Develop critical thinking, media awareness and confident non-fiction writing with this engaging KS2–KS3 unit, Behind the Headlines.

This fully resourced 5-lesson scheme of work introduces students to the world of news and media, helping them to understand how information is presented, how bias can influence opinions, and how to evaluate reliability.

Designed for teachers, tutors and home educators, this unit is clear, structured and requires minimal preparation. Students progress from exploring news sources to analysing bias and finally producing their own news article.

Ideal for KS2, KS3, mixed-ability groups, intervention sessions and home education, this resource builds essential real-world literacy skills that go beyond the classroom.

What’s Included:
5 fully planned lessons (approximately 60 minutes each)
Ready-to-use slides
Engaging discussion tasks and real-world examples
Activities exploring bias, perspective and reliability
Structured support for writing a news article
Quizzes and recap tasks to consolidate learning

Learning Focus:

Students will:

Identify different types of news sources and their purposes
Understand audience, tone and perspective in news reporting
Recognise bias and how language influences opinion
Evaluate the reliability of information and sources