Key Vocabulary
- Satire — the use of humor, irony or ridicule to expose and criticize society’s flaws or people’s behavior with the aim of alerting the public of a larger societal problem.
- Exaggeration — to enlarge, increase or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.
- Incongruity — To present something out of place or absurd in relation to its surroundings. Particular techniques include oxymoron, metaphor and irony.
- Parody — To imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place or thing in order to ridicule the original. For parody to be successful, the reader must know the original text that is being ridiculed.
- Reversal — To present the opposite of the normal situation or order.
- The “Bio” and “About” pages — Places to find information about a source to determine whether it is a legitimate or a satirical news source.
Materials
- Lesson Slide Deck
- Lesson Outline
- Projector
- Student Handout
- Computers and Internet Connection
- Background Reading
ACTIVATOR
(SLIDE 1) — THINK, PAIR, SHARE (5 Minutes)
Think – Pair – Share Activity
- What is the message this cartoon is communicating?
- Is it effective? Why or Why not?
(SLIDE 1) Presenter Notes
- Ask students to write down their thoughts.
- Share with a peer.
- Share with the class.
(SLIDES 2 – 6) — KEY VOCABULARY (5 Minutes)
Key Vocabulary
- Satire — the use of humor, irony or ridicule to expose and criticize society’s flaws or people’s behavior with the aim of alerting the public of a larger societal problem.
- Exaggeration — to enlarge, increase or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.
- Incongruity — To present something out of place or absurd in relation to its surroundings. Particular techniques include oxymoron, metaphor and irony.
- Parody — To imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place or thing in order to ridicule the original. For parody to be successful, the reader must know the original text that is being ridiculed.
- Reversal — To present the opposite of the normal situation or order.
(SLIDES 2 – 6) Presenter Notes
- Explain that we will look at why it is important to recognize satire online to avoid spreading misinformation from satirical sources that are mistaken for legitimate news sources.
- Review the key vocabulary, review the examples, and let students know they will use these terms throughout the lesson.
- Discuss the message each example is trying to communicate.
(SLIDES 7 – 10) APPLICATION (10 Minutes)
(SLIDES 7 – 10) Presenter Notes
7 – Parody: Our academic and social lives have been made remote by technology, but for better or worse?
8 – Exaggeration: Housing prices are out of reach for most people.
9 – Reversal: Children are in control of their parents.
10 – Incongruity: Social media misinformation is helping grow domestic terrorists. (Use 10B if uncomfortable with this one)
(SLIDE 11) IS THIS A JOKE?
(SLIDE 11) Presenter Notes
- Explain that sometimes satire is mistaken for real news, either because it is very subtle or because the website looks like a legitimate news site. We’ll take a look at an example from a satirical news site that reports on Disney.
(SLIDES 12-13) MEDIAWISE FACT CHECK
- What technique of satire does the Mouse Trap article and TikTok account use to communicate a message?
- What is the message the Mouse Trap article and TikTok post are trying to communicate?
- What are the two ways the MediaWise Teen Fact-Checker learned the source is satire?
(SLIDES 12 – 13) Presenter Notes
- What technique of satire does the Mouse Trap article and TikTok use to communicate a message?
- Could really accept Incongruity, Exaggeration, or Reversal as long as they explain.
- Could accept “parody” as it is a parody of a real news site.
- What is the message the Mouse Trap article and TikTok post are trying to communicate?
- Disney cares about profits not the health of its visitors.
- What are the two ways the MediaWise Teen Fact-Checker learned the source is satire?
1. Read the “bio” of the social media account
2. Read the “About” page of the website
(SLIDE 14) DISCUSSION OR EXIT OUT THE DOOR
“What’s the Big Idea?” Discussion Questions
- What is the overall aim of satire?
- Why might someone choose to use satire to present their point of view? What makes satire an effective way to present an opinion?
- Why is it important to be informed about the topic you plan to satirize?
- Why is it important to recognize satire?
- What are some satirical websites or social media profiles you know about?
(SLIDE 14) Presenter Notes
- What is the overall aim of satire?
- To communicate a message about a social problem or issue that needs changing in a humorous way.
- Why might someone choose to use satire to present their point of view? What makes satire an effective way to present an opinion?
- Humor engages an audience
- It is often a creative visualization of the issue
- Why is it important to recognize satire?
- If not recognized it could lead to sharing misinformation online
- It could harm people or businesses
- What are some satirical websites or social media profiles you know about?
- The Onion, The Daily Show, etc.
(Slide 15) EXTENSION AND REFINING ACTIVITY
Extension and Refining Activity
- Select a social problem or school policy you find needs changed.
- Draw a satirical cartoon or write a “fake” news article expressing satire.
- Share your creation with the class, and discuss which techniques you used.
(SLIDE 15) Presenter Notes
- Students can work independently, in small groups, or complete this exercise as homework or as a ticket out the door. You could schedule presentations for the next class period.
Additional Resources
- MediaWise “Is This Legit?” Series
- How To Combat Political Misinformation from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- Fact-Checking Lesson for Student Journalists
- Misinformation Overload Interviews from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- StoryMaker Media Literacy Learning
- Reuters Media Literacy Contest
- Journalism in Action, a history of journalism in the U.S., including political satire, from PBS NewsHour Classroom
MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative of the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Now in over 170 middle and high schools, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) is a national youth journalism program that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements and challenges today’s youth face.
