The Tuskegee Airmen: A Journalist's Perspective
In this lesson, Students will use information from a variety of Web sites to learn about the first African American fighter pilot squadron—the Tuskegee Airmen.

Social Media and Non-violent Protest
In this lesson, students will examine the impact of social media on the 2011 revolution in Egypt.

The Harlem Renaissance
Students will learn about the social, cultural and political circumstances which gave rise to the Harlem Renaissance. They will also learn about the influences that inspired the work of the Harlem Renaissance’s artists and musicians.

Rap As Lyrical Poetry
Students will explore the history of rap music as lyrical poetry and understand the difference between rap music and hip hop culture.

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words
Students will analyze documentary photographs and discuss their context in the history of the United States. Students will evaluate the impact of the media on society and will create journal entries and/or art inspired by subjects of famous documentary photographs.

Native American Poet Sherman Alexie
Author Sherman Alexie grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation; much of his work centers around the intersections of mainstream American and tribal culture. Students will look at how Alexie's life affect his art.

Artist Trading Cards: Sharing Unique Perspectives
Students will: compare individual perceptions of objects and concepts; participate in class discussions related to emotional responses to visual images; and use critical thinking skills to support observations.

AIDS Poetry Reporting Aims at Young People
Poet Kwame Dawes returned to Jamaica, the country he'd grown up in, to document the lives of victims of HIV/AIDS. Students will read his poetry and investigate new kinds of story telling.

Poetry Video Series
How are artists reacting to the current economic situation? How do poets explain their memories? How do they commemorate the new president or articulate identities both modern and traditional? In this lesson American poets from a variety of backgrounds explore the written and spoken word to explain the world around them.

Censorship: The Impact of Hazelwood on Student Publications
Students will examine the significant Supreme Court case and analyze its impact on student expression today.

Podcasting: Sharing Your Ideas About Featured Topics and Issues
Students learn about, analyze, use and create their own podcasts using NewsHour and other resources.

Analyzing Citizen Journalism: Students examine how technology has allowed private citizens to work as journalists and how this "citizen journalism" relates to the American concept of a free press.

Comparing Broadcast and Satellite Radio Landscapes: Students gain a broad understanding of the development of satellite technology over the last 50 years and how it now impacts radio and consider the role of a diverse, free media in a democratic society.

On Trial: Anonymous Sources, Promises of Confidentiality, and Privacy
Using the case of leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame as background, students identify problematic media issues in promises of confidentiality, anonymous sources, privacy, and the public's right to know.

Media's Use of Polling Data in Presidential Election Coverage: Why does the media rely so heavily on polls in campaign coverage? Students answer this question and learn the strengths and weaknesses of polling data.

Analyzing Political Cartoons: Students analyze political cartoons, their history and symbols, and how they convey messages differently than editorials. Students also look at cartoons focused on the upcoming presidential election and get an opportunity to develop their own.

Reel Politics: How Hollywood Exercises its Freedom of Speech
Students study the Academy Awards, research critically acclaimed political films throughout history, and consider the civic duty of filmmakers.

The Pen vs. the Sword: Lyrical Responses to War
Students research poems and music lyrics written during times of conflict in American history, then analyze how war and public sentiment impact the written word.

Be the Press: Local Interviews, National Issues
Students choose a national issue of interest to them, and interview someone on the local level about that issue. To prepare students, the lesson offers tools for writing a "straight news" article and an "in depth" news article.

Political Commercials: Leading or Misleading Voters
Students watch candidate commercials and analyze them for logical fallacies. Pairs of students then create their own commercial for a fictitious candidate, using the techniques they've learned.

Policing the Airwaves: The Debate Over Indecency
The FCC and the Senate are raising fines for media outlets who broadcast indecent material. In this lesson, students explore issues of on-air indecency and consider who should be held accountable.

Covering the Campaign Trail
Explore with your students the different sides to the evolving debate over the increasing competition for on-the-spot, 24/7 news content in political coverage.

The Black Press
Students learn about the history of the black press in America and explore advocacy journalism vs. the modern concept of an objective press.

Media Ethics
Students explore the unspoken words that make up codes of ethics in the media before role-playing ethical dilemmas faced by reporters.

Who's the Guest
This lesson is designed to help students understand how interest group politics are often played out in the media.

Watching the Clock: An activity to build media-savvy students
Students learn about the time constraints on broadcast journalism and analyze the differences between publicly funded newscasts and commercial television news.

Ancient Maya - Knowledge through Art
Students learn about the history and culture of the Maya people through a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art.

The Art of Romare Bearden
Students explore the art and times of this quintessential Harlem Renaissance artist known for his work in collage.

