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:
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a compelling and timely question;
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related current and age-appropriate public media content including audio, video, and text;
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extension resources for advanced or highly-interested students;
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student graphic organizers;
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a simple debate tool;
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a teacher's guide to the module;
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and a guide to the 5 Key Questions of Media Literacy.
This Teacher's Guide supports the Is money speech? module on thinkalong.org. Here is the full module and below is a summary.
In 2010, the Supreme Court decided in the landmark case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission to deregulate campaign donations made by corporations and labor unions. This decision allowed these organizations to spend unlimited amounts on issue advertising and contributions to political organizations. Advocates of unregulated campaign spending argue that spending money on campaigns is protected under the Constitution as the right to exercise free speech. Opponents state that politicians are inevitably indebted to these large organizations when they accept donations, potentially leading to corruption and unethical behaviors within the government. Is unlimited spending by large political donors constitutional or does it impede fair and ethical politics?
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.
