Assignment:
1. Course-Level Objectives met with this assignment:
- Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
- Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.
- Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.
- Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens
- Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics
News Media: How (and why) to spot "fake" news. 70% of students will successfully research and evaluate the news media in an effort to identify reputable journalism containing more accurate political content. Students will also evaluate the impact of "fake" news on the practice of our democracy.
Activity for Assessment
Read and watch the following: https://www.factcheck.org/2016/11/how-to-spot-fake-news/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYc-hd1QSwA
If you had to help someone spot "fake news," what would you tell them? Choose a news article from a reputable media outlet and compare it to an online story that you know is fake. Using the checklist provided on the factcheck web site, compare the two. Although fake news is not new, it seems harder to distinguish and more accepted now. Why? How will this acceptance of fake news impact our democracy?