranian Protest Video Presentation on ‘The 18 days’ Twitter's Influence on Iran Election Introduce media bias (Iranian presidential oath of office) Political Cartoons: Iranian Election	HW: Case study review; looking for media bias in videos of Iranian oath of office: watch clips at //Libguides Media Bias videos//
4	Discussion of Iranian Election Video Clips Deconstructing interview with Leah Flutter (3 minutes) Review articles & discuss bias	Research current issue: //Libguides Media Bias

LESSON	IN CLASS	HOMEWORK
1	Introduce podcast assignments/Media Sources, Individual and Group; final podcast rubric Assign countries/topics & media outlets How to use movie maker Library open every day until 5:00 Can use group study halls to film with flip camera	HW:Work on Individual Podcast Assignment
2	Work on Group Podcasts	HW: Work on Individual Podcast Assignment
3	Individual Media/Issue Papers due	Group Podcast due on 10/5 3-minute media bias podcast example Remember to post your group podcasts to the class Ning by 10/5