High School Journalism Unit 5

Unit Plan

Journalism Ethics and the Role of the Press in Society

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 
Unit 5
Overview:
​This unit explores the ethical responsibilities of journalists and the critical role of the press in a democratic society. Students will study core principles such as accuracy, fairness, objectivity, and transparency. Through primary case studies and key legal precedents, students will investigate how ethical decisions shape public trust in media and learn to critically analyze journalistic practices in contemporary contexts.

Unit Objectives:
Students will be able to:
  • Explain the foundational principles of journalism ethics, including accuracy, fairness, and objectivity.
  • Analyze how the First Amendment protects freedom of the press and shapes media accountability.
  • Identify and evaluate ethical dilemmas in journalism related to bias, conflicts of interest, and sensationalism.
  • Examine landmark journalism cases and controversies to assess real-world applications of ethical standards.
  • Develop and defend positions on ethical issues in journalism through writing and discussion.

Essential Questions:
  • What are the ethical responsibilities of journalists, and why are they important?
  • How does the First Amendment protect journalistic freedom—and what are its limits?
  • In what ways can bias, conflict of interest, or sensationalism compromise journalistic integrity?
  • How should journalists respond to ethical dilemmas in high-stakes situations?

Key Topics:
  • Core principles of journalism ethics: truthfulness, accuracy, independence, fairness, accountability
  • The First Amendment and freedom of the press
  • Media bias, transparency, and conflicts of interest
  • Sensationalism and the public interest
  • Famous journalism ethical dilemmas (e.g., Pentagon Papers, coverage of 9/11, misreporting in major events)

Primary & Secondary Sources:
Primary:
  • Excerpts from the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
  • Excerpts from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
  • Selections from The Pentagon Papers (public domain sections)
  • Interviews or public statements by investigative journalists
Secondary:
  • Selections from The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
  • Articles on media bias and press freedom from trusted educational resources
  • Case studies from the Poynter Institute or journalism ethics training modules

Lesson Breakdown:
Week 1: Foundations of Journalism Ethics
Lesson 1: Introduction to Ethical Journalism
  • Activity: Analyze real headlines for ethical standards (truth, fairness, bias)
  • Group brainstorm: “What makes news ethical?”
Lesson 2: The SPJ Code of Ethics
  • Activity: Case study carousel – analyze short scenarios using SPJ principles
  • Exit ticket: Identify a principle you find most essential
Lesson 3: Freedom of the Press
  • Activity: Read and interpret the First Amendment
  • Debate: “Should there be limits on press freedom?”

Week 2: Ethical Challenges and Case Studies
Lesson 4: Bias and Objectivity
  • Activity: Compare multiple news reports of the same event
  • Create a “Bias Checklist” for evaluating news articles
Lesson 5: Conflicts of Interest and Transparency
  • Activity: Analyze a journalist’s decision involving potential conflict
  • Role-play: You’re the editor—what do you advise?
Lesson 6: Sensationalism and Public Interest
  • Activity: Headline rewrite—turn a sensational headline into a responsible one
  • Discussion: When does public interest outweigh privacy?

Week 3: Deep Dive into Journalism Dilemmas
Lesson 7: The Pentagon Papers
  • Activity: Jigsaw reading of excerpts and class discussion on ethical implications
  • Small group: Should the papers have been published?
Lesson 8: Ethics in Crisis Reporting (e.g., 9/11, school shootings)
  • Activity: Watch short news clip, discuss journalist choices under pressure
  • Journal reflection: What would you do differently?
Lesson 9: Digital Media and Ethics
  • Activity: Evaluate social media posts for misinformation or ethical lapses
  • Create a student code of ethics for sharing news online

Week 4: Culminating Projects and Synthesis
​Lesson 10: Simulation: The Ethics Committee
  • Activity: Students are assigned roles (journalists, editors, legal counsel, public) to debate a fictional but realistic ethical dilemma
  • Class vote: What is the most ethical decision?
Lesson 11–12: Final Project Work Days
  • Project options:
    • Write an op-ed on a current ethical issue in journalism
    • Design a visual presentation explaining a key principle of journalism ethics
    • Create a fictional ethics dilemma and write a reflective analysis on resolving it

Assessments:Formative:
  • Daily exit tickets and reflections
  • Group discussions and debates
  • Headline and article analysis exercises
Summative:
  • Final ethical analysis project (written, visual, or multimedia)
  • Essay: “How should journalists navigate the tension between public interest and individual rights?”

