About This Lesson
Thinkalong.org is a free, evidence-based interactive tool for students to develop media literacy skills by applying the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy to public media content. Importantly, the tool does not require registration for teachers or students, abides by student privacy laws, and is advised by a board of both youth and educators.
Each module consists of:
- a compelling and timely question;
- related current and age-appropriate public media content including audio, video, and text;
- extension resources for advanced or highly-interested students;
- student graphic organizers;
- a simple debate tool;
- a teacher's guide to the module;
- and a guide to the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy.
This Teacher's Guide supports the Should reparations be paid to African-Americans? module on thinkalong.org. Here is the full module and below is a summary.
In late 2016, Georgetown University made headlines for being one of the first major American universities to publicly acknowledge and apologize for the debt its institution owes to slavery. Georgetown College owned slave plantations in Maryland during its founding years and sold over two hundred slaves to pay off a massive debt in 1838. This action spurred a conversation that comes up again and again throughout history: what, if anything, are African-American owed for the era of slavery?
To use this module with learners in any setting, we recommend using one of the structured discussion formats outlined at thinkalong.org/structuring-discussions. You can find options for a small or large group, so that all students or just a few participate, and examples of some discussion formats.
