We may be leaving out information or disregarding it because it doesn't conform with our own beliefs.  Students will learn about confirmation bias, different perspectives and how to avoid confirmation bias.  This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website, "Who Am I Online?". 

This collection of Digital Citizenship instructional resources is part of a Framework project initiated by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Media Literacy & Digital Citizenship Program in 2022. For more information, contact Program Supervisor, Lesley James, lesley.james@k12.wa.us

This guide walks you through the part of the Common Sense website that focuses on K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum. The lesson plans include everything educators need to begin teaching this content in their classrooms and many have accompanying high-quality videos. There are also engaging games for younger students and an interactive social media simulation for older students. Topics include: media balance & well-being, privacy & security, digital footprint & identity, relationships & comunication, cyberbullying, digital drama & hate speech, and news & media literacy. 

In this presentation and discussion for high school students, students will learn a simple definition for algorithm and discuss the ways that algorithms shape social media content. Students will question whether the algorithms in their own social media allow them to pursue their interests or limit them. Students will explore ways to adjust settings, privacy and ad preferences to affect the algorithms in the platforms they use. 

As an introduction to Media Literacy, this lesson covers topics ranging from rhetorical theory, philosophy, and history to illuminate the interconnected complications of media in the modern world. Supplemental resources are woven into the lesson in the form of hyperlink text, images, and embedded videos. The ultimate goal of this lesson resource is to inform grade-aged learners about the subject complexity of media literacy and equip them with the most basic tools to properly understand and engage with social media and media in general. Crash Course, a free supplemental learning company is a commonly referenced external tool within the lesson as their expanding topic verity offers well-researched additive content for digital learning environments.

This social media literacy unit introduces students to foundational skills in analyzing images and social media posts. It also reenforces critical thinking questions that can be applied to various forms of media. This unit was taught to 9th grade students but is easily adaptible to a range of secondary classrooms. It was also taught in conjunction with another unit focused on social media platforms and content.

This unit engages students in a variety of activities that analyze and reflect on the role of social media in our everyday lives. This includes options for collaborative group work, reading nonfiction articles, a design challenge and presentations to communicate ideas. The unit also includes a formal writing assessment option that aligns with the Common Core State Writing Standards. Activities can be adapted or combined in a variety of ways to support student reflection and analysis. These lessons were piloted in 9th grade English classes but are suitable or a range of secondary students. 

Staff at Avanti HS in Olympia, WA, organized and full-day media literacy symposium for their students. They invited community members to present on various aspects of media and communications. Students signed up for 45-minute sessions throughout the day. At the end of the day, students gathered in their advisory classes to debrief and share highlights.The project was part of the Digital Immersion Initiative 2.0 in the Olympia School District and funded in part by a Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.The materials provided here were posted with the permission of the AHS staff members who created them.

This lesson invites students to use multiple forms of media, including their own Instagram accounts, to explore their on-line identities.  The lesson culminates in a personal, visual essay.  In the essay, students will use their own images as evidence. Then, students will reason about that evidence to compare what they see on their Instagram posts to their “real world” self. Using information from resources explored in class, students will include a discussion of “authenticity” and properly weave in quotes from those resources.

In this lesson, students will define their dominant roles online, explain the benefits of each type of online role and discuss the responsibilities and risks inherent in each type of online interaction. This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website entitled "Who Am I Online?"

Students will look at social medias and what identities are crafted in those formats, both for social media celebrities and their own digital footprints. This lesson is part of a media unit curated at our Digital Citizenship website, "Who Am I Online?"