Unit 5 — Media Literacy

Track E · Klasse 9 · Niveau E

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: E. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau E (45 BE).

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can spot 3 signs of misinformation in a short article.
  • I can use seem to / appear to / claim to for hedged claims.
  • I can write a 120-word media-literacy review.

curriculum framework (“Bildungsplan”) alignment Link to heading

  • 3.2.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
  • 3.2.3.1 Hör-/Hörsehverstehen
  • 3.2.3.2 Leseverstehen
  • 3.2.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz
  • 3.2.4 Text- und Medienkompetenz

(Source: https://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/SEK1/E1)

Lead-in story Link to heading

Eli’s uncle forwarded a viral post. The post claimed a new wonder-fruit could solve everything from sleep problems to maths grades. Eli read it twice. “Mr. Yilmaz,” he said, “is every fruit like this?” Mr. Yilmaz smiled. “No,” he said. “But every viral post is. Welcome to media literacy.”

1. Activate Link to heading

Headline scan. Three real-looking headlines on the slide. With your partner, mark each one likely true / likely false / would need to check.

2. Input Link to heading

Vocabulary — media literacy Link to heading

source, claim, evidence, fact-check, misinformation, disinformation, bias, headline, clickbait, study, statistic, anecdote, primary source, peer-reviewed, fake news, viral.

Grammar — hedged claims Link to heading

seem to / appear to / claim to / be reported to + base verb.

  • The fruit seems to improve sleep.
  • The article claims to be based on a study.
  • Critics appear to disagree. Hedged language is what careful writing sounds like — neither lying nor over-claiming.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau E — controlled Link to heading

  1. Choose: seems / claims / appears: This study __________ to be peer-reviewed. The article __________ to support the claim, but the link is broken.
  2. Match: clickbait → exaggerated headline; primary source → original. (T / F)

Niveau E — productive Link to heading

  1. Build 4 hedged-claim sentences about a viral post or article.
Answer key

Controlled. 1. claims / appears. 2. all true.

Productive. 3. Open.

4. Produce Link to heading

Mini-review, 120 words. Pick a viral post or article. Write a short review: Source? Evidence? Bias? + what would change my mind. Use 3 hedged claims.

Sample Link to heading

The article I read seems to claim that a new fruit improves sleep, mood, and maths grades. The source is a small website I have never seen before. The article appears to cite a study, but the link is broken. The language is highly enthusiastic, which is a typical clickbait sign. I am not saying the fruit is bad — I am saying I cannot tell from this article. What would change my mind: a peer-reviewed study, a named researcher, and one critical voice in the article itself.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can spot 3 signs of misinformation.
  • I can use seem to / appear to / claim to.
  • I can write a 120-word media-literacy review.

One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence using something you learned in this Unit.

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau E (45 minutes)
Time. 45 minutes. Total. 45 points.

Task 1 — Listening (10 BE) Link to heading

Listen twice.

“The post seems to claim that a new fruit improves sleep, mood, and maths grades. The article appears to cite a study, but the link is broken. Several experts claim to have tested the fruit and found no such effect.”

  1. The post claims: ___ . 2. The link: ___ . 3. Experts: ___ . 4. Effect found: ___ .

Task 2 — Reading (12 BE) Link to heading

Read.

“Headline: ‘WONDER FRUIT FIXES YOUR SLEEP.’ The article cites no study. The named expert is not on any university website. The website itself was registered three weeks ago. None of these signs is a direct lie. Together, they are a warning.”

  1. Headline style: ___ . 2. Study cited: ___ . 3. Expert verifiable: ___ . 4. Site age: ___ .

Task 3 — Use of English (10 BE) Link to heading

Hedged claim.

  1. The article __________ (seem) to support the claim.
  2. Several experts __________ (claim) the post.
  3. The author __________ (appear) to be a real person.
  4. The fruit __________ (be reported) to improve sleep.

Task 4 — Writing (13 BE) Link to heading

Write 120 words: a media-literacy review of a viral post. Use 3 hedged claims.

Answer key
T1. improvements in sleep / mood / maths grades; broken; have tested it; no such effect. T2. clickbait / exaggerated; no; not on any university website; three weeks old. T3. seems / dispute (or claim against) / appears / is reported. T4. Open.
grading scale (Notenschlüssel) (von 45)
| 42–45 | 1 | 36–41 | 2 | 30–35 | 3 | | 22–29 | 4 | 13–21 | 5 | 0–12 | 6 |

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total. Lead-in 4 min · Activate 5 min · Input 14 min · Practise 8 min · Produce 11 min · Reflect 3 min.

Differentiation. Below Niveau E: scaffold card with the key structure. Above Niveau E: extension prompt linking to Klasse 10.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • The article seems claim → ✗ / The article seems to claim → ✓.
  • Don’t confuse fake with biased — biased can still be factually true.
  • L1 trap: German behaupten → English claim, with neutral tone, not always negative.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

  • BBC Reality Check.
  • Snopes — fact-checking site.
  • FullFact (UK).

Downloads

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