English Language · JC 1

Active learning ideas

Who Creates Our News?

Active learning helps students move beyond passive consumption of news to examine how stories are shaped by human decisions. When learners compare real examples side by side or create their own news, they see firsthand how choices in language, images, and coverage reflect values and priorities of creators. This hands-on approach builds critical thinking skills that text alone cannot match.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Media Literacy - Middle School

• 20–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Pairs

Pair Comparison: Same Story, Different Sources

Provide pairs with the same news event from two sources, like a newspaper and an online site. Students highlight differences in headlines, facts selected, and tone. They discuss in 5 minutes why creators might choose those elements.

Where do I get my news from?

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Comparison, provide articles on the same event from sources with known editorial leanings to ensure clear differences emerge for analysis.

What to look for

Provide students with two short news excerpts about the same event from different sources. Ask them to write one sentence identifying a key difference in how the event is presented and one question they have about the creators of one of the articles.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Small Groups

Group Simulation: Create Your News

In small groups, assign roles: journalist, editor, owner. Groups cover a neutral event but adapt it per role instructions on bias. Present to class and explain choices.

Who are the people who create news stories?

Facilitation Tip

In Create Your News, set a strict 15-minute deadline to keep the simulation focused and force students to make deliberate choices about what to include.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you were starting a new online news site today, what would be your top three priorities in deciding what news to cover and how to report it?' Facilitate a brief class discussion, encouraging students to justify their choices based on concepts of audience, accuracy, and influence.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 20 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Hunt: Track Your Sources

Students list their top three news sources and note creators if possible. Class compiles on board, votes on reliability, and debates influences.

How might different news sources present the same story differently?

Facilitation Tip

For Track Your Sources, start with a class-created list of common news sources students already use, then guide them to find and record the creators behind those sources.

What to look for

Show students a headline and a short paragraph from a news story. Ask them to identify one word or phrase that might suggest a particular bias and explain their reasoning in a single sentence.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 50 min · Individual

Individual Audit: News Diary

Over a week, students log daily news intake, noting source and creator. In class, share patterns and reflect on variety.

Where do I get my news from?

Facilitation Tip

Use the News Diary to model reflective writing by sharing your own media habits first, then have students respond with personal examples.

What to look for

Provide students with two short news excerpts about the same event from different sources. Ask them to write one sentence identifying a key difference in how the event is presented and one question they have about the creators of one of the articles.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with what students already know: their daily news habits. Use that as a foundation to challenge assumptions through structured comparisons and role-play. Avoid lecturing about bias; instead, let students uncover it through their own observations and discussions. Research shows that when students actively identify bias themselves, their understanding lasts longer than when it is explained to them.

Students will recognize that news is constructed, not discovered, and identify the roles of journalists, editors, and owners in shaping what we read and see. They will compare sources, articulate differences in coverage, and reflect on their own media habits with greater awareness and skepticism.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Comparison, students may assume all news sources report the same facts objectively.

  Hand out two articles about the same event from sources with different editorial perspectives. Ask students to highlight factual statements in one color and subjective language in another, then discuss how these choices shape the reader's understanding.

• During Group Hunt: Track Your Sources, students may believe online news is always more current and trustworthy than traditional media.

  Provide a list of online news sources and have groups research the ownership and verification processes of each. Ask them to present one finding about credibility and one about timeliness for each source.

• During Create Your News, students may think journalists alone decide what news we see.

  During the simulation, assign specific roles (journalist, editor, owner) and give each a set of priorities (e.g., accuracy, speed, profit). After the simulation, have students reflect on how these roles conflicted and influenced the final story.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session