"I Have a Dream" as a Work of Literature
Students look at the literary devices present in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Copyright Angst: A Penny for Your Thoughts, Movies, or Music
Students explore the digital copyright debate and understand the societal implications of the fight over intellectual property.

Quotes and Aphorisms
Use famous quotes/aphorisms about fear or anxiety as a springboard for conversation about war and terrorism.

Vanishing Verbs
This lesson plan focuses on the evolving language of television news reporting. Students will also have the opportunity to fine-tune their paraphrasing skills and review vocabulary.

Debating Iraq-Vocabulary
Students study the use of vocabulary words in President Bush's and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's speeches on Iraq.

How to Avoid Plagiarism
Students will watch or read a discussion about the recent controversy over the works of historians Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns Goodwin. They will then discuss scholarly ethics in their own work and create a pamplet or play to share with other classes what they've learned.

CNN's Dilemma
Students analyze the controversial decision by CNN to withhold information about the Iraqi regime.

New Coalition Media Students critically analyze the pros and cons of the new coalition media campaign in Iraq.

World Media
Students analyze the similarities, differences and bias in world media coverage of the Iraq War.

News Ethics
Help students critically analyze the pros and cons of embedded journalism.

Wikipedia and YouTube Battle Hollywood in SOPA Showdown
Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs has died at age 56. T To hear some Internet companies tell it, a bill making its way through the U.S. Congress would kill the “open” nature of the web. But if you listen to Hollywood and big-brands like Nike, the same bill is necessary to protect artists and nurture American ingenuity and creativity. 01.07.12

Kansas Governor Apologizes to Tweeting Teen
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has apologized to a high school student for overreacting to an unpleasant message she sent via the social networking service Twitter. Her tweet sparked a controversy over free speech issues and how young people interact with social media. 11.29.11

Apple Visionary Steve Jobs Dies
Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs has died at age 56. This video from the NewsHour after Jobs stepped down as Apple CEO provides a good starting point for classroom discussion about Jobs' legacy and the future of technology. 10.06.11

China Bans Music by Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry
China’s culture ministry recently declared Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Katy Perry as threats to “national cultural security,” including them in a blacklist of 100 songs. According to officials, these songs are considered “too vulgar” and have not been submitted for official approval. 09.06.11

Online Video Services Alter TV Viewing Habits
On Sept. 1, fees doubled for Netflix members who receive DVDs in the mail and stream video online through the popular service. The price hike reflects the changing entertainment world as more and more people change their TV viewing habits to Internet-based streaming video.09.02.11

Modern ‘Nutcracker’ Adaptations Reflect History, Diversity
For many, the ballet The Nutcracker is a sure sign that the holiday season has arrived. But, behind the ballerinas, sugarplums and dancing toys lies a rich history that has been adapted by dancers around the world for more than a century to reflect the regional, social and political ideals of the day. 12.23.10

World Debates Ethics, Legality of Latest WikiLeaks Release
Students will explore the history of rap music as lyrical poetry and understand the difference between rap music and hip hop culture. 12.06.10

"Superman" and Other Docs Aim to Spark School Reform Revolution
Several new documentaries focusing on the struggle of students trying to get a good education at public schools are setting off debate about teaching, learning and how America can compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. 09.17.10

Chinese Province Bans Parental Online ‘Spying’
This month, a new law goes into effect in China’s Chongquing Province banning parents from secretly browsing through their children’s e-mails, Web chats or online messages. The legislation is the first of its kind in China and provides children with the legal right to defend themselves in court against “spying” by their parents. 09.07.10

Leaked Military Documents Create Controversy Over Role of Press
The whistle-blower Web site WikiLeaks recently released more than 90,000 U.S. military documents containing secret information about the war in Afghanistan, fueling a longstanding debate over what kind of information should be made available to the public. The record release, among the largest of its kind in U.S. military history, revealed a grim account of the Afghan war from January 2004 through December 2009. 07.28.10

'To Kill a Mockingbird' Turns 50
Hailed as one of the most important books of the 20th century, "To Kill a Mockingbird" won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961, was turned into an Oscar-winning movie and has sold more than 30 million copies. Now, on its 50th anniversary, fans are holding book readings, birthday parties and mock trials. 07.14.10

'Catcher in the Rye' Author Leaves Behind Tales of Teen Angst
J.D. Salinger, author of the popular book "Catcher in the Rye," leaves behind a legacy of debate over literature as a valuable and contentious resource. 01.29.10

China-Google Battle Over Internet Freedom
Google has threatened to pull its business out of China, ending a 2006 compromise in which the popular search engine company agreed to allow the government to filter taboo topics on searches done inside the populous Communist Party-run country. 01.26.10

