Lesson plans | RMIT Information Integrity Hub

ABC Education Resources

Free media literacy resources for students (years 5–12), developed by Australia’s national broadcaster. The collection includes interactive modules for students, classroom materials and lesson plans for teachers, and explainers on topics such as news production and media bias. The site also features BTN High, a curriculum-linked news program for upper-primary and secondary students, and “Real, LOLZ, Oops or Fake”, an online game through which players evaluate news sources and assess the headlines, content and imagery of stories to develop their critical thinking skills.

ADM+S Learning Resources

ADM+S is a national research centre dedicated to responsible, ethical and inclusive automated decision-making. Its suite of learning resources, aimed primarily at researchers, policymakers and educators, includes a classroom module on the use of digital technologies and data in the context of health information, suitable for years 9–12 (More-than-Human Wellbeing) and an introductory course on AI, suitable for general adult audiences (We Are AI).

Be Internet Awesome

A US-based digital citizenship program that uses interactive slides and a Roblox gamified experience to help parents and primary school educators (years 2–6) teach online safety and media literacy. Designed by Google and covering topics such as digital habits, misinformation, scams, safety and respectful online behaviour, the program encourages critical thinking, ethical behaviour and confident digital participation.

Break the Fake

A Canadian digital literacy campaign offering explainers for parents, lesson plans for teachers (years F–12) and quizzes to build critical thinking skills using real-world examples. Designed to help audiences spot and fact check suspicious content, the collection was developed by the nonprofit organisation MediaSmarts.

Cat Park

An online game to build resilience against harmful information through exposure to common disinformation tactics. Set in a fictional town, it asks players (aged 15+) to spread disinformation about a proposed cat park using emotional headlines, manipulative imagery and polarising rhetoric. The game, created by Dutch media studio Tilt, takes 15–20 minutes to complete and is accompanied by a lesson plan and teacher toolkit.

Children and Media Prompt Cards

A card pack for starting conversations with students (years 1–6) about media and technology. Each card aligns with one of 6 key concepts of media literacy education: representations, institutions, audiences, languages, relationships and technologies. The cards were created by Southern Cross University education lecturer Dr Amanda Levido.

Common Sense Education

A US database packed with digital and media literacy lesson plans for teachers (years F–12), created by Common Sense Education and Harvard University education experts. Major collections include the Digital Citizenship Curriculum, the Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum and the Essential News & Media Literacy Skills collection. Together, these lessons cover digital footprints, healthy habits, relationships and cyberbullying, social media algorithms, AI, media balance and much more.

CTRL-F

A Canadian digital media literacy program to build AI literacy and help students (years 7–12) identify false and misleading information online. Designed by civics educational nonprofit CIVIX, it includes evidence-based strategies for critically assessing online content and a short curriculum adapted from digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield’s SIFT method (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims).

Digital Citizenship+ Resource Platform

An expansive database of classroom resources dedicated to building digital and information literacy among young people (years 5–12). Designed for educators by Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center, lesson plans cover everything from understanding information quality and the digital economy to protecting your privacy and reputation.

eSafety’s Toolkit for Schools

A suite of resources designed to help schools (F–12) create safer online environments. Developed by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, it includes reference guides, incident assessment tools, experience surveys and student activities to support a nationally consistent approach to preventing and responding to online safety issues. The toolkit has been designed to help implement eSafety’s Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education.

eSmart

An extensive program of lesson plans and online modules (years F–10) designed to keep children informed, responsible and safe online. Younger students can earn their “Digital Licence”, while older students can explore the Media Literacy Lab (requires teacher registration). Created by the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and endorsed by eSafety, these resources are aligned to the Australian curriculum and cover topics such as advertising, consent and AI images. Teachers can also complete professional development modules.

Internet Matters

Internet Matters is a UK-based nonprofit that helps parents and teachers to keep children safe online by fostering critical media awareness. Its resources include Find the Fake, an interactive quiz to build children’s understanding of misinformation, along with lesson plans and other classroom resources for pre-school, primary and secondary educators.

MediaWise

MediaWise is an initiative of the Poynter Institute that provides learners of all ages with the tools and critical skills they need to identify misinformation via online modules, explainers, videos, fact checks and lesson plans for educators. Its program includes the Hit Pause Media Literacy Curriculum, which offers 11 ready-to-use lessons for secondary students, focusing on fact checking, critical evaluation of information and responsible sharing online. Poynter is the home of the International Fact-Checking Network, and MediaWise oversees the Teen Fact-Checking Network.

MoAD’s Media Literacy Resources

A catalogue of media literacy resources for students (years F–12). Developed by the Museum of Australian Democracy, these resources include videos, explainers and classroom activities on topics such as digital citizenship, media production and bias, and the role of news in Australian democracy.

Newshounds

A nine-part, curriculum-aligned media literacy resource designed by the producers of the Squiz Kids news podcast. Aimed at primary school educators (years 3–6) and built like an online board game, it helps kids become “internet detectives” by teaching them how to question, analyse and verify online information. The resource includes a ready-to-teach lesson sequence, student workbook and comprehensive teacher manual, making it accessible for parents without prior media literacy expertise.

Other Side of the Story: News and Media Literacy Resources

A collection of explainers, lesson plans, games and quizzes designed by the UK’s BBC Teach to help secondary students (years 7–10) develop skills in media analysis and critical thinking. Covering topics such as misinformation and media influence, the resources explain how to critically evaluate sources, identify bias and make informed decisions. Some video content may be geo-blocked and unavailable in Australia.

Reality Check: The Game in Media Smarts

An online game for secondary students (aged 14–18) designed by the Canadian charity MediaSmarts. Players navigate social media stories that may be true, false or partially accurate and are guided to investigate sources, compare information and use tools such as fact-checking sites and reverse image searches. Students practise critical thinking, digital literacy and information verification skills, learning to assess the reliability of online content and make informed decisions.

The Digital Child’s Resources for Educators, Parents and Kids

The Digital Child is a national research centre committed to creating positive digital childhoods for all Australian children. Among its collection of free resources are lesson plans and professional learning modules for educators, digital safety fact sheets for parents and downloadable storybooks for children.

The PM’s Daughter

A 10-part fictional drama series exploring the life of a teenager whose mum is the Australian prime minister. Created by the ABC in collaboration with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, the show is accompanied by teaching toolkits (years 5–10) that explore themes such as civic responsibility, media influence, friendship and activism, offering a springboard for class discussions on digital citizenship, leadership and personal values.

Young and eSafe – Critical thinking (teaching resources)

A collection of lesson plans, videos and classroom resources for educators to help students (years 9–10) create a positive, respectful and responsible online environment. Developed by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, the resources cover topics such as respect, safety and critical thinking. Its lesson on critical thinking supports students to evaluate the trustworthiness of online sources and build essential skills for safe and informed digital participation.

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