Media literacy in Grade 8 helps students question, interpret, and create messages in a world filled with information. Through inquiry, learners ask how media influences opinions, why bias exists, and what strategies help evaluate sources. Instead of passively consuming, they analyze advertisements, news, and social media while reflecting on their own media use. Activities such as deconstructing images, debating news stories, and designing campaigns encourage critical thinking and creativity. By linking media literacy to democracy, identity, and ethics, students learn to navigate the digital age responsibly and become active, thoughtful participants in society.
🟢 Starter
- Define media literacy in one drawing.
- List five types of media you encounter daily.
- Write five examples of advertising techniques.
- Create a two-sentence explanation of bias.
- Reflect: why do people trust some media more than others?
- Identify five ways media influences teenagers.
- Compare traditional media and digital media.
- Write a paragraph about the role of headlines.
- List five examples of stereotypes in media.
- Write a reflection on how social media shapes identity.
- Create five questions to ask when reading an article.
- Compare fact-based news and opinion pieces.
- Write a paragraph on the role of images in communication.
- List five positive effects of media.
- Reflect: how does media connect communities?
- Write a paragraph about misinformation.
- Create five strategies to identify credible sources.
- Compare media messages aimed at children and adults.
- Write a reflection on how media shapes culture.
- List five careers related to media literacy.
🟡 Practice
- Write a paragraph analyzing a news story for bias.
- Create a chart comparing reliable and unreliable sources.
- Research five consequences of fake news.
- Write a reflection on how advertising targets emotions.
- Compare local news and global news.
- Create a project about media in elections.
- Write five strategies to avoid misinformation online.
- Research how algorithms influence media content.
- Write a persuasive paragraph about responsible media use.
- Create a poster showing steps to fact-check information.
- Compare social media influencers and traditional celebrities.
- Write a reflection on how media affects mental health.
- Research five historical examples of propaganda.
- Create a short guide for recognizing clickbait.
- Write a paragraph about freedom of the press.
- Compare entertainment media and educational media.
- Write a reflection on how media literacy strengthens democracy.
- Research five ways technology has changed journalism.
- Create a multimedia project about media and identity.
- Reflect: how does analyzing media improve decision-making?
🔴 Challenge
- Write an essay on the importance of media literacy in modern life.
- Research how propaganda shaped a historical event.
- Debate: should social media platforms regulate misinformation?
- Create a project analyzing political advertisements.
- Research five global media corporations and their influence.
- Write a persuasive essay on protecting freedom of expression.
- Compare media literacy education across different countries.
- Write a reflection on how media shapes public opinion.
- Research how deepfakes challenge media literacy.
- Debate: should schools block certain websites?
- Create a presentation on the role of media in social movements.
- Research five careers where media literacy is essential.
- Write a short story about misinformation spreading online.
- Compare print journalism and digital journalism.
- Write a reflection on the ethics of photo editing.
- Research how media affects elections worldwide.
- Write a poem about truth in the digital age.
- Debate: is media more powerful than governments?
- Write an essay on the role of media in shaping culture.
- Propose five new ways schools can make media literacy engaging.