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Lesson

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You Won't Believe This!

What is clickbait and how can you avoid it?

Grade

5

Time

45 mins.

Objectives

  • Define "the curiosity gap."
  • Explain how clickbait uses the curiosity gap to get your attention.
  • Use strategies for avoiding clickbait.

Vocabulary Show definitions

advertising . clickbait . headline . curiosity gap
advertising messages or photos that are made to persuade someone to buy a certain product
clickbait posts, headlines, thumbnails, or images designed to make you curious enough to click, often using exaggeration or manipulation
headline the title of an article, usually printed in big, bold letters at the top
curiosity gap the desire that people have to figure out missing information
Standards
This lesson meets standards for Common Core ELA, ISTE, CASEL and AASL.
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This lesson is a great way to connect what students are learning about to the upcoming election. While they're not voters (yet!), students are bound to be hearing about and watching election-related news in the coming months, and this is a great opportunity to help them be critical consumers of that content.

Lesson Plan

45 mins.

For related lessons, check out the Essential News & Media Literacy Skills for Students lesson collection.