Teach Media Literacy with Film: Disinformation and Social Media
We have added a new film guide to our library to help you teach media literacy with film! In the current dominant online ecosystem, facts are often secondary or irrelevant. Instead, clicks and social media engagement are driving factors for content creation. Algorithms often encourage bias against facts and fact-based journalism. Our Media Literacy and Journalism Lessons are designed to help students think critically about the many kinds of media and messages they are exposed to and to consider the ways media is created and shared. These are great tools for teaching digital literacy, journalism. media literacy and online safety.
Resources to Teach about Media Literacy with Film
New Resource! Teach about Media Literacy with Film: And So It Begins
“What I have witnessed and documented over the past decade is technology’s
godlike power to infect each of us with a virus of lies, pitting us against one
another, igniting, even creating, our fears, anger, and hatred, and accelerating
the rise of authoritarians and dictators around the world.”
– Maria Ressa, How To Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future
And So It Begins shows the impact of online disinformation on real world people and politics. The documentary closely follows key players in the 2022 Philippines presential election from two sides of an increasingly dangerous war between press and government. Representing the journalists is fearless Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who despite arrests and harassment continues to publish articles holding a lawless regime accountable. On the other side, influencers start an incendiary social media movement.
Our And So It Begins Learning Guide features a section on Journalism, Disinformation, and Social Media. It explores how social media and disinformation can create fragmented versus shared social constructions of reality, as shown in the film. This section includes questions for discussion, writing, or personal reflection, as well as extension activities, an online quiz, and additional resources. These resources creates breathing room for students to consider and discuss the intersection of social media and politics in the context of real world events in another country with more objectivity than they might bring to examples of partisan politics closer to home.
More Resources to Teach About Nobel Prize Winners with Film
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: Navalny
The Navalny documentary provides an intimate portrait of Russian opposition leader, democracy champion and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. Our Navalny Learning Guide includes two sections that make a great combination with And So It Begins:
Data Tracking, State Surveillance, and the Role of Journalism asks: Is it possible for data tracking to be used for justice without compromising individual privacy?
Social Media, Censorship, and Propaganda explores how to consume informational critically.
Lesson Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Civics, Current Events, Journalism, Media Literacy, Political Science, Social Studies
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: The Social Dilemma
Documentary-drama hybrid The Social Dilemma reveals how social media is reprogramming civilization with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations.
The learning tools for The Social Dilemma also work well with And So It Beginss. These tools include: Classroom Debate Resource, Gen Z Action Guide, Center for Humane Technology – Youth Toolkit, and Bonus Interview Clips.
Lesson Grades: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, College, Adult Learning Subjects: Current Events, Media Literacy, Psychology
Teach about Media Literacy with Film: Media Literacy and Journalism Collection
We recommend the classroom-ready lessons in our Media Literacy and Journalism Collection to further explore issues raised in the resources outlined here. Subjects and themes in this collection include: Bias and the Politics of Production, Fake News, Investigative Journalism, Media Analysis, Media Responsibility, Propaganda, the Importance of a Free Press, the Role of Citizen Journalists, and Understanding What You Are Watching.
???? Looking for individual lessons for teaching Black history? Check out our brand new Black History Lessons collection, with classroom-ready individual lessons for teaching US Black History and Global Black History. Plus free, on-demand professional development webinars to support teaching Black History.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Teach about the impact of healthcare inequities on public health and the urgency of healthcare for all with The Invisible Shield (and yes, it talks talks about the Tuskegee Institute, as it should).
February Daily Themes
Feb 1 National Freedom Day (signing of 13th amendment – USA)
Check out our films on gender equity, racial equity, LGBTQ equity, human rights & more in the Journeys in Film library.
Finally, while thematic weeks and months are fun and helpful, we know that media literacy, civics, Black history, and many of the other themes we have highlighted can be integrated into your curriculum any time of year, so we hope these resources inspire you no matter when you find them!
