Note: You can find a lot more resources by buying our book, Practical Media Literacy: An essential guide to the critical thinking skills for our digital world. You would be supporting our work so that we can bring you more great resources.

 

Advertising & Commercialism



Do You Know Why You Bought That? - A fun site that teaches children about how advertising influences them.

Affluenza - A PBS site dedicated to over-consumption by our society.

Persuasive Writing - Teaching children how to write persuasively, and shows how the media uses these techniques to sell products.

AdBusters - A magazine dedicated to discussing media's impact on society.

50 Possible Ways to Challenge Over-Commercialism

 

Body Image

Body Image and Advertising - Discusses how advertisers emphasize sexuality and the importance of physical attractiveness.

Body Image - a lesson plan for teaching children about body image.

 

Gender and Race in the Media

Girls In The Media - An article that discusses who young girls are portrayed in the media.

Looking For Latinos in Primetime - A study about Latino characters in primetime American television. In PDF format.

...And the Company President Is a Black Woman - An article that discusses how casting directors cast actors for television and film, and how race is considered.

Between the Lines: Stereotyping of Sisters in the Media - Discusses how nuns are portrayed in the media.

A Long Way to Go: Minorities and the Media - Discusses racial stereotyping in the media.

Ads Pose Dilemma for Black Women - An article about black women portrayals in advertising.

Hollywood's Arab: Still Stuck in the Desert - Shows how Hollywood continues to portray Arabs in a stereotypical fashion.

 

Media Education & Criticism

On The Media - The weekly NPR program looks at current events in the media.

Video in The Classroom - This site offers examples of standards-based video production being used in the classroom to close the achievement gap, raise self-esteem, and teach media literacy in the elementary grades.

MediaEd - A UK site for teachers and students interested in media and moving image education in all levels of education. Filled with lesson plans and ideas for teaching media in the classroom.

 

Violence In The Media

The Psychological Effects of Violent Media on Children - The American Psychological Association says there are three major effects of watching violence in the media (i.e.: video games/television) children may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of others, children may be more fearful of the world around them, and children may be more likely to behave in aggressive or hurtful ways toward others.

V is for Video Game: The Effects of Violent Media - The type of images, words and sounds that are found in media today are much more violent than those found in the past.

 

Organizations

National Telemedia Council - Publishes the Journal of Media Literacy.

Project Look Sharp - At Ithaca College

History of Media Literacy in the United States - This site provides a rich repository of information concerning the history of media literacy in the United States, decade by decade. Its survey begins in the 1960s, and continues through to today.

Media Literacy Online Project - Contains a wide array of archived articles, bibliographies, and other resources of value in the study of media, children, and adolescents.

Center for Media Literacy - This organization provides information about the current state of media literacy, and provides a wealth of information for the study of the subject. Includes a complete archive of Media & Values magazine, as well as many articles, studies and reports.

Media Awareness Network - A Canadian site that provides a wide array of articles and reports relating to information literacy for children.

Just Think - Teaches young people to lead healthy, responsible, independent lives in a culture highly impacted by media.

New Mexico Media Literacy Project - Provides articles that teach essential media literacy skills.

 

Lesson Plans and Curriculum

We Tell Stories (PDF) - A lesson plan teaching children to tell stories, learning media literacy skills along the way. K - 5th grade.

Maps And The Pictures In Our Heads (PDF) - A lesson plan that teaches how maps can be considered media. K - 5th grade.

Media Literacy Clearinghouse - Provides articles, resources, and links about media literacy around the web.