Lesson Plan: Media Bias

Subject: Social Sciences - Media Studies

Year Level: 11

Duration: 2 Minutes

Class Size: 30 Students

Curriculum Area:

This lesson plan is aligned with The New Zealand Curriculum, specifically under the Social Sciences learning area for Year 11 students. The focus of the lesson is to introduce and explore the concept of media bias, which is pertinent to understanding how media influences public opinion and individual perception.

Lesson Objective:

Students will be introduced to the concept of media bias and understanding its effects on information reception and personal perspective.

Resources Needed:

1. Presentation Slide: Pre-prepared slides on defining media bias with New Zealand examples.
2. Video Clips: Short clips demonstrating media bias (local news segments, advertisements, etc.).
3. Link to NZ Media Websites: Access to multiple New Zealand media websites for real-time analysis (e.g., NZ Herald, Stuff).
4. Interactive Quiz Platform: Tool like Kahoot for real-time feedback.

Lesson Plan Overview:

Introduction (30 Seconds)

1. Greeting and Objective Sharing:
   • Greet the students and briefly state the objective of the micro-lesson: understanding what media bias is and discussing its impact.

Presentation & Discussion (60 Seconds)

2. Presentation on Media Bias:
   • Show the first slide defining media bias: "The presentation of news and information in a way that is intended or perceived to influence or sway public opinion."
   • Show examples of different types of bias in news reporting and media presentations, using New Zealand specific content where possible, such as framing in news headlines or photo choices in articles.

Interactive Activity (30 Seconds)

3. Quick Poll:
   • Ask a real-time question using Kahoot: "Have you ever noticed a news story that seemed biased? Yes or No."
   • Display results immediately to see general class perception.

Conclusion and Homework (30 Seconds)

4. Summarisation and Homework Assignment:
   • Quickly summarise the importance of being aware of media bias.
   • Assign students to watch a news segment at home and write down two points where they notice potential bias, to be shared in the next class.

Learning Outcomes:

• Students will initially engage with the concept of media bias.
• Students could relate the content to their everyday media consumption.
• Encourage critical thinking about the media they consume daily.

Assessment:

• Homework submission on observed media biases.
• Participation in class discussion and poll response.

This concise plan is designed to spark interest and pave the way for a deeper investigation into media studies, aligning with media literacy goals in the Social Sciences curriculum for Year 11 students. Future lessons will expand on this introduction, using more extensive case studies and analysis techniques.