Written by SJ Evans
Top Ten Downloads of 2023
Prepare for the new year with our TOP resources of 2023, Discover which ones made the list and get ready to level up your teaching game. Check out the top ten downloads of 2023!
10. A three-way tie for Crip Camp, The Post, and Whale Rider
Based on the true story of Harvard Law School graduate Bryan Stevenson’s move to Alabama where he recognizes an urgent need to provide free legal assistance to minorities who have been unfairly sentenced. Our Just Mercy Curriculum Guide & Student Learning Guide (for high school) is a powerful tool for exploring racial inequity in the US criminal justice system. Just Mercy won multiple awards, including the BET Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the African American Film Critics Association Awards.
8. Schindler’s List
In 2023 we launched a new improved Schindler’s List Curriculum Guide with a brand new antisemitism lesson (for high school) to teach with this powerful & inspiring Academy Award-winner.
7. Happy
Happy takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Our Happy Curriculum Guide presents an opportunity to explore the psychology of happiness with your students, bolster social emotional learning (SEL) and so much more! (For grades 7-12.)
6. Glossary of Film Terms
Our Glossary of Film Terms is useful for Film Literacy and Film Studies classes. It pairs well with our curriculum guides for Big Sonia, He Named Me Malala, Hidden Figures, Schindler’s List, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Music of Strangers, and The Post.
5. Queen of Katwe
Based on the real life story of Phiona Mutei’s rise from the largest slum in Kampala, Uganda to become an international chess star on the world stage. Our Queen of Katwe Discussion Guide (for high school) inspires the next generation of chess players, high achievers and mentors. This hit Disney film directed by Mira Nair won four NAACP Image Awards.
4. He Named Me Malala
This critically-acclaimed documentary explores the rise of Malala Yousafzai from a young BBC blogger in Pakistan to become the youngest Nobel Prize winner at age 17 for her human rights advocacy for gender equity in education for girls in Pakistan and around the world. Educators often pair ourHe Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide and Discussion Guide with her autobiography I Am Malala in ELA classes and Social Studies classes. Speech educators also use Lesson 7 as a fabulous stand alone lesson for examining Malala’s iconic Nobel Prize acceptance speech. (For grades 7-12.)
3. Summer of Soul
Summer of Soul is a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record—about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. The film features concert footage of iconic 1960s Black musicians including Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, and The 5th Dimension. Our Summer of Soul Curriculum Guide (for grades 7-12) provides an engaging introduction to major events in Black history. This critically-acclaimed film won the 2022 Best Documentary Oscar.
2. The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
Based on the inspirational true story of William Kamkwamba. Against all the odds, a thirteen-year-old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine. We offer a Curriculum Guide and a Discussion Guide for The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (for grades 7 to 12) that’s sure to inspire students about engineering, STEM careers, and high achievement. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s feature film directing debut won multiple awards including the Sundance Film Festival Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize.
1. Hidden Figures
Based on the triumphant true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson, three Black women mathematicians who worked in the 1960s NASA space program. Our Hidden Figures Curriculum Guide (for grades 7 to 12) explores the civil rights movement, the Cold War, and the space race. It’s a powerful tool to address gender equity in STEM fields while teaching across subjects. This hit Disney movie was nominated for three Academy Awards.
Around the Web: Educational Resources
Our educational resources and content are often shared by other premium educational organizations like Share My Lesson, Edutopia, Video Librarian and others. On these sites, and others, you’ll find free lesson plans, articles of relevance for educators, film reviews and filmmaker interviews and much more. Here are just a few examples of where you’ll find Journeys in Film around the web!
We’d love to hear from you about your favorite educational resource sites: What are your go-to sites for educational resources? What additional educational sites would you like to see us on? How can we support your teaching initiatives? Get in touch and let us know!
