How the Media Presents Information

How have various forms of media provided citizens with political information and influenced the ways in which people participate politically?

Guiding Questions 

• What are the different ways the media presents information?  
• How is political participation influenced by media coverage? 

Objective

• Students will explain how the media presents information can affect how people participate and interact. 

Student Resources: 

• Information Presentation Example Graphic Organizer and/or Graphic Organizer: Information Presentation Blank Graphic Organizer

Teacher Resources: 

• Information Presentation Activity Answer Key

Facilitation Notes 

• Teachers should choose which forms of media they want students to work with (newspapers, magazines, Internet news sites, or video clips) before beginning the class. Teachers can compile a list on an LMS or provide a printed student resource. Consider paywalls and advertisements as a possible barrier to students accessing online articles.
• Teachers may also want to create a list of political topics for students to focus on as local, state, or national topics all provide various options.
• Teachers may choose to have students look for one political event, person, or happening covered by the three distinctive styles: coverage, analysis, and commentary (more challenging), or keep the searches open to a wider range of options.
• There are supporting lessons on “A Historical Look at the Role of the Media” and “Being a Critical Consumer of Media” that can be used along with or independently from this lesson.