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A Note about Internet Resources
Students need to be aware that Web sites sometimes present only one view of an issue. Encourage them to think about Web sites even as they are reading. Guiding questions as they review Web sites are: What to did you learn from this site? What didn't you learn from this site? Who sponsors this site? What bias might the sponsor have? How current is the site?
News War
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newswar/
The companion site to the FRONTLINE documentary includes the opportunity to watch the full program online in high-quality video, interviews with more than 50 journalists and public officials, a primer on freedom of the press, and an extensive set of background readings and links. Click on "Site Map" to easily find the resources you need.
PBS Teacher Source
www.pbs.org/teachersource/
A search for "media ethics" connects to dozens of excellent lesson plans.
A Hidden Life
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/hiddenlife/addl.html#2
This lesson extension from the FRONTLINE program A Hidden Life allows students to understand the extent to which student publications are or are not protected by the First Amendment.
U.S. Department of State
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/rightsof/press.htm
This page provides a history of the development of legal protections for a free press.
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/principles/freepress.htm
This page provides the official U.S. government explanation of the role of a free press.
Teach the First Amendment
http://teachfirstamendment.org/
This Web site is a project of Ball State University's J-Ideas Project and funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to encourage greater visibility for the First Amendment in school curricula and to gather teaching materials related to the First Amendment.
FindLaw
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/
FindLaw is a commercial Web site that connects visitors to legal services and that provides resources to practicing attorneys. This page annotates case law related to the First Amendment and might be especially helpful for students as they prepare their amicus briefs.
The Oyez Project
http://oyez.org
Oyez is an online project that archives oral arguments made before the Supreme Court. It includes concise case summaries covering key issues and final decisions.
Poynter Institute
http://www.poynter.org
The Web site of this journalism school contains a wealth of resources related to journalism and ethics, including dozens of articles related to use and protection of confidential sources.
Benjamin Franklin
http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l3_wit_read.html
The Web site for this PBS special on Ben Franklin includes the full text of his famous "Apology for Printers," which defends the press' need to print the truth, even when doing so offends or upsets people.