Starter Kit for Elementary Library & Information Literacy K-2

This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.

Starter Kit for Elementary Health K-2

This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.

Starter Kit for All Subjects K-2

This guide gives users a brief overview of our approach (question-based media decoding) and materials (e.g., lessons) available for free from the Project Look Sharp website for a particular level and subject.

Demonstration Video: Choosing a Just Right Book

School librarian, Michele Coolbeth from East Syracuse, NY, leads her first graders through analyzing different book covers and text [and drawing their own conclusions about the appropriateness of the book as an independent reading choice] - using our lesson, How Do I Choose? Picking the Right Book for Me.

Demonstration Video: What is Media - Kindergarten

School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, has her students identify media, including in their clothing – and then reflects on the importance of teaching young students to recognize that media is all around them.

Demonstration Video: Who is Family? - Kindergarten

School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, leads kindergarten students through analyzing book covers for messages about the diversity of families - using the Project Look Sharp lesson, “Who is Family?”

Demonstration Video: Wash Your Hands - Kindergarten

School librarian, Michele Coolbeth, has her students reflect on the qualities of different media forms (videos and a poster) while learning how to wash their hands. (Total Time: 2:13) Published 2023

Standards Alignment: National Media Literacy Alliance Joint Statement on Media Literacy Education

This 3-page document briefly summarizes the alignment of media literacy with the core standards for each of the following disciplines: library (AASL + YALSA), technology (ISTE), Journalism (JEA), Early Childhood (NAEYC), Social Studies (NCSS), ELA (NCTE), Math (NCTM), Science (NSTA), and Writing (NWP).

Elementary Level: First Contact Between Europeans and Native Americans

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using our lesson, First Contact. Students in this video decode two opposing paintings to understand how Europeans impacted Native American life.

Elementary Level: Decoding Money

Related to kit: Introducing Africa: Critical Thinking and Media Literacy

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Introducing Africa. Students in this video compare two African currencies to the U.S. Dollar to gain insight about cultural differences.

Critical Thinking and Health: Media Literacy Lessons for Elementary Grades

Related to kit: Critical Thinking & Health: Nutrition and TV Commercials

This webinar offers pedagogical techniques and curriculum materials to help young children understand biases and misleading messages found in food advertising and toy commercials aimed at them, including cereal ads and advertising for foods and beverages that imply they have a lot of fruit in them. Part of the webinar specifically focuses on gender techniques and gender stereotyping in toy commercials.

Elementary Level: Gender In Children's Commercials

Related to kit: Critical Thinking & Health: Nutrition and TV Commercials

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Critical Thinking and Health. Students in this video decode the commercial "Magic Kissing Dragons" to analyze media messaging about gender.

Elementary Level: Paintings of George Washington and King George

Related to kit: Causes of the American Revolution

An example of leading a class through a constructivist media decoding using a lesson from our kit, Causes of the American Revolution. Students in this video decode differences in paintings of George Washington and King George.

Piaget and the Power Rangers: What Can Theories of Developmental Psychology Tell Us About Children and Media?

Theories of developmental psychology can help to interpret evidence related to how children of different ages are affected differently by media consumption. By Cyndy Scheibe, 20 Questions About Youth and Media, Vol. 48 No. 1, September 2007