Overview and Background: Unit: Just the Facts

 
Matt Gallagher : Cheney USD 268
Social Studies : Current Events : Current Events
Cheney High School : Grades 9 - 9 : 1 : Aug. - Jun.

 
Title: Just the Facts
Topics: distinguishing between fact, opinion, and bias
Start Date: Aug. - Aug.
Other Designers:

 
Summary:
Students will develop an understanding of the difference between fact, opinion, and bias and be able to identify each.

 
Print Materials Needed:
subscription of US News and World Report, current articles from other periodicals
Resources:
videos/dramatizations exemplifying rhetoric, propaganda, and advertising(Selling Murdering- Nazi Propaganda; Frontline: The Merchants of Cool; current advertisement featuring fast food, soda, MTV segments, etc.;
NY Time Learning Network

 
Resource Attachments: http://www.cheney268.com/SS/gallagher/currentevents/currenteventsunits/justthefacts.htm
Internet Resource Links:
Link 1:http://www.nytimes.com/learning/

 
Notes:

 
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

 
State: Local Standard       Communications
Title: Cheney USD 268 Information Literacy
Standard(s): CM.4.3.9 Organizes information for practical application.
CM.4.2.11 Distinguishes among facts, perspectives and biases.
CM.4.2.12 Recognizes inaccurate and misleading information.
Understandings:
user All information contains the perspective of its author or source.
Information becomes propaganda when bias is added.

 
Essential Questions:
user How can opinion & bias be distinguished from fact?
Why is objectivity important?
Why is propaganda a powerful tool?

 
Knowledge and Skills:
K: terminology of news reporting and advertising; motivations behind rhetoric, propaganda, and advertising
S: distinguish fact from bias and opinion; identify motivations for bias and opinion

 
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

 
Assessment Summary:
Students will be required to apply their knowledge of bias to the news and information they encounter. To demonstrate this ability, they will construct a written analysis and an oral presentation of examples of bias & opinion.

 
Task/Prompt: Just the Facts
Type:Performance Task
Topics: distinguishing between fact, opinion, and bias
Summary:
Students will be required to apply their knowledge of bias to the news and information they encounter. To demonstrate this ability, they will construct a written analysis and an oral presentation of examples of bias & opinion.
Print Materials Needed:
Resources:
Resource Attachments:
Internet Resource Links:
Link 1:
Link 2:
Link 3:
Link 4:
Link 5:
Notes:

Student Directions:
Your job is to demonstrate your ability to distinguish between fact, opinion, and bias.

You are an analyst for the Justice Department's Truth in Advertising division. Your specific task is to find and analyze an example of bias or propaganda in each of the target areas of advertising, politics, finance, and society for the justice department to investigate. In each example, answer the following questions to establish a case:

1.Who created this- who is the source? Who is responsible for it?
2.What makes this work biased? How is this bias demonstrated?
3.What motive does the source have to be biased? Why would they produce something like this?
4.How dangerous is this example to the public? Why would someone be likely to believe it?

Criteria

*Documentation must be provided in a Work Cited page using MLA format.

*Projects can take on any form, as long as they demonstrate your ability to distinguish between fact, opinion, and bias. Your assessment ultimately consists of: a written analysis, and an oral presentation.

Listed below are secondary requirements. Projects should include:

*visual examples to illustrate your analysis
*a title page
*a works cited page, as mentioned above

 
 
Rubric(s)
Rubric: Just the Facts
Summary:
Students will be required to apply their knowledge of bias to the news and information they encounter. To demonstrate this ability, they will construct a portfolio containing examples of bias & opinion they have analyzed.
Trait: Project Model
Performance Type: Display.
Level 1: Incomplete Level 2: Fair Level 3: Good Level 4: Excellent    
Analysis of examples demonstrates a lack of understanding.

At least one target area addressed.

Conclusions lack clarity or are incomplete.
 Analysis of examples demonstrates little understanding.

At least two target areas addressed.

Sometimes conclusions are inadequately explained.
 Analysis of examples demonstrates some understanding.

At least three target areas addressed.

Conclusions are adequately explained.
 Analysis of examples demonstrates real depth of understanding.

All four target areas addressed.

Conclusions are clear and expressive.		    
Trait: Project Construction
Performance Type: Process.
Level 1: Incomplete Level 2: Fair Level 3: Good Level 4: Excellent    
Lacking creativity or organization.

Many spelling or grammatical errors.
 Little creativity and organization demonstrated.

Some spelling or grammatical errors.
 Some creativity and organization demonstrated.

Few spelling or grammatical errors.
 Very creative and expressive.

