Surveys the author's contribution to the Center for Social Studies Education curriculum on the Vietnam War. Focuses on "How the War Was Reported," a unit which raises four questions concerning the responsibilities of the government and the press for keeping the public informed. Encourages use of the curriculum in teaching about the…

The author suggests contemporary Iran as an excellent subject for a case study in secondary social studies. He considers some of the issues which students might analyze: journalistic bias toward Iran, pluralism in Iranian society and Islam, sociopolitical factors which affect modernizing nations, and the causes of revolution. (SJL)

Determines that the elements that make information or events newsworthy include (1) the effect on our lives or community; (2) timeliness; (3) human interest; (4) the unusual; (5) proximity; (6) personalities; and (7) controversy. Examines how a reporter or editor's background, including culture, ethnicity, and education, can influence the news.…

Suggests that students can learn to recognize media bias by studying media reports of current events or historical topics. Describes a study unit using media coverage of the second anniversary of the Palestinian uprising against Israel. Discusses lesson objectives, planning, defining bias teaching procedures, and criteria for determining bias. (DK)

This paper is thirty-eighth in a series which expands the analysis of the crisis under discussion to provide a multinational view by quoting comment from a selection of newspapers of several countries. The issue presented here is the problem of world food shortages, which is briefly introduced in relation to the attemps at the Rome Conference to…

Editorial cartoons are useful resources for middle school and high school classrooms. They reflect multiple viewpoints about events in history and incorporate visual counterparts to literary elements, such as irony and symbolism. They appeal to visual learners and challenge students to use analytical thinking skills. The cartoons of Hugh Haynie…

This classroom text is intended to assist teachers in educating students as consumers of the mass media, especially in messages from abroad. The subject has two major aspects: 1) the student's own limitation, and 2) the effects of human frailty in gathering and presenting the news. The newspaper is emphasized over other news media in this book.…

This Crisis Paper is thirty-third in a series which expands the analysis of the crisis under discussion to provide a multi-national view of the issue by quoting comment from a selection of newspapers and journals of several countries. A brief introduction outlines the history and background of the energy crisis, emphasizing the underestimated…

This workshop kit consists of: (1) 30-page "Leaders Guide and Handout Masters"; (2) 12-minute videotape, "Lines in the Sand"; (3) special 24-page issue of the journal "Media & Values" on the theme "The Media: in War and Peace"; and (4) an 8-page booklet on the basics of media literacy, "From…

Presents two lesson plans to help students understand how news managers exercise judgment, how the media shapes public perception of people, places, and things, and how to recognize the importance of balanced news coverage. Each lesson includes objectives, a scenario, discussion questions, activities, and an evaluation. (LS)

Asks secondary students to compare the real Scopes trial to the fictionalized version presented in the movie "Inherit the Wind," with their textbook and Web site versions. Intends for students to learn about key facts, arguments, and outcomes of the trial and to understand significant individuals' impacts on the trial's events and…

This program examines the changing relationship between the military and the press. In this episode leading journalists and military public affairs officials debate uses of censorship, access to the battlefield, and the impact of live television on military operations. The study guide offers questions to use before viewing the video, questions to…

This program examines the series of myths generated by the media about war, peace, and the use of force. This episode explores the emergence of the popular interpretation of violence by "good" citizens who use violence to produce positive results during wartime. The study guide offers questions to use before viewing the video, questions to follow…

A 4-day simulation activity encourages high school students to confront issues of law and journalism through exploration of seven legal issues: prior restraint, access to courts, rights of reply, libel, privacy, confidential sources, and use of stolen documents. The kit contains all materials needed for the simulation, including a director's…