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Materials by Week

Use this page to plan ahead. Each week's "Before You Begin" section has full preparation instructions, but this list gives you a bird's-eye view of what to gather.

Items used every week: notebook or journal, pencils/pens, a timer (phone timer works fine).

Unit 1 — The Anatomy of a Message​

Week 1: What IS Media?​

  • Variety of media examples: cereal box, picture book page, short TV clip (~30 sec), website screenshot, billboard photo or magazine ad, song lyric printout
  • Notebook or paper with three columns ("What is it?", "Who made it?", "One choice they made")
  • Clipboard (optional, for scavenger hunt)

Week 2: Who Made This and Why?​

  • 8–10 varied media examples (2+ from each purpose category: inform, entertain, persuade, sell)
  • Sticky notes or index cards
  • Four-column template ("What is it?", "Main Purpose", "Evidence", "Hidden Purpose?")

Week 3: The Invisible Choices​

  • Two short video clips (30–60 sec each) with different tones on similar subjects (recut trailers work well)
  • Printed paragraph or news headline for rewriting
  • Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
  • Blank paper (at least 4 sheets)
  • Optional: phone/tablet for playing music clips
  • Scissors and old magazines (optional, for mood board collage)

Week 4: The Re-Edit (Unit Project)​

Choose one format:

  • Paper & scissors: 8–10 printed/cut-out magazine photos, blank paper, glue, markers
  • Slide deck: device with Google Slides/PowerPoint/Keynote, 6–8 photos
  • Video: camera/phone, simple video editor (iMovie, CapCut), 5–6 short clips

Plus: journal or paper for reflection

Unit 2 — The Attention Economy​

Week 5: The Price of Free​

  • Screenshot of YouTube with visible ads
  • Free mobile game showing in-app purchases or reward-video prompts
  • Social media feed screenshot with "Sponsored" posts
  • Free newspaper or magazine (ad-supported)
  • Website with pop-up ads/cookie banners
  • Comparison: a paid app (no ads) vs. a free app (with ads)
  • Four-column template for Ad Detective Journal

Week 6: The Clickbait Machine​

  • 8–10 clickbait headlines (printed or on cards)
  • 3–4 honest headlines about the same topics
  • Paper/markers for thumbnail design
  • Four-column template ("Original Headline", "Pattern Used", "Honest Rewrite", "Curiosity Rating")

Week 7: The Ad Tracker (Key Activity)​

  • Ad Tracker sheet with columns: Time, What was "sold", Where it appeared, Attention technique, Did it work?
  • 30 minutes of trackable media (TV with commercials, YouTube, store walk, magazine, or free game)
  • Journal or paper for written reflection

Week 8: Selling Ideas​

  • Public service announcement example
  • Political campaign ad or poster (historical or fictional — see lesson notes)
  • Social media post designed to provoke outrage or agreement
  • "Feel-good" viral video with subtle brand message
  • Charity appeal with emotional imagery
  • Index cards and markers (for Emotional Ad Gallery)

Unit 3 — Verification & Debugging​

Week 9: Is This Real?​

  • 3–4 examples of information that looks real but isn't (corrected headline, satirical post shared as real, old story reshared as current, out-of-context photo)
  • 1 clearly labeled opinion/editorial piece and 1 news report on the same topic (for content-type identification activity)
  • 2–3 additional examples representing different content types: news, opinion, advertising, entertainment
  • Computer or tablet with a web browser
  • Optional: printed screenshots of examples
  • Card stock for Verification Card
  • Colored pens/pencils for Trust Ratings (green/yellow/red)

Week 10: The Fact-Check Sprint (Key Activity)​

  • 3–4 pre-tested claims for investigation (viral "did you know?" facts, misattributed quotes, misleading statistics, wrong-context photos)
  • 2 news articles about the same event from different outlets (non-controversial, kid-friendly — for source comparison activity)
  • Comparison chart template (rows: headline, lead sentence, sources quoted, details included, details left out, overall tone)
  • Device with web browser (supervised)
  • Timer
  • Report template (sections: Claim, Source, Search, Verdict, Evidence)