Suggested Extension Activities:
  • Guest speaker: Investigative journalist or journalism professor
  • Virtual tour of a newsroom or journalism school
  • Student-led podcast episode on a journalism ethics issue

Vocabulary:
  • Ethics
  • Objectivity
  • Bias
  • Sensationalism
  • Conflict of interest
  • Transparency
  • Accountability
  • Freedom of the Press
  • Public Interest
  • Editorial Independence
​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
Week 1: Foundations of Journalism Ethics
Individual Activity: AI Ethical Scenario Analyzer
AI Tool: ChatGPT (or any classroom-safe AI writing assistant)
Description:
Students are given brief ethical scenarios in journalism (e.g., a reporter fabricates a quote). They prompt ChatGPT to analyze the ethical concerns using the SPJ Code of Ethics and compare the AI's judgment with their own.
Student Task:
  • Input a prompt like: "Analyze this journalism ethics scenario using the SPJ Code of Ethics..."
  • Record AI’s evaluation
  • Write a 1-paragraph reflection: Do you agree with the AI’s interpretation? Why or why not?

Week 2: Ethical Challenges and Case Studies
Group Activity: Bias Detection with AI-Powered News Comparison
AI Tool: NewsGuard (or AI-powered news aggregator comparison like Bing AI or Perplexity)
Description:
Groups compare how different outlets cover the same news story using AI-curated summaries or analysis.
Student Task:
  • Choose a current news event
  • Use an AI-powered comparison tool to summarize coverage from 3–4 sources
  • Complete a bias analysis chart
  • Present findings: Which article demonstrated the least/most bias? What indicators support this?

Individual Activity: AI Headline Rewriter – Sensationalism Edition
AI Tool: Grammarly or ChatGPT
Description:
Students input sensational or misleading headlines into ChatGPT or Grammarly’s tone editor, asking the tool to rewrite them with a neutral, factual tone.
Student Task:
  • Rewrite 3 sensational headlines using the prompt: "Rewrite this headline in a neutral and ethical tone suitable for responsible journalism."
  • Compare versions and explain why tone matters in ethical reporting.

Week 3: Deep Dive into Journalism Dilemmas
Group Activity: AI Debate Moderator – Pentagon Papers Case
AI Tool: ChatGPT (as role-playing assistant/moderator)
Description:
Students simulate a newsroom editorial meeting on whether to publish the Pentagon Papers. ChatGPT plays the role of managing editor or legal counsel.
Student Task:
  • Students prepare arguments in roles (journalist, publisher, legal advisor, public interest advocate)
  • Use ChatGPT to generate counterarguments or moderate discussion by prompting: "You are the managing editor—how would you respond to this viewpoint?"
  • Submit a summary of the group decision and ethical justification.

Individual Activity: AI-Enhanced Ethical Dilemma Journal
AI Tool: Notion AI or ChatGPT
Description:
Students maintain a digital ethics journal where each entry is guided by AI-generated prompts or scenarios.
Student Task:
  • Each entry starts with an AI prompt like: "Imagine you're a journalist covering a protest where police misconduct is suspected. What ethical considerations must you weigh?"
  • Students respond in writing, using the SPJ code as a guide
  • Submit 3 journal entries by end of week

Week 4: Culminating Projects
Group Project: Build an AI-Ethical Journalism Toolkit
​AI Tool: Canva AI (for design), ChatGPT (for content generation)
Description:
Groups design a digital toolkit for new journalists on how to use AI responsibly in reporting (e.g., verifying facts, checking bias, AI-generated content warnings).
Student Task:
  • Use ChatGPT to help write toolkit sections (e.g., “How to avoid plagiarism when using AI”)
  • Use Canva’s AI tools to design visual layouts or infographic pages
  • Present toolkit to class

Individual Project: Interactive AI-Powered Code of Ethics Quiz
​AI Tool: Quizlet AI or Curipod
Description:
Students create a quiz or interactive review tool for the SPJ Code of Ethics using AI quiz generation features.
Student Task:
  • Input SPJ Code excerpts into the AI tool
  • Review and revise AI-generated questions for clarity and accuracy
  • Share quiz with peers as a study resource
  • Submit a reflection: “How well did the AI understand ethical nuance?”
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