Media Literacy and Climate Change

Date: Subject: Any Social Studies class Author: Branden Neufeld Grade Level: 9-12 Time Duration: 1-2 classes Overview of Le on: Use media literacy skills to analyze media's representation of climate change !rofe ional Growth Guide Goal" #:

Outcome : !epends on the grade le"el $ndicator : Cro Curricular Com%etencie :

-#hink and $earn %ritically -Understand and "alue social& economic& and en"ironmental interdependence and sustaina'ility - %onstruct kno(ledge related to "arious literacies - )*plore and interpret the (orld using "arious literacies Material : +arious ne(s clips a'out climate change ,see (e'siteWatch "Merchants of Doubt" - Naomi Oreskes before class (link is on website)

Activitie and !rocedure : ."er"ie(/Agenda/0e"ie(/1ntroduction2 Begin the class (ith a 'rief discussion of (hat the students kno( a'out climate change 3erhaps& poll the class to see if they think it is real& or (hat they say scientists say Su'4ect %ontent and #eaching Strategies2 Sho( se"eral ne(s clips on climate change 1f you ha"e time& find more recent ones 5a"e the students list (hat techni6ues the "ideos are using to pro"e their point )* )*pert opinions& supposed o'4ecti"ity& sho(ing 'oth sides of the argument

e"enly #hen& if there is time& ask the class if any of them think a'out the issue differently from 'efore #ry to get this all done in the first half of the lesson Ne*t& use notes that you took a'out Naomi .reskes' 78erchants of !ou't7 "ideo to sho( the students some of the techni6ues these "ideos ,9o* Ne(s in particular- use to sho( that climate change is not happening #his should include& cherry picking data& la( that states 'oth sides of an issue must ha"e e6ual co"erage& percentage of scientists (ho do support that climate change is happening& and a summary of the 8arshal 1nstitute %onsolidation2 )nd the class ,or classes- (ith a (rap up 6uestion2 7!oes the information that 1 presented from 78erchants of !ou't7 change your opinion a'out climate change: ;hy or (hy not:7

A e ment: #here are se"eral (ays this could 'e assessed 1f only one class time is taken& assessment (ill ha"e to 'e either (ritten home(ork or an informal assessment of the student's discussion skills 1f multiple classes could 'e used& the class could (rite an opinion paragraph ans(ering the follo(ing 6uestions2 1- ;hat do you kno( a'out climate change: 2- 1s climate change real: ;hy do you gi"e this ans(er: <- After (atching the ne(s clips& has your opinion changed: =- After learning a'out 78erchants of !ou't7& has your opinion changed: #his (ay& the students could continually add to their paragraphs as the class goes on #his (ould ensure that 6uieter students are a'le to 'e assessed as (ell &eflection on the le on:

1- 5o( (as this lesson effecti"e/not effecti"e: 2- Suggestions for a future lesson of this type <- %hanges made to the lesson (hile teaching =- ;hat strategies could 1 use to reinforce this lesson: ,1deas and/or suggestions from others-