This critical thinking skill is included to ensure that students can identify the point of view and any bias in an information source. Have students practice frequently with the template using various media as well as print materials.
The lesson plan and sample student response sheet were developed to match:
- Government Core Learning Goal Indicator 1.1.2
- Students will analyze legislation designed to protect the rights
of individuals and groups and to promote equity in American society.
- Skills for Success Indicator 2.2.5
- Students will recognize bias, vested interests, stereotyping, manipulation, and misuse of information.
Below is the Juvenile Crime Editorial that students will use in this lesson. Make an overhead transparency or individual student copies.
EDITORIAL
| It’s time to stop playing with these kids! Times have changed and the nature of the crimes have become more serious. Many more juveniles are committing crimes today than ever before. Juveniles who commit these heinous crimes should pay the appropriate price. After all, the misbehaving and truancy of yesterday are not the same as the drug use and murder of today. No matter what the age, if you do the crime you should do the time. |
Explanation
Writers often try to persuade their readers to accept a certain viewpoint by presenting facts and opinions. The reader must analyze the reasoning that
the author uses in support of his/her point of view. Read carefully to detect evidence of bias or weakness in the author’s arguments:
- generalizations or exaggerations
- loaded (emotionally charged) words/images
- opinions stated as facts
The same criteria can be used to evaluate other media: television news reports, movies, current events programs, Internet websites, public speakers.
Model for Analysis
What is the author’s purpose?
What are the author’s arguments in support of his/her viewpoint?
Are generalizations or exaggerations used? Give evidence from the source.
Are any opinions stated as facts? Give evidence from the source.
Are emotionally “loaded” words/images used? Give evidence.
Does the author’s bias weaken his/her arguments? Explain.
Describe how you were able to identify the author’s point of view
Government Core Learning Goal Indicator 1.2.2
Students will analyze legislation designed to protect the rights of individuals and groups and to promote equity in American society.
Skills for Success Indicator 2.2.5
Students will recognize bias, vested interests, stereotyping, manipulation, and misuse of information.
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to:
- Analyze an editorial’s point of view and determine how to detect bias.
- Practice bias detecting techniques by writing an editorial of their own.
- Research contemporary controversial issues on individual and group rights and detect any bias in the writing.
Preparation/Motivation
Generate a class discussion:
Do you believe everything you hear? Read?
Have you ever heard the terms “slanted” or “biased”? What do they
mean?
Are there ways to detect the truth or a lie?
Lesson Procedures
- Distribute the editorial and the Point of View/Detecting Bias Skill Sheet for students to complete. Review student responses.
- Have students rewrite the editorial from the author’s point of view
inserting more biased statements, or have the students write from the opposite point of view including biased statements. Have students exchange papers with a partner and try to detect the bias.
- Group students into pairs or triads. Have students use newspapers,
magazine articles, or the internet to locate opinions about controversial topics involving the rights of individuals and groups. Topics might include Roe v. Wade, hate crime legislation, gun control/school violence, affirmative action.
- Have students read an article and complete the Point of View/Detecting
Bias Skill Sheet for that article. Have the groups share their results with the rest of the class.
Summary/Assessment
Have students listen to/view radio or television programs (talk radio, news commentaries, Dateline-type shows) on their topic. Have them write a review
of the show identifying examples of biased information in the report.
Core Learning Goal Indicator 1.2.2
Students will analyze legislation designed to protect the rights of individuals and groups and to promote equity in American society.
Model for Interpretation
EDITORIAL
| It’s time to stop playing with these kids! Times have changed and the
nature of the crimes have become more serious. Many more juveniles are committing crimes today than ever before. Juveniles who commit these heinous crimes should pay the appropriate price. After all, misbehaving and truancy of yesterday are not the same as the drug use and murder of today. No matter what the age, if you do the crime you should do the time. |
What is the author’s purpose?
to suggest that juvenile penalties no longer fit the severity of the crimes being committed
What are the author’s arguments in support of his/her viewpoint?
times have changed, juvenile crimes have become more severe, current penalties do not address more violent crimes, penalties should be harsher
Are generalizations or exaggerations used? Give evidence from the source.
generalization - “crimes have become more serious”
Are any opinions stated as facts? Give evidence from the source.
many more juveniles are committing crimes today
Are emotionally “loaded” words/images used? Give evidence.
Does the author’s bias weaken his/her arguments? Explain.
no - the author supports his viewpoint with comparisons of crime yesterday and today
yes - the author should include more facts
Describe how you were able to evaluate the author’s point of view.
by reading the author’s statements to identify the viewpoint, and then deciding if the arguments were convincing
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