With a Black Princess, Disney Hopes to Revive Box Office Magic
Marketed as a groundbreaking event in its racial and gender politics, Disney's animated feature film "The Princess and the Frog" opened in first place at the box office, although it failed to meet industry expectations for such a high-profile movie. 12.15.09

Comcast Shakes Up Media Landscape With NBC Deal
The rules that govern who makes television programs and who distributes them just got more complicated now that Comcast has agreed to buy a majority stake in NBC Universal for $30 billion from appliance maker General Electric. 12.04.09

New FCC Rules Aim to Keep Internet Free and Open
The government agency in charge of communication, the Federal Communications Commission, will push for "net neutrality" rules banning service discrimination from cable and Internet companies in an attempt to "be a smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet." 09.22.09

Economy, Online Trends Threaten Newspaper Industry
As more Americans turn to online news and the recession eats away at advertising dollars, some newspapers are going out of business and others are struggling to stay afloat.
05.08.09

New Kindle Ignites Debate Over the Future of Textbooks and Gadgets
Amazon unveiled the latest version of its electronic reading device, the Kindle 2, this week, making it easier to imagine a future without heavy backpacks, bookshelves and perhaps even libraries.
02.10.09

Recession Threatens Funding For Museums and Art Organizations
While the economy continues to deteriorate, arts organizations are scrambling to cut costs and find new ideas to fund museums, artists and community centers.
01.09.09

Many Americans Unprepared for Transition to All-Digital TV
Less than a year from now, a long-planned transition from analog to digital television will be completed, but unaware consumers could be left without functioning TVs. 03.26.08

Hollywood Strike May Redefine Who Makes Money Online
At the heart of the show-stopping disagreement between Hollywood writers and the companies they work for is how to share money made from DVD sales and online advertising. 01.31.08

Pay Phones Becoming Thing of the Past
As cell phones increasingly replace landlines and pay phones, phone booths are disappearing from city corners. 12.11.07

Facebook, MySpace Launch Targeted Ads
MySpace and Facebook developed tools that allow advertisers to target users based on wall postings and other personal information. 11.07.07

Radiohead's Release Riles Music Industry
The unconventional online release of Radiohead's "In Rainbows" could redefine how musicians distribute and get paid for their music. 10.31.07

Yale Returns Incan Artifacts to Peru
Yale University agreed to return a massive collection of artifacts taken from Peru's Machu Picchu ruins nearly 100 years ago. 10.11.07

Movie Sparks Debate over Diamond Trade
The movie "Blood Diamond" spotlights conflict diamonds and has the diamond industry worried about negative fallout. 12.04.06

SAT Scores Show Biggest Drop in 30 Years
The drop in SAT scores shown by the class of 2006 raises questions about the change in the test's format and length. 08.30.06

Sinclair's 'The Jungle' Turns 100
Upton Sinclair's novel, which depicts the lives of immigrant workers in the meat industry, remains relevant 100 years after its first publication. 05.10.06

Plagiarism Scandal Rocks Student Novel
Accusations of plagiarism have forced a publisher to cancel the debut novel of a 19-year-old Harvard sophomore. 05.03.06

SAT Scoring Problems Affect Thousands
After scoring errors lowered the SAT scores of thousands of students, the testing company is scrambling to regain the public's trust. 03.29.06

Jazz in New Orleans Strikes a Hopeful Note
Musicians are working to revive New Orleans' vibrant music scene four months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. 12.19.05

Game Developers Turn to Social Activism
Designers at the Serious Game Summit face the ultimate challenge: making fighting world hunger and negotiating Middle East peace fun. 11.28.05

Colleges Weigh Revised SAT Applicants
Colleges are considering applications from the first batch of students who took the revised SAT that includes harder math and an essay. 10.26.05

Students Weigh Pros and Cons of New SAT
Students taking the SAT Saturday will find a new version of the controversial test, with harder questions and a new essay section. 03.07.05

American Indian Museum Offers New Voice
09.22.04

'The Passion of the Christ' Incites Passionate Criticism
02.25.04

The March on Washington 40 Years Later
08.27.03

Digital Copyright Fight
05.01.03

Mr. Rogers Dies at 74
02.27.03

Can I Copy That?
10.16.02

News About News
03.13.02

All About Yves
01.16.02

21st Century Movies
07.04.01

Heard on the Air
03.21.01

Napster No Longer
02.13.01

Get Real
07.02.00

Parental Sports Rage
07.30.00

Ready to Rumble
06.29.00

Napster vs. The Industry
02.13.01

Guitar Legend
02.27.00