Name: Deanna Woodland

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Crime and the Media Date: Oct 21,2019 updated: Nov 6, 2019

Grade Level: 12 Subject/Strand: Challenge & Change University (HSB4U)/ C.

SOCIAL PATTERNS AND TRENDS

Topic: Reporting of crimes by the media Length of Period: 75mins

Lesson Plan Description -- What do I want the learners to know and/or be able to do? What are the big ideas/enduring
understandings for the lesson/unit? Indicate using 1-2 sentences.

Examine two current crimes in the news (not local, so as to avoid discomfort in the class) and focus on the interaction
of crime and media coverage and how society’s attitudes influence this relationship and are impacted by the
relationship. Understand how crime/criminality is understood by society.
Note: selection of new events can be impacted by the area where the lesson is taking place. (regional news vs world
news etc.)

STEP 1: CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Ontario Curriculum Overall Expectations Ontario Curriculum Specific Expectations

C3. Social Deviance: demonstrate an C3.4 explain the relationship between social panic about crime
understanding of social science theories about and deviance and the attention given to these issues by media,
social deviance, and of how various responses to politicians, and other social groups.
deviance affect individuals and society.

Learning Goals Success Criteria

Discuss with learners: What will I be learning Discuss with learners: How will I demonstrate what I have
today? Clearly identify what learners are expected learned? Teacher/learner identify ‘look fors’ in language that
to know and be able to do. learners can readily understand.

We are learning … I can …

About the different types of media. Describe the different types of media coverage.
What is bias and how to detect it. Search for and describe bias in reporting.
How different points of view (ethnicity, politics, Explain the relationship between crime and media coverage.
country of origin etc.) impact the reporting of (collaboration)
crimes. Define crime/criminality.
How is crime/criminality understood by society. Create and use an organization chart to focus my understanding.
How to use organization charts to further analysis. (organization)
(organization)

STEP 2: ASSESSMENT

Indicate purpose of the assessment: [ ] FOR [ x ] AS [ ] OF

Indicate Achievement Chart categories being assessed

[ x ] Knowledge and Understanding [ x ] Thinking [ ] Application [x ] Communication

Indicate Learning Skills/Work Habits:

[ ] responsibility, [ x ] organization, [ ] independent work, [ x ] collaboration, [ ] initiative, [ ] self-regulation
(Incorporate one with Learning Goal and Success Criteria)

Indicate Assessment Mode: Indicate Assessment Strategy: Indicate Assessment Tool:

Students will be assessed by their Students will participate in the lesson. Students will be assessed by their minds
oral contributions and written They will write a minds on and exit on paragraph, completion of the chart,
content. slip. They will be able to describe the and reflection (exit slip). As well as their
different types of media coverage, the contributions to small group discussions
interaction between crime and media and class discussions.
reporting and society’s response to
crime, and bias influencing this
relationship. (Success criteria)

STEP 3: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING

Prior Learning: What prior experiences, knowledge and skills do the learners bring with them to this learning
experience?
Students will come to class with their own life and cultural experience, in addition to information they may have
learned in other classes. They will have had prior experience be it personal or in school-based learning on stereotyping
and racism, the media, and how crimes/criminality is understood by society.

IEP program implications: Accommodations, Modifications;

Extra time given if needed, if computers are needed for writing they may be used.

Differentiation -- How will I differentiate the instruction to ensure the inclusion of all learners?
Instructions will be given orally and written on the board/on a PowerPoint slide. Some aspects of the lesson will be
done in small groups, as a result, students can have their peers who understood the instructions instruct/direct them.
Additionally, if further clarification or guidance is needed the teacher will provide it to individuals or the class at large
as needed. Students can use their computers to take notes and complete in class activities or write them out by hand.
In this way instruction should be inclusive of all learners.

Content (what learners are going to learn, and when)

Process (how instruction is organized towards a gradual release of responsibility)
Product (the ways in which individual learners will demonstrate learning for assessment)
Environment (the context and environment in which learners learn and demonstrate learning)

Resources and Materials & Technology Integration -- List ALL items necessary for the delivery of the lesson. Include any
attachments of learner worksheets used and teacher support material that will support communication of instruction.

Newspaper (online)- used in selecting the news events being used

PowerPoint- contains; instructions, 2 preselected news events, format of chart I want students to create and fill in, and some
discussion questions.

Three Part Lesson

Indicate Instructional Strategy --
Students will be guided and directly instructed. They will also be using small groups and the whole class.

Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (approximately 10-20%)

How will I engage the learners (motivational strategy, hook, activation of learners’ prior knowledge, activities, procedures,
compelling problem)?

Minds on; Prompting Questions and Possible Learner

Students will individually examine their own views/opinions on how Responses: Questions used to activate prior
crime interacts with media coverage, and how society reacts to knowledge and develop critical/creative thinking.
crime. Students are to write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences).
(6mins) Teacher directions;
Teacher will load the PowerPoint prior to the
start of class. Minds on instructions and prompt
will be on the displayed PowerPoint slide. As
students arrive to class teacher will direct them
to work on the minds on. Off task discussion and
actions by students will be discouraged by the
teacher and guidance back to the minds on task
will be given. If students are having difficulty
with responding to the minds on the teacher will
guide them using the questions/prompts
outlined below. The main focus for the teacher
will be keeping students on task. To accomplish
this the teacher will walk around the classroom
and interact with students as needed.

Questions/prompts;
Think about recent crimes in the news. What
happened? Why is what happened considered a
crime? How did the media cover the main
details? — age, gender, cause of death etc.
What has been the response to the crime by the
general public, politicians, celebrities etc.?
What biases may have impacted the reporting? –
stereotyping, stigma etc.
How would you have covered the details of the
crime if you were a reporter? -identifies what
the students feel most important and will need
to examine their own bias. When you thought of
the reporting of the crime did you think about
what others, for example your parents might
have thought about the crime?

Possible Learner Responses;

Students might choose the same example in
their responses, or if they do not engage with
the news in any form, they may not have specific
examples. Students responses may be
influenced by outside interpretations and biases
and their responses may reflect this. It is
important for students to become aware of the
influences of others in their responses, as they
may not always be conscious of these influences.

Action: During /Working on it (approximately 60%)

How will I provide practice of new concepts, and have them demonstrate new learning?

1. Students will be directed to copy the chart on the PowerPoint Prompting Questions and Possible Responses:
slide (students will receive a handout with the chart from the slide). Teacher directions;
Then the class as a group will discuss what makes certain actions a (1) At the front of the room, the teacher will
crime and how society views crimes/criminality. (17mins) change the PowerPoint to the chart instructions
slide. The teacher will then direct students to
2. Then a slide will be shown of a news event on a crime. In groups copy the chart onto their own piece of paper to
of three, students will fill in the chart by summarizing the event and then fill in as directed. Once students have
how the crime was reported. Then they will brainstorm reasons why completed writing out the chart, the teacher will
it was reported on in the way it was, and why it might be receiving introduce the class discussion of what makes
this type of media coverage and add these to their charts. Students certain actions a crime and how society views
will be allowed to use their devices to search up the article and crimes/criminality. The teacher will use the
answer the questions. (10mins) questions/prompts described below in this
introduction and facilitation of class discussion.
3. Groups will then share their ideas with the class and briefly justify Throughout the discussion the teacher will walk
their ideas. The class will add answers to their individual charts as around the room to interact with the students as
needed. (5mins) they respond.

4. Then a slide will be shown of another news event on a crime. In Questions/prompts for discussion;
the same groups of three they will follow the same instructions as What is a crime?
with the other news event. Students will be allowed to use their How are crimes reported?
devices to search up the article and answer the questions. (10mins) What might influence how crimes are reported?
What about the crime might impact how society
5. Groups will then again share their ideas with the class and justify reacts to it? -is it the severity of the crime, the
their ideas and the class will add to their individual charts as accused, the victim, the impact of the crime, the
needed. (5mins) novelty?
Bias is considered. What are potential sources of
6. Teacher will then facilitate the class with discussion questions, on bias? - stereotyping, stigma, ethnicity, point of
why some crime events might receive certain types of coverage and view etc.
not others. (questions in teacher directions and on PowerPoint Does where the crime occurred impact how the
slide) (16mins) media reports it and how society responds to
the crime?

(2) Once the discussion is completed and

interest in the class discussion is high the
teacher will return to the front of the room and
change the PowerPoint slide to the first news
event and explain what the students will do.
Then the teacher will move around the room
and organize the students into groups of three
and direct students to begin their task. The
teacher will then provide support and guidance
to students by walking around the room and
checking in on the groups by answering
questions if needed, and ensuring students are
on task and following the instructions.

