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 Should we defund the police? module on thinkalong.org. Here is the full module and below is a summary.
After the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police, widespread calls for reform and defunding law enforcement joined the chorus of criticism and anti-racist protests across the United States. The phrase "Defund the Police" started to show up on signs and on social media, but those three words can mean vastly different things depending on who you ask. Advocates for defunding the police say that law enforcement agencies around the country are rooted in racist ideals, lack accountability, and are often called on for situations better handled by other professionals. Others say that more funding is needed to reform police departments and to train officers to work with communities, instead of simply enforcing laws. Should we defund the police?
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.
