Does the media create more harm than good?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain if the media helps or harms public opinion and can describe ways to evaluate the effects of the media.
Key learning points
- The media can both positively and negatively influence public opinion, depending on how it is used.
- Tools like the EVALUATE acronym help us critically assess arguments for and against various perspectives.
- Carefully reviewing evidence and reasoning on both sides of an issue is essential for forming well-rounded opinions.
- Media plays a vital informing role, but evaluating sources is crucial to identifying and avoiding disinformation.
- Ensuring the media we consume is reliable and accurate helps maximise its benefits while minimising potential harm.
Keywords
Media - forms of communication like radio, television, newspapers, magazines and the internet, that reach or influence people
Evaluate - to judge or determine the significance, worth or quality of someone or something
Common misconception
The media always helps the public learn information.
Sometimes we are given misinformation, disinformation or malinformation. It is important to learn to spot this and realise that some of the media we are presented with is not always designed to help the public learn the true facts.
Teacher tip
You could facilitate the main evaluation task as a deliberative debate or a class discussion rather than a written piece of work if this is more suitable for your class.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.__________ journalism is in-depth and it can be more trustworthy.
Q2.What is information called that is true but is shared or used in a way intended to cause harm?
Q3.Match the term with its meaning.
Q4.What is the second step in the REVIEW model?
Q5.Who created the REVIEW model? Order the words that make up the title of the citizenship charity.
Q6.Knowledge communicated about a particular fact or subject, often presented to us in the media, that can be trusted, believed and verified with external sources is known as information.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The media can both positively and influence public opinion, depending on how it is used.
Q2.The EVALUATE tool to spot misinformation is called an acronym. What does the letter 'T' stand for in this acronym?
Q3.To form a well-rounded opinion, what do you need to look at?
Q4.Match the start of the sentence with its ending.
Q5.The media holds people in to account for their actions which makes it a valuable tool in a democracy.
Q6.If something makes something worse or creates problems instead of solving them, it could be said to be ...
To help you plan your 8 citizenship lesson on: Does the media create more harm than good?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 citizenship lesson on: Does the media create more harm than good?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 citizenship lessons from the How does the media affect us? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.