(3) After the time allotted to complete the task

has almost run out, the teacher will ask if
students are finished or need more time. Allow
for wrapping up, and have groups organize their
thoughts to then present their ideas to the class
with brief justifications of their ideas (have them
share 1-3 ideas depends on time). The rest of the
class is to listen to the presenting groups and
add ideas to their own charts if needed. Teacher
will keep groups on task and the rest of the class
focused by walking around the room and
modeling proper listening. The teacher will also
listen for and intervene if a teachable moment
arises. Once all the groups are finished, the
teacher will offer encouragement before walking
to the front of the room and changing the
PowerPoint to the slide with the second news
event.

(4) The teacher will introduce this news event

and explain the task to the students. Then the
teacher will move around the room and provide
support and guidance to students as in step 2.

(5) After the time allotted to complete the task

has almost run out, the teacher will ask if
students are finished or need more time. Allow
for wrapping up, and have groups organize their
thoughts to then present their ideas to the class
with brief justifications of their ideas (have them
share 1-3 ideas depends on time). The rest of the
class is to listen to the presenting groups and
add ideas to their own charts if needed. Teacher
will keep groups on task and the rest of the class
focused by walking around the room and
modeling proper listening. The teacher will also
listen for and intervene if a teachable moment
arises. Once all the groups are finished, the
teacher will offer encouragement before walking
to the front of the room and changing the
PowerPoint to the slide with the prompt for the
class discussion on why some crime events
might receive certain types of coverage and not
others.

(6) The teacher will then facilitate this discussion

by providing guiding questions and prompts (as
described below and in PowerPoint) and
opening up discussion to the class after
modelling a few potential responses as
examples.

Questions/prompts;
(for step 6) What are some of the differences in
the two news events? How was the reporting
different? Was the response from the general
public, etc. different or the same? Why might
this be? Did the media reports for both events
have the same/similar biases?
 Possible Learner Responses;
Students may or may not need extensive
prompting and questioning to begin discussions,
the teacher needs to respond accordingly.
Students may need some guidance or help when
analyzing the articles. They may also have
different responses to the questions provided in
the chart and this can provide a good
opportunity for students to share their ideas and
justify them and hear what their peers have to
say in support or against some of their ideas.
Students may also feel passionately about their
ideas and they have the time to share them.

Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (approximately 10 - 20%)

How will I bring all the important ideas from the learning experiences together for/with learners? How will I check for
understanding?

Students will write two things they learned this lesson and write a Prompting Questions:
minimum three sentence reflection on how/if their views/opinions Teacher directions;
from their minds on activity have changed. (exit slip) Teacher will change the PowerPoint to the exit
(6mins) slip instructions slide. Then provide oral
instructions for the exit slip. Students will then
individually complete their exit slip. Off task
discussion and actions by students will be
discouraged by the teacher and guidance back to
the exit slip task will be given. If students are
having difficulty with responding to the exit slip
directions the teacher will guide them using the
questions/prompts outlined below. The main
focus for the teacher will be keeping students on
task. To accomplish this the teacher will walk
around the classroom and interact with students
as needed.

Questions/prompts;
Before this class, did you think there were any
differences in the way crimes are reported in the
media? If yes, are there any that were not
covered in this classed? What are they?
Where there any biases that you didn’t think
would impact the media reporting? If yes which
ones and why.
Before this class, did you think there were any
differences in the way society reacts to crimes?
If yes, are there any that were not covered in
this class? What are they?

Possible Learner Responses;

Students may have changed some of their
responses based on what they have learned in
the class. There may also be some who have not
 changed their responses, though they were still
able to take something away from the lesson.
They may also show areas where they still need
to develop.

Extension Activities -- What will learners do when work is completed? What will learners do if they finish early?

If they finish early, students will be encouraged to discuss their exit slip answers with two other students.

Homework; students will find a crime in the news and write a two-page summary and analysis of what the crime was
and how it is being reported in the media. What are the potential biases/ influences? To be handed in next class for
marking.

Next Steps -- Where will this lesson lead to next?

This lesson will lead to additional lessons examining bias and media coverage of different types of crime (violent vs.
nonviolent, a lot of media coverage/society interest vs. very little) and the impact that the area/place of where the
crime took place. Future assessment of understanding might come from student presentations as an extension from
the above homework. Students might receive a news item and must present it to the class as though they are a news
anchor while attempting to avoid bias in their reporting.

My Lesson Reflection

This lesson would work well with more students at least 3 groups of 3 as having only two students for the discussion
sections of the activity made them more of response questions rather than facilitators of class discussion. This also
impacted the pacing of the lesson, as having less students meant that they were able to complete the steps of the
activity faster and the pacing of the activity was impacted. I could also use different news articles depending on the
comprehension ability and prior experience in critical analysis of the class. The engagement and interest in the activity
and discussions went well.