Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
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Title: Yellow Journalism and the Spanish American War
Lesson Author: Matt Walker and Jay Hipes
Key Words: Imperialism, Yellow Journalism
Grade Level: 7th
Time Allotted: 45 minutes
Rationale/ Purpose (so what?)
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce yellow journalism and the impact it had on the Spanish American War.
Through doing this, the lesson will show students how individuals and their choices can impact others, even people in
other parts of the world.
Key Concept(s) include definition: The key concept is for students to understand how “yellow” journalism
affected other people in the world. This will be portrayed in the example of the incident with the USS Maine and what
role it played in the Spanish American War.
NCSS Standard(s)
SOL Information (As written in the Virginia SOL “Curriculum Framework” for the grade level)
NCSS Theme (s) with indicators:
IX. Global Connections
b. Learners explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence
among groups, societies, and nations
h. Learners illustrate how individual behaviors and decisions connect with global systems
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SOL:
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the changing role of the United States from the late nineteenth century
through World War I by:
a) explaining the reasons for and results of the Spanish American War.
Essential Knowledge
Essential Skills
(minimum for SOL Resource Guide)
(minimum for SOL Resource Guide)
Reasons for the Spanish American War
•Rising tensions as a result of the sinking of the
U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor
•Exaggerated news reports of events (Yellow
Journalism)
Analyze and interpret primary and secondary source
documents to increase understanding of events and life in
United States history. (USII.1a)
Sequence events in United States history. (USII.1c)
Guiding Question(s):
How does the media affect peoples' opinions and beliefs?
Assessment Tool(s):
Student writings.
Student responses in class.
Student attentiveness in class.
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Background: How does this lesson fit into a unit of study? Looking backwards, looking forwards
This lesson would follow a previous lesson introducing Imperialism, which would have followed lessons on the Progressive
Era. Following this lesson would be lessons focused on the Spanish American War in Cuba and the Philippines.
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will be able to:
1. Identify examples of yellow journalism
2. Identify effects of individuals on others and on the world
Historical Source(s): (include copies in materials
Additional Materials/Resources: (include
section)
copies in materials section)
headlines of articles
political cartoon
“Be the Reporter” handout
PowerPoint slides
Procedure/Process:
JUST DO IT! The “Hook”: (A high-interest activity that introduces new content with connections to students’ prior
knowledge. Between 1-5 minutes (Could also introduce the days guiding question)
Analyze an article, what statements in the article are an opinion or fact based on the picture in the article?
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Obj #
See
above.
Processing Activity and Procedure -include directions,
question frames, assignment detail to be given to
students (these should all be made into explicit materials
(e.g. see material A), and time estimates
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Check for Evidence of Understanding
-Either Formal or Informal(Checks Essential Knowledge and Skills)
Analyze an article, what statements in the article are an opinion
Written responses of the students, also
or fact based on the picture in the article?
the responses of the students when
(5 min.)
discussing the article.
Explain what yellow journalism is, through telling the students this article is an example of yellow journalism.
Transition:
(5 min.)
Powerpoint slides with examples of yellow journalism articles
Student attentiveness during the
about the explosion of the USS Maine, also with an example of a Powerpoint, as well as the responses they
political cartoon of the Spanish at the time. Ask questions during have towards the images.
the showing of these documents such as:
How do the images make you feel?
Objective What in the images make you feel that way?
1,2
Do you think the publisher/artist tried to make you feel this way?
What do all of the articles/images have in common?
Why would they try to do this?
Who do people seem to blame?
Does it sound like they have evidence or proof?
(15 min.)
Now that you have seen examples of Yellow Journalism as a class let's edit an article from today into a Yellow
Journal article. This would involve looking at an article and then changing the sentences to a yellow
Transition:
journalism style of article.
(10 min.)
After completing turning a normal article into a yellow journal
Writing exercise for the students, that will
article hand out “Be The Reporter” worksheet. There will be an
go in their Notebooks.
Objective image on the center of the page, and the students need to
create a title for the article, then write a short article about the
image in yellow journalism style.
(10 min.)
Just do it.
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Transition: Dismiss class
Closure/Writing Prompt:
Hand out “Be The Reporter” worksheet, there will be an image on the center of the page, and the students need
to create a title for the article, then right a short article about the image. They need to write four sentences about
the image for their article.
Materials
(one resource per page- so it becomes a teacher or student handout, or overhead directions or ppt
presentation):
Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Material A: “Be the Reporter” handout
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Social Studies Lesson Plan Template
Material B:
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Teacher Notes (Reflections/clarifications/explanations):
To start the discussion have students write down 5 things they see in the examples in a minute. After this ask
them what they saw and call on the students for responses. To continue discussion ask questions that are provided in
the lesson procedure, call on students with their hands raised, also call on other students who seem to be not paying
attention.