Lesson 1: Media Bias and the Framing of Crime
Duration of Days: 1
Lesson Objective
Students will analyze how local and national media frame crime stories, checking for racial, socio-economic, or geographic biases.
How does sensationalized crime reporting shape public fear and policy? Whose voices are excluded from crime news?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1; MBL Standard 2A.
1. Hook: Review two local crime reports, highlighting descriptors used for suspects.
2. Instruction: Discuss statistical realities of crime rates vs. media volume of crime reporting.
3. Analysis: Students use a tracking tool to identify language choices in current crime headlines.
Purpose & DOK Level: Unmasking media narratives around justice; DOK Level 3.
Highlighting key paragraphs; providing a glossary of criminal justice terminology.
Formative check on the headline tracking spreadsheet.