Week 11: Spotting Fakes​

  • 3–4 examples of visual media deception (false caption, manipulated image, misattributed quote graphic, old photo reshared)
  • Access to reverse image search (Google Images or TinEye)
  • Paper or cardstock and markers/colored pens (for Fake Spotter's Guide)

Unit 4 — The Algorithmic Echo​

Week 12: How Does My Feed Know Me?​

  • Paper and markers for the Recommendation Game
  • Content cards (write on index cards: "Funny cat video", "Science documentary", "Soccer highlights", etc.)
  • Optional: smartphone or tablet to demonstrate recommendations
  • Journal/notebook with 3 columns ("What Was Recommended", "Why I Think It Was Chosen", "What's Missing")

Week 13: The Echo Chamber​

  • Pair of simple two-sided topic examples (e.g., "Dogs vs. Cats as Pets") with supporting "evidence" for each side
  • Blank paper for filter bubble diagram
  • Journal or paper (Perspective Challenge is a writing exercise — no devices needed)

Week 14: The Feed Swap (Key Activity)​

  • 2–3 simulated "feeds" on paper (10 items each, written for fictional characters — see lesson for templates)
  • Markers or colored pens (optional, for visual differentiation)
  • Paper for Balanced Feed design (10 items)

Unit 5 — Intentional Production​

Week 15: The Spec Sheet​

  • Blank Spec Sheet template (7 sections — see lesson for format)
  • 2–3 examples of student-appropriate media projects for inspiration (short PSA, infographic, 60-second video)
  • Materials matching chosen format (art supplies, device with camera, computer for writing/slides, recording app for podcast)

Week 16: Building Your Message​

All materials depend on the student's chosen format:

  • Video: camera/phone (charged), filming location, script/outline
  • Poster/Infographic: paper or cardstock, markers/art supplies, reference images
  • Blog post: computer or notebook, outline, reference sources
  • Podcast: recording device or app, quiet space, talking points
  • Slides: computer with presentation software, gathered images

Plus: Spec Sheet visible and accessible

Week 17: Testing and Refining​

  • Student's draft in a sharable/presentable state
  • A reviewer (family member, friend, peer, or the adult teaching)
  • Feedback form with prompts (see lesson for template)
  • Device with web browser (for fact-checking own claims)

Week 18: The Signal Broadcast​

  • Completed project ready to present
  • Display method: screen, wall space, stand, or speaker
  • An audience (even one attentive person is enough)
  • Optional: Creator Certificate or award

Optional Extensions​

Extension 1: AI-Generated Media​

  • 3–4 pairs of images: one real photo, one AI-generated (whichfaceisreal.com is a good source)
  • AI-generated text sample alongside a human-written version of the same topic
  • Optional: AI-generated audio or lighthearted deepfake video example
  • Notebook or report template for AI Detective activity

Extension 2: Journalism Deep Dive​

  • Short video or article explaining how a newsroom works (editorial roles, fact-checking process)
  • 1 example of a published correction or retraction (to illustrate accountability)
  • 3 news articles about the same event from different outlets (non-controversial, kid-friendly — upgraded from the two-source comparison in Week 10)
  • Comparison chart template (6 rows × 3 source columns — see lesson)
  • Blank credibility framework template (8-item checklist — see lesson)
  • Report template for Credibility Framework Report

General Supplies (Good to Have on Hand)​

  • Notebooks or journals (one per student)
  • Blank paper and cardstock
  • Markers, crayons, and colored pencils
  • Sticky notes and index cards
  • Scissors and glue sticks
  • Old magazines (for cutting out images)
  • A timer (phone app works well)
  • Clipboards (for walking activities)
  • A device with a web browser (supervised, for verification units)
  • Printer access (optional but helpful for displaying examples)