High School Current Events Curriculum

Grades 10th-12th, 1 Credit Elective Course Prerequisites: World History

High School Current Events Curriculum

Course Description: Using current events, this elective course focuses on world and local issues that affect students' everyday lives, such as economics, government and conflict. This course uses newspapers, online media, cartoons, and newscasts to support class discussion. Additionally students participate in group projects, presentations and work with primary source materials and opinion pieces in order to better understand the world around them.

Scope and Sequence: Timeframe 3 weeks

Unit Media Bias

3 weeks

Demographics

4 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks

Conflict Economics

Conflict

Instructional Topics

Topic 1: The Values of Bias Topic 2: Domestic versus International Biases

Topic 1: Tools Topic 2: Traditions: Beliefs, Ethnicity and History Topic 3: Personal Values

Topic 1: Policy Topic 2: Developments

Topic 1: Policy Topic 2: Practical Applications

Topic 1: Politics Topic 2: Bureaucratic Effects Topic 3: Abroad Political Changes and Movements

Unit 1: Media Bias

Subject: Current Events Grade: 10, 11, 12 Name of Unit: Media Bias Length of Unit: 3 weeks Overview of Unit: Students will learn to be able to distinguish between fact and opinion. They will also analyze information to be able to recognize bias and points of view. Students will understand how people in the same place may have a different view on information disseminated to them.

Priority Standards for unit: Distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view (SS7 1.7, 3.5, 3.6)

Supporting Standards for unit: Explain how and why different people may perceive the same place in varied ways (SS5 1.6) Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information (ISTE 3 - Research and Information Fluency). Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks

Unwrapped Skills

Unwrapped Concepts (Students need to be able to Bloom's Taxonomy

(Students need to know)

do)

Levels

Webb's DOK

between fact and opinion

Distinguish

Understand

3

sources to recognize bias

and points of view

Analyze

Analyze

3

Draft: January 12, 2017

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Essential Questions: 1. How do you discern media bias? 2. Why is identifying biases important? 3. How do you differentiate points of view from biases?

Enduring Understanding/Big Ideas: 1. Students will explain tools and methodology for analyzing biases in different media sources. 2. Students will critically evaluate the source(s) and their validity. 3. Points of view is understanding the background of the source whereas bias is a predisposition to insert prejudices into the source.

Unit Vocabulary: Academic Cross-Curricular Words

Content/Domain Specific

Bias Conservative Evenhanded Journalism Liberal Loaded Language Objective (Viewpoint) Point Of View Propaganda Stereotype

Editorial Electronic Media Mass Media News Source State Run Media Underground Media

Resources for Vocabulary Development: Quality Tools

Draft: January 12, 2017

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Topic 1: Define Bias

Engaging Experience 1 Title: Source Comparison Suggested Length of Time: 2 class periods Standards Addressed

Priority: Distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view (SS7 1.7, 3.5, 3.6)

Supporting: Explain how and why different people may perceive the same place in varied ways (SS5 1.6)

Detailed Description/Instructions: Teacher will show very different viewpoints from media sources such as news articles, newscast, or web based sources, one that is clearly liberal and one that is conservative. Students will decipher the differences between these viewpoints by identifying the liberal and conservative stances within the viewpoint through a class discussion or writing analysis. Bloom's Levels: Understand, Analyze Webb's DOK: 3 Rubric: Check for understanding

Draft: January 12, 2017

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Topic 2: The Value of Bias

Engaging Experience 1 Title: The Power of Opinion Suggested Length of Time: 1 class period Standards Addressed

Priority: Distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view (SS7 1.7, 3.5, 3.6)

Supporting: Explain how and why different people may perceive the same place in varied ways (SS5 1.6) Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information (ISTE 3 Research and Information Fluency). Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks

Detailed Description/Instructions: After completing the Source Comparison activity, students will be exposed to the ability to use bias and point of view to understand individual experiences and reactions. Three articles written from strongly opinionated viewpoints relating to a current topic will be analyzed based on what the author's opinions tell readers about the situational background from which the articles are written. Students will then find two articles online or in print in which the editorial point of view expressed by the author is valuable in understanding how individuals or groups react to the events discussed. Students will prepare an analysis, either written or as a presentation component, that fact checks the articles, describes the biased language, then analyzes the value of the viewpoint. Bloom's Levels: Distinguish, Analyze, Understand Webb's DOK: 3 Rubric:

3: Student shows clear understanding of the bias of the authors selected, finds valuable information from the biases analyzed and expresses clearly and accurately the knowledge gained in either writing or presentation form

2: Student understands bias but may lack clear ability to articulate the origins and expressions of that viewpoint. Analysis may show lack of analytical accuracy or misunderstanding of minor points.

1: Student shows lack of understanding of the author's viewpoint and misses clear and important evidence of the stated bias. Written or presented analysis is unclear and unfocused, and fails to find value in the experience of the author.

Draft: January 12, 2017

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