Journeys in Film After-School Film Club Launches in Florida
Journeys in Film’s amplification of the power of storytelling through film and media content expands as our first After-School Film Club launches in Florida this September. Programming for the film club centers around youth action and social justice. As such, we curated a diverse slate of short films. These films highlight the work of young people all over the world. Furthermore, we are offering support for the student-led group with guiding questions for thoughtful discussions. The club’s goal is to empower, inspire and engage students in their journey toward youth leadership.
The club reflects Journeys in Film’s mission to educate the next generation to be globally competent and socially active. Additionally, it underscores the power of film to broaden perspectives and encourage empathy and action.
We hope this pilot program will be the first of many, empowering students to develop media literacy and create meaningful discussions around issues important to participants. So, if you want us to consult with you or develop a program for your community group or after-school club, reach out, we are here for you! Email: je******@************lm.org directly to learn more.
In sum, this initiative reflects our understanding that education happens everywhere. Learning communities, film clubs, book clubs, library discussion groups and homeschooling cooperatives provide powerful and important opportunities for discovery and growth. This is why we create discussion guides, in addition to our standards-based curriculum guides, which you can find our resource library. These discussion materials are designed with a wide array of communities in mind.
Discussion Guides for Learning Communities
Discussion guides are available for the following films. Click on the title of the film to be directed to the film’s resource page and add the discussion guide to your cart. All guides are free and simply require a Journeys in Film account. We’ve also noted where the film is available to stream or rent for your convenience (streaming links take you to the services landing page).
Youth v Gov(available for institutions through Good Docs, for home viewing on Netflix)
Written by Jennifer Fischer
Summer of Soul – Now an Oscar Winner
At Journeys in Film, we are committed to educating the next generation to be globally competent and socially active by harnessing the power of film. As such, we create free curriculum guides and discussion guides for films. Our newest resource is a guide featuring 6 Lesson Plans for Summer of Soul – now an Oscar winner. To its many laurels, the film now adds the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. You can download this free curriculum guide with lessons focused on U.S. History, Civics, Music and more here.
Moreover, Summer of Soul‘s Oscar win comes on the heels of a slew of awards throughout award season. These include the BAFTA for Best Documentary Feature, Film Independent Spirit Award and several others. The documentary tells the story of the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Previously, this historic event was lost to the annals of history, but is now front and center.
Oscar Winners and Nominees in Our Library
Several other films in our library also received honors in the past from The Academy in the form of nominations and wins. The Post received two nominations: Best Actress (Meryl Streep) and Best Picture in 2018. Our 8-lesson curriculum guide features a lesson on fake news. Hidden Figures, our most popular curriculum guide, received three nominations in 2017. They were Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer). Bridge of Spies received six nominations. They were Best Supporting Actor (Mark Rylance), Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Production Design and Best Sound Mixing. Our discussion guide focuses on the Cold War and implications for today.
The beautiful film Whale Rider garnered Keisha Castle Hughes a Best Actress nomination (2004). Our 10-lesson curriculum guide offers resources on exploring Maori culture as well as math, science, media literacy and more. Children of Heaven received a Best Foreign Language Film nomination in 1999. It is a relatable, touching film about siblings in Iran. Our 10-lesson curriculum guide offers opportunities to teach about Iran as well as the science of earthquakes and more.
Finally, Schindler’s List, one of the first films we created resources for, dominated the Oscars in 1994. The film received 7 wins and a total of 11 nominations. Wins include: Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction (Set), Best Film Editing, Best Music (Original Score). Nominations include: Best Actor (Liam Neeson), Best Supporting Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Makeup.
More Resources Coming Soon
Additionally, next month we’ll be releasing our free curriculum guide for the powerful documentary film Crip Camp. This essential film about disability rights and the disability justice movement was nominated for Best Documentary Feature in 2021. Sign-up for our email list to receive notice of the guide’s availability.
We are so proud of Summer of Soul. We hope you will join us in bringing this important film to your classroom. Download the curriculum guide today! Peruse additional resources as well. Together, let’s bring the power of film to students. It can inspire, engage and educate!
