What+Can+We+Know+and+Say?

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THIRTEEN AMERICAN ARGUMENTSEnduring Debates That Defineand Inspire Our CountryHoward Fineman ** WHAT CAN WE KNOW AND SAY? ** and Glenn Peyton ||
 * [[image:osussmethods/fx_Bloom_New.jpg caption="fx_Bloom_New.jpg"]] || Ben Bartholomew

Develop a lesson plan that moves the students from lower to higher levels of thinking.  Complete the following template.

Controlling Question What effect does today's forms of media have on freedom of speech and information in American society?

Overview of Lesson

What is "speech"? What does it include? - Person to person verbal communication? - Written communication? - Mass communication... - Television/Radio/Newspapers/Magazines? - Internet - blogs, wikis, casual communication? - Future forms?

What is freedom of speech? Why did we dedicate a constitutional amendment to protecting it? - Suppression/censorship, no right to criticize the government. - English government under the King.

What limitations are there on this freedom? - Sedition Acts, Court cases (cannot pose an imminent threat to public safety - i.e. yelling "fire" in a crowded building)

What makes political speech potentially dangerous? - Mass appeal - the ability to influence people which can have political implications. - "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Where do we get our information? - Communication that reaches large numbers of people - the media. - Present a current-event, and the reporting on it. - Look for evidence of taking sides in the reporting.

How do we know that the information we receive is reliable? - Where is it coming from? Who is writing/reporting on it? Who is singing their paychecks? - Is the reporting coming from or advocating a particular perspective? Do they exclude information?

Why is it important that sources of information are objective and reliable?

Objectives (skills and content) Students will: - Recall various forms of speech. - Define and explain what is meant by "freedom of speech." - Identify why this is a right that needs to be protected. - Interpret a source to draw out key facts and information. - Analyze a source and be able to detect bias. - Criticize a source in terms of accuracy and reliability.

ADVANCED! - Generate a source in which the facts and presentation are intended to sway the public in a particular direction.

 [|Rev Objective Table (1).docx]

Lesson Activities & Materials: Match the Objectives to the Learning Activities

For homework, students research an article on a hot topic and examine it for evidence of objectivity/bias and reliability. ||
 * Ojectives:Begin with the VERB || Describe the Learning Activities: ||
 * Recall, Define || Direct instruction (mini-lecture), probing questions. ||
 * Identify || Dicussion of the right - historical and current significance. ||
 * Interpret || Present an example of an issue, its reporting, have students draw out the facts. ||
 * Analyze, Criticize || In-class evaluation of the presented source.