Framing the News Lesson Plan

Diversity in Media
Indigenous People
Journalism & News
Persons with Disabilities
Privilege in the Media
2SLGBTQ+ Representation
Religion
Stereotyping
Visible Minorities

Level: Grades 9-12

Author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts

This lesson plan is part of the Close Reading Media Across the Curriculum program. Funding provided by the Government of Ontario.

This lesson is part of USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools.

Overview

In this lesson, students consider the idea that a news source can be “accurate but misleading” through the concept of framing. Students learn about the different ways that news stories may be framed, identify examples of framing in a news story, then find and evaluate examples of framing in news stories on a particular issue. 

Learning Outcomes

Framework topics: Students will learn…

  • Reading media: different forms of framing in news media
  • Finding and verifying: how framing can lead to works that are accurate but misleading
  • Media representation: how framing can contribute to our perceptions of others and the world

Key concepts/big ideas: Students will understand…

  • Media are constructions: media makers choose what to include or exclude and how to present what they include
  • Media have social and political implications: media can influence politics and social change through agenda-setting
  • Each medium has a unique aesthetic form: the structure of news stories may contribute to bias or framing 

Core competencies: Students will be able to...

  • Access: Search for and research a current news issue
  • Understand: critically evaluate a variety of news sources to assess how framing is used in them
  • Engage: demonstrate an understanding of the impacts of framing

Student-friendly outcomes: We will learn how news stories use different types of framing, and how this can make us see the world and different people in certain ways. We will think about how media can influence important social and political topics. We will research a current news issue and identify how different news sources frame it.

This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) are available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.

Lesson Kit