Well organized.

No spelling or grammatical errors.
    
Trait: Oral Presentation
Performance Type: Oral.
Level 1: Incomplete Level 2: Fair Level 3: Good Level 4: Excellent    
Delivery is generally unprepared and distracted.

Missing or unacceptable introduction or conclusion.

Delivery is hindered by many filler words or nervous gestures.

Lacking eye contact or reads notes.
 Delivery is sometimes unclear or unprepared.

Rough or unclear introduction or conclusion.

Delivery is somewhat hindered by use of filler words or nervous gestures.

Looks at notes often or one part of the audience.
 Delivery is generally clear and on target.

Clear introduction and conclusion.

Little use of filler words or nervous gestures.

Eye contact is nearly consistent with the audience.
 Delivery is expressive and concise.

Creative use of introduction and conclusion.

No use of filler words or nervous gestures.

Eye contact is consistent with entire audience.
    

 

 
Other assessment evidence to be collected:
Process check
  Formative evaluations will consist of:
1. reading assignments and quizzes
2. vocabulary quizzes
3. constructed responses/questions to reading and video
4. discussion and debates analyzing bias and propaganda
5. unit test
 

 
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

 
Learning Activities:
Where is the unit going?
Students will demonstrate understanding of the difference between fact, opinion, and bias and be able to identify each in a performance task. Identification and analysis will focus on: source, motivations, believability, and potential harm.

1. Suggest to students some false bit of information (Holocaust myth theory) and portray it as fact, providing supporting examples and reasoning. When students seem convinced, explain how the idea is false and ask students to determine how they became convinced. Ask students to think of more examples of potential deception they encounter.

2. Students will encounter terminology, research, and dramatizations that provide examples of fact, opinion, and bias. Students will be guided through continual analysis of the resources and information they encounter (described below).
Graphic Organizer: http://www.cheney268.com/SS/gallagher/currentevents/ceresources/analysisofbias.htm

3. Students will be assigned the task of bringing a sample advertisement to class. Rethink/Revise: Groups will analyze each example for bias and motivation.

4. Groups will analyze an editorial to clearly identify the author's bias and propose possible motivations. Rethink/Revise: Students will identify the author's perspective and reasons for opinions.

5. Research old news magazines (Life, etc.) for bias or information that we now know is untrue (smoking advertisements, etc.). Rethink/Revise: Students will contrast information that was accepted at one time with current attitudes toward the same information. We will analyze the change in attitude and explore possible reasons for this change.


6. View an analysis video of recovered Nazi propaganda- "Selling Murder." Analysis will focus on the methods used in the film to persuade the audience and practice identify false information. Rethink/Revise: Students will analyze the methods of persuasion used in the Nazi propoganda and potential reasons the German people were willing to accept it.


7. View an analysis "Frontline: The Merchants of Cool", current advertisement featuring fast food, soda, MTV segments, etc. Analysis will focus on slant of media for the purpose marketing. Rethink/Revise: Groups will brainstorm examples of marketing from their own experiences and identify the techniques used in targeting consumers.


8. View and analyze newsreels from World War II for government propaganda. Compare these newsreels to independent reporting from Vietnam and discuss the implications of realistic vs. biased information on public opinion. Rethink/Revise: Students will contrast the shift in perspective between the government's war coverage and that of an independent new service.


9. Performance Task
Students will be required to apply their knowledge of bias to the news and information they encounter. To demonstrate this ability, they will construct a portfolio containing examples of bias & opinion they have analyzed.

Student Directions:
Students will be required to apply their knowledge of bias to the news and information they encounter. To demonstrate this ability, they will construct a written analysis and an oral presentation of examples of bias & opinion.

Your job is to demonstrate your ability to distinguish between fact, opinion, and bias.

You are an analyst for the Justice Department's Truth in Advertising division. Your specific task is to find and analyze an example of bias or propaganda in each of the target areas of advertising, politics, finance, and society for the justice department to investigate. In each example, answer the following questions to establish a case:

1.Who created this- who is the source? Who is responsible for it?
2.What makes this work biased? How is this bias demonstrated?
3.What motive does the source have to be biased? Why would they produce something like this?
4.How dangerous is this example to the public? Why would someone be likely to believe it?

Criteria

*Documentation must be provided in a Work Cited page using MLA format.

*Projects can take on any form, as long as they demonstrate your ability to distinguish between fact, opinion, and bias. Your assessment ultimately consists of: a written analysis, and an oral presentation.

Listed below are secondary requirements. Projects should include:

*visual examples to illustrate your analysis
*a title page
*a works cited page, as mentioned above