Screened Out Discussion

Lesson Overview

Unit: Navigating Digital Childhoods
Lesson: 8 of 15
Duration: 55 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Grade: 12th Grade ELA
Topic: Discussion on Screened Out (Part 1)
Focus: Critical engagement with documentary arguments, developing verbal reasoning skills, and constructing counter-arguments.

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts - Grade 12

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
  Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3
  Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, and presence or absence of fallacious reasoning.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.8
  Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (applied to documentary argument analysis).

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.B
  Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a discipline-appropriate form.

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Learning Objectives

• I can analyze and discuss the key arguments presented in the first half of Screened Out.
• I can share at least one meaningful insight from the documentary during discussion.
• I can prepare a thoughtful counter-argument to one of the points presented in Screened Out.

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Success Criteria

• Students actively contribute to the think-pair-share discussions with relevant observations.
• Each student shares at least one insight during the whole-class discussion.
• Students demonstrate understanding of argument structure by preparing a counter-argument.

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Materials Needed

• Clips or assigned viewing notes of the first half of Screened Out (students should have watched prior to class)
• Discussion prompt handouts with key questions
• Notebooks or digital devices for note-taking
• Whiteboard or smartboard for summarizing insights
• Timer or stopwatch for pacing activities

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Lesson Activities

1. Introduction and Framing (5 minutes)

• Welcome students and briefly review the learning objectives using “I can...” statements, e.g., “Today I can discuss the key arguments from Screened Out and prepare a counter-argument.”
• Quickly recap the overall theme of the documentary unit: Navigating Digital Childhoods and focus today on the first half of Screened Out.

2. Think-Pair-Share: Initial Reflection (15 minutes)

• Prompt Question:
  "What is a key argument or message you noticed in the first half of Screened Out? Why do you think the filmmakers chose to emphasize this?"
• Think (4 minutes): Students individually jot down their insight and reasoning.
• Pair (6 minutes): Students pair up to discuss their individual insights, encourage them to ask questions and challenge each other’s reasoning politely.
• Share (5 minutes): Pairs share highlights with the whole class. Record shared insights on the whiteboard to build a group knowledge map.

3. Whole-Class Argument Analysis Discussion (20 minutes)

• Teacher-led facilitation: Break down 2-3 major arguments presented in the documentary segment.
• Guide students through evaluating:
  • The effectiveness of evidence provided
  • The reasoning and logic used
  • Any rhetorical techniques or emotional appeals
• Regularly ask students to connect back to their think-pair-share insights.
• Encourage citing specifics from the documentary to support their points.
• Highlight any instances where they spot logical fallacies or biases.

4. Extension Activity: Counter-Argument Preparation (10 minutes)

• Task: Students individually select one argument or claim from the documentary to craft a basic counter-argument.
• Prompt questions to scaffold thinking:
  • What evidence could challenge this claim?
  • Are there alternative perspectives or data?
  • How would you respectfully express your disagreement?
• Students write a brief outline or bullet points.
• Circulate to provide guidance and support, especially scaffold for students who might struggle to find counterpoints.

5. Closure and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Invite 2-3 volunteers to share their counter-argument outlines briefly.
• Reiterate the importance of respectful discourse and critical thinking when engaging with media.
• Preview next lesson: continuation of discussion and deeper analysis.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Diverse Learners:

  • Provide sentence starters for think-pair-share and counter-argument writing (e.g., "One argument I noticed is…", "An opposing view could be…").
  • Pair students with mixed abilities to support peer scaffolding.
  • Allow use of technology (speech-to-text apps) for students with writing difficulties.

• For Advanced Learners:

  • Challenge students to research an additional source that supports their counter-argument to deepen the complexity.
  • Encourage advanced learners to formulate a rebuttal to their own counter-argument to refine dialectic skills.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment will occur through teacher observation of think-pair-share participation and whole-class discussion contributions.
• Informal assessment of counter-argument outlines for understanding of claim and counterclaim.
• Exit ticket (optional): One sentence summarizing the student’s biggest takeaway or their most compelling counter-argument point.

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This lesson plan promotes critical thinking, informed discourse, and argument analysis consistent with Common Core standards, prepared for the digital-age realities 12th graders face. It encourages careful reasoning and respectful discussion, essential skills for college and civic life.