Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: What’s the story?

20 minutes

Find Out: Debunking detectives

25 minutes

Take Action: Detectives in action

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explain how digital media shapes perceptions of clean energy
identify examples of misinformation and accurate information about clean energy online.

Success criteria

Students can:

analyse media content to identify accurate information about clean energy
collaborate to evaluate and categorise online content.

Tune In: What’s the story?

Step 1

Write the following 2 contrasting news headlines on a whiteboard:

Headline 1 -

Step on the Gas: Australia's Only Hope to Avoid Energy Crisis

Headline 2 -

Fossil Fuel Push Threatens Australia's Clean Energy Future

Step 2

Invite students to discuss these headlines by using the following prompts:

How do these headlines make you feel?
How might each headline influence someone’s perception of clean energy?

Step 3

Use the thinking routine ‘Claim, Support, Question’ to encourage students to analyse media narratives around energy policy critically. Begin by asking students to work in pairs and write a claim based on these headlines on the Student Worksheet.

Direct students to complete the remaining questions on the Student Worksheet to assess the support and questioning of each headline. Once students have generated their questions, invite them to share them with the class.

Find Out: Debunking detectives

Step 1

Pose a question to students:

Why is it important to identify accurate information about clean energy?

List student responses on a whiteboard.

Step 2

Introduce the importance of being ‘information detectives’ to assist in the early identification of misinformation and disinformation within media narratives. Guide students through the Visual Explainer, outlining the approaches that can be taken to help protect people against misinformation and disinformation about clean energy.

Step 3

Explain to students that the media can contribute to misinformation and disinformation by focusing disproportionately on problems with and opposition to renewables, rather than presenting a balanced view of their benefits and challenges.

Guide students through the following example (Rumorgard.org: Pete Buttigieg and electric vehicles), allowing them to align their skills with the facts, misinformation, and/or disinformation identified.

Take Action: Detectives in action

Preparation

Collect various age-appropriate online articles, videos, and social media posts about clean energy (including a mix of accurate information, misinformation, and disinformation). Please note that this activity requires more resources than the following examples:

Accurate information	• This video provides an introduction to clean energy manufacturing suitable for younger audiences. • This video describes renewable energy for young audiences. • This podcast describes the process of solar energy. • This series offers short, informative videos introducing energy efficiency and renewable energy concepts.
Misinformation	• This short article snippet is an example of misinformation on the topic of renewable energy. • This short article snippet is an example of misinformation on the topic of renewable energy causing harm to the environment.
Disinformation	• This tweet/post from Twitter/X exemplifies how disinformation is shared with high engagement. • This video depicts boat protest footage of a group claiming that wind farms harm whales.

Step 1

Divide students into groups of 3-4. Allocate each group a piece of content (above) to read and analyse. Provide groups with the factsheet for evaluating content and media decoding. Students use this to guide the conversation on the reliability of the source they are analysing.

Step 2

Create 3 sections on large paper or a whiteboard: ‘Reliable,’ ‘Questionable,’ and ‘Misleading.’ Your students will present their findings and place each piece of content in the appropriate category. Encourage students to refer to the factsheet.

Step 3

Once students have presented their findings, initiate a class discussion on why each item belongs in its category. Use the following prompts to guide your discussion:

Why did you place your content in the ‘Reliable,’ ‘Questionable,’ or ‘Misleading’ category? What was your reasoning?
How did the format or medium impact how the information was presented?
How can misleading or biased information impact individuals and society?
How can we become more discerning and critical media consumers?

Learning extension: Encourage students to create their own media content by applying the principles of reliability and credibility they've learned.

Learning support: The second page of the factsheet contains a simplified checklist for students who need additional guidance in evaluating sources.

Learning opportunity: Use this activity as a springboard to discuss current events and how media literacy skills can be applied to real-world situations.

Reflection

Step 1

Ask students to spend 2 minutes writing down their answers to these questions:

What energy sources do you think your home or school uses?
What would you pick and why if you could choose any energy source for your home or school?

Step 2

Ask students to pair up and share their answers with a partner. Ask them to discuss:

How did you decide which energy source to choose?
What information did you use to make your decision?

Step 3

Bring the class back together and pose these questions for a brief discussion and final reflection:

Imagine you read an article saying your chosen energy source is harmful. How would you decide if this information is true or false?
Why do you think knowing the difference between false information and facts is important when making energy decisions?

Investigating Media and Clean Energy Narratives

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Summary

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