Lesson
Who Made This and Why?
Summary
While it may seem obvious on the surface, it's important to help students recognize that everything they see online was made by someone for a specific purpose.
Bellringer: Suspicious Snacking
- Present the scenario to students and have them write their responses.
- Reveal to students that all media is made with a motive.
Instruction
- Explain that every piece of media has an author and a motive.
- Give students tips to help spot the motive.
Discussion: How Motive Impacts Message
- Divide the class in 2 and assign each half a motivation for a hypothetical social media post.
- Bring the group back together to discuss how their motivation impacted their choices.
Activity: Media Authorship and Motives Worksheet
- Hand out the worksheet and give students time to research pieces of media and fill it out.
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- Define one of the 4 main motives of media.
- Describe one clue you can look for to find a piece of media's motive.
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Bellringer: Suspicious Snacking |
|
| 8 min | Instruction |
|
| 12 min | Discussion: How Motive Impacts Message |
|
| 15 min | Activity: Media Authorship and Motives Worksheet |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Media Authorship & Motives
Students will find real examples of media and practice looking for who posted it and why.
Class Presentation
Includes a 14-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 5: Media Literacy
Copyright & Fair Use
Help students understand the differences between fair use, copyright, creative commons, and more.
Claims, Evidence, and the Missing Piece
Help students learn how to assess what they're seeing online and determine if it's true or not.
Who Made This and Why?
While it may seem obvious on the surface, it's important to help students recognize that everything they see online was made by someone for a specific purpose.
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