GMOs: Bias and Credibility in Media Messages

• In this lesson, students learn about persuasive writing, bias, and credibility by analyzing three videos about GMOs by a corporation, a non-profit organization, and an academic group.
• Students practice their media decoding skills and are taught how media can be used to influence public opinion.

Positives

• This is an excellent exercise to introduce students to how media is used to sway public opinion, an issue especially relevant to the climate crisis.
• Teachers can use this lesson to introduce the concept of greenwashing.
• The lesson plan includes a list of objectives, a preparation and materials guide, activity procedures, additional resources, discussion questions, and an answer key.

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers will need to register for a free account to access the materials.
• The activity should take 30-60 minutes to complete.
• Both the documents and videos must be downloaded.
•  The "How to Use These Materials" document is a more in-depth guide for teachers.
  

Differentiation

• This lesson can also be used in science and health classes during lessons about the effects of the chemicals used in or on GMOs on human health or the environment.
• History classes could connect this to lessons about the impacts of the green revolution on society.
• For science students, have them research a scientific paper about some aspect of GMOs or look at research related to the health effects of the insecticides and herbicides used within or on GMOs.
• As an extension, have students bring to class an example of biases in media related to climate change and the environment.