Media Literacy Activities for Learning Civics Concepts

Senior Contributing Authors

Robert W. Maloy, Senior Lecturer, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Torrey Trust, Associate Professor of Learning Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Chenyang Xu, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Allison Butler, Senior Lecturer & Director of Undergraduate Advising, Director of Media Literacy Certificate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Media Literacy Project Team

Ifat Gazia, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

J.D. Swerzenski, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Yuxi (Cecilia) Zhou, Graduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst 

Natalie Passov, Undergraduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Eleanor Sprick, Undergraduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Benjamin Mendillo, Undergraduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Kyle Balis, Undergraduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Kendra Sleeper, Undergraduate Student, University of Massachusetts Amherst

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Interdisciplinary Faculty Research Award for this project.

Introduction

Welcome to Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning - an interactive, multimodal, multicultural, open access eBook for teaching and learning key topics in United States Government and Civic Life. Open access means these materials are online, digital, and free of charge (Billings, 2019). This book is available online to anyone with an internet connection. The eBook can also be viewed and printed as a PDF file for offline viewing.

Developed as a companion edition to our Building Democracy for All eBook (2020), Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning (2021) features more than 100 interactive media literacy learning activities for students organized around key topics in civics, government, and history education derived from the Massachusetts 8th Grade Civics and Government curriculum framework (see tables below). Civics concepts for which we have developed critical media literacy activities include democracy as a political system, a republic as a form of government, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the branches of U.S. government, elections and voting, political parties, citizenship, political leadership and courage, political protest, civil rights and social justice, political action committees, amendments to the Constitution, landmark Supreme Court decisions, functions of state and local government, freedom of the press, digital news and social media, and many more.

Each critical media literacy learning activity includes short written introductions followed by step-by-step directions for students to complete the activities, individually or in small groups. Every activity is designed to promote creative self-expression and higher-order critical thinking among students about the ways that online and print media impact our lives as well as our nation's politics.

Media Literacy Activities for Civics, Government, and History Concepts

1. Foundations of the U.S. Political System

Key Civics, Government, and History Concepts	Critical Media Literacy Activities
Democracy as a Political System	Democracy in Social Media Policies and Community Standards
A Republic as a Form of Government	The Internet as a Public Utility
Impacts of Enlightenment Philosophies	21st Century Women STEM Innovators
British Influences on American Government	Media Coverage of Kings, Queens, and Royal Families
Native American Influences on American Government	Representations of Native Americans in Films, Local History Publications, and School Mascots

2. The Development of United States Government

3. Institutions of United States Government

4. The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens

5. The Constitution, Amendments, and Supreme Court Decisions

Key Civics, Government, and History Concepts	Critical Media Literacy Activities
The Necessary and Proper Clause
Amendments to the Constitution	Prohibition in the Media The Equal Rights Amendment on Twitter and other Social Media
The Civil War, Federal Power, and Individual Rights	Civil War News Stories and Recruitment Advertisements Representations of Gender and Race on Currency
Equal Rights and Protections for Race, Gender, and Disability	The Equality Act on Twitter
Marbury v. Madison	Reading Supreme Court Dissents Aloud
Landmark Supreme Court Decisions	Television Cameras in Courtrooms