Prepare your students for tomorrow's headlines with essential news and media literacy materials.
From misinformation to the 24-hour news cycle (on TV and now on social media), students must learn to navigate a noisy, biased, and challenging world. But with the right support, they can learn to be critical and not cynical -- to speak up, not sit back. This collection of news and media lessons, videos, printables, and more is a great place to start. Everything's been carefully vetted by Common Sense editors (and fellow teachers) to help you find that "just right" resource for your classroom.
Check out our current favorites below. Read on for full collections.
Real "Fake News" Discussion Activity
This classroom discussion activity gets students to go beyond the buzzword and explore actual examples of news bias.
Verifying Online Information PDF Guide
This downloadable by First Draft is one of the best, most thorough overviews of fact-checking skills.
Navigating Digital Information Video Series
This video series by Crash Course's John Green is highly watchable and covers key news literacy topics.
Curated Picks from Across the Web
News Literacy Collection
- Fact-checking and critical thinking
- Breaking news
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Finding credible information
Media Literacy Collection
- Interpreting media messages
- Media platforms and industries
- Creating media and media production
- Media manipulation
Social and Cultural Literacy Collection
- Cultural understanding
- Bias and prejudice
- Difficult conversations
- Equity and social justice