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Media Literacy for Health

Eighth graders learn to think critically about the flood of health messages in ads, social media, and online — spotting misleading claims and knowing where to find accurate, trustworthy health information.

Grade 8Health Information45 minutes1 class periodSHAPE / Skills-BasedExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain media literacy.
  • ✓Spot misleading claims.
  • ✓Find reliable sources.
  • ✓Think critically.
Essential Question

Your feed is full of health claims — miracle products, diet trends, “doctors hate this trick.” How much can you trust? How do you tell reliable health info from misleading hype?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Media Literacy Check

Project each item and have students answer about health media literacy. The tool explains spotting reliable vs. misleading info.

📱 Think critically about health mediaTry it
Answer each question about media literacy for health.
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — A Feed Full of Claims

5 min

Your feed is full of health claims — how much can you trust?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a health ad.
  • Ask if it’s true.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Question.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Spotting Hype

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Media Literacy Check.
  • Note red flags.
  • Note reliable sources.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note flags.
  • Note sources.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Analyze a real ad or post.
  • Spot the red flags.
  • Check a trusted source.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Analyze it.
  • Spot them.
  • Check it.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Rewrite a claim honestly.
  • Name a reliable source.
  • Explain your reasoning.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Rewrite it.
  • Name one.
  • Explain.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a red flag.
  • Name a reliable source.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Name one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to SHAPE America National Health Education Standards.

SHAPE
HE.2

Analyze how media and culture influence health.

SHAPE
HE.3

Access valid and reliable health information.

SHAPE
HE.1

Comprehend concepts about health information.

SHAPE
HE.5

Use decision-making about health claims.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Ad + red-flag cards.
  • Sentence frame: “This claim is ___ because ___.”
  • Analyze sample ads.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “instant results” red flag.
  • Use one clear ad.
  • Name one source.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Analyze a viral health trend.
  • Fact-check a claim.
  • Explain confirmation bias.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📱Sample ads/posts
  • 💻Media Literacy Check
  • 🔍A source checklist
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

media literacythinking critically about media messagesclaima statement presented as truereliabletrustworthy and accuratesourcewhere information comes frombiasan unfair leaningred flaga warning sign of a false claimadvertisementa paid message to sell somethingcredibleworthy of belief
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is media literacy for health?
Thinking critically about health messages in ads, social media, and online.
QUESTION 2
Name a “red flag” that a health claim may be false.
Promises of “instant” results, “miracle” cures, or something trying to sell you a product.
QUESTION 3
Where can you find reliable health information?
A doctor, school nurse, or an official health organization.

Cool-Down: check the claim.

Have students find one health claim online and decide whether it’s reliable, explaining why. A printable media-literacy sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Media Literacy for HealthFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Media Literacy for HealthQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Media Literacy for HealthPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: advertisement, bias, claim, credible, media literacy, red flag, reliable, source
  1. an unfair leaning
  2. worthy of belief
  3. a paid message to sell something
  4. a statement presented as true
  5. where information comes from
  6. a warning sign of a false claim
  7. thinking critically about media messages
  8. trustworthy and accurate

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is media literacy for health?
  2. Name a “red flag” that a health claim may be false.
  3. Where can you find reliable health information?
Answer key — Part A: 1) bias · 2) credible · 3) advertisement · 4) claim · 5) source · 6) red flag · 7) media literacy · 8) reliable
Part B: 1) Thinking critically about health messages in ads, social media, and online. 2) Promises of “instant” results, “miracle” cures, or something trying to sell you a product. 3) A doctor, school nurse, or an official health organization.