About This Lesson
Thinkalong.org is a free, evidence-based interactive tool for students to develop media literacy skills by applying the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy to public media content. Importantly, the tool does not require registration for teachers or students, abides by student privacy laws, and is advised by a board of both youth and educators.
Each module consists of:
- a compelling and timely question;
- related current and age-appropriate public media content including audio, video, and text;
- extension resources for advanced or highly-interested students;
- student graphic organizers;
- a simple debate tool;
- a teacher's guide to the module;
- and a guide to the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy.
This Teacher's Guide supports the Should single-use plastics be banned? module on thinkalong.org. Here is the full module and below is a summary.
As we consider the impacts that humans have had on the Earth, plastics have become a topic of discussion. Cities, states, and whole countries are taking action against single-use plastics - plastics that we use once and then discard. With new technologies, plastic taxes, and other strategies popping up around the world, we've become more aware of our plastic usage and its impact, but should we do away with them altogether?
To use this module with learners in any setting, we recommend using one of the structured discussion formats outlined at thinkalong.org/structuring-discussions. You can find options for a small or large group, so that all students or just a few participate, and examples of some discussion formats.
