About This Lesson
In this lesson, students will learn about the First Amendment, the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, and the Espionage Act.
In the first part of this lesson, students begin by examining the rationale behind the First Amendment guarantee of a free press using multiple resources: several articles about press freedom and online videos. They discuss the role of the press and its relationship to government.
In the second part, students research press freedom in other countries and the outcomes of censored press. They compare the press freedom available in a number of representative countries.
In the third part, students write editorials on the current challenges to freedom of the press to be curated and shared with their school community.
This lesson plan includes:
- Worksheet on the Importance of a Free Press
- Worksheet on Freedom of the Press Around the World
- Worksheet for Outlining and Editorial
- Worksheet for Spotting Fake News
