Paired Texts > Think journalism’s a tough field today? Try being a reporter in the Gilded Age

by Randall S. Sumpter

2016

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

9th Grade Psychology 1160L
Anti-Social Networks? We’re Just As Cliquey Online
  • Laura Sydell
  • 2011

In “Anti-Social Networks? We’re Just as Cliquey Online,” Laura Sydell from NPR’s All Things Considered discusses how social networks can reinforce cliques and biases.

Pair “Anti-Social Networks? We’re Just as Cliquey Online” with “Think journalism’s a tough field today? Try being a reporter in the Gilded Age” and ask students to discuss how social media has changed the way we access news. How do students think they can change their social media usage so as not to limit the news they see? How can they determine what is real?

7th Grade Primary Source Document 1100L
Conflicting News Reports on the Fate of the Sinking Titanic
  • Various Authors
  • 1912

These excerpts from two different newspapers were both written about the Titanic the day it sank, but report very inaccurate information about what happened.

Pair “Conflicting News Reports on the Fate of the Sinking Titanic” with “Think journalism’s a tough field today? Try being a reporter in the Gilded Age” to provide students with an example of conflicting news reports. Ask students to discuss how they could confirm a news story if they were uncertain about its validity. How do both texts show how important it is to confirm news stories that you read?

8th Grade Informational Text 980L
On Twitter, Fake News Has Greater Allure Than Truth Does
  • Maria Temming
  • 2018

In the informational text, “On Twitter, Fake News Has Greater Allure Than Truth Does,” Maria Temming discusses a study that shows how false news is shared more often on Twitter than true news.

Pair “On Twitter, Fake News Has Greater Allure Than Truth Does” with “Think journalism’s a tough field today? Try being a reporter in the Gilded Age” to provide students with information about how false news spreads today. Ask students to discuss why people likely share more fake news stories than real news. How do students think this contributes to the cycle of reporters feeding readers with false stories?