Do Corporations Have an Obligation to Share Their Research?
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Provided by: Project Look Sharp|Published on: April 27, 2021
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
6-AP
Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this media literacy activity, students will analyze two video clips about Exxon's 1980s scientific research, which indicated a link between fossil fuels and rising global temperatures.
- The videos make different claims as to the relevancy of the research and why Exxon chose to keep the information away from the public.
- Students will investigate how the video producers' intentions and goals shaped the information in each video.
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts
Authors: Project Look Sharp, Cindy Kramer & Sox Sperry
Region: North America, United States
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The lesson plan includes discussion questions for several academic subjects.
- This lesson requires students to think critically about where information comes from and how the producer's intentions shape the viewer's understanding of the topic.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers must create a free account to access the materials.
- Teachers should research the sources so they are aware of their viewpoints and biases.
- For more information about climate change misinformation, have students watch this video by the Climate Reality Project.
Differentiation
- Students can respond to questions individually or in small groups before discussing their answers as a class.
- Social studies classes could debate whether corporations are responsible for divulging information that could affect the well-being of people or the environment.
- Science classes can evaluate the claims made in the two videos and discuss the way that scientific findings are generally shared with the scientific community and the public.
- Other resources on this topic include this lesson on misinformation about climate change, this activity on identifying climate myths, and this NowThis Earth video on greenwashing.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
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Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Project Look Sharp
Project Look Sharp is a nonprofit, mission-driven outreach program of Ithaca College. Their mission is to help K-16 educators enhance students' critical thinking, metacognition, and civic engagement through media literacy materials and professional development.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
