Lesson Plan - Ahhh! My Phone Is Spying on Me!

Engage and Build Vocabulary

Ask students to respond to this prompt: Describe an online ad that caught your attention recently. What was the ad trying to get people to do? Who do you think it was trying to reach? Discuss responses. Then use Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms.

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently. As students read, direct them to mark benefits of targeted ads with a plus sign and concerns about them with a minus sign (or highlight them using different colors).

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• What is ad targeting? How does it work? (Central Ideas)
Ad targeting is when businesses track what people do online and use that information to show them ads that match their interests. It works by storing data called cookies on people’s devices.

• What evidence supports the idea that teens are “an attractive market for advertisers”? (Text Evidence)
Young people spend tens of billions of dollars each year and often influence other purchases their families make. Teens are also attractive targets for online ads because they often spend hours online each day.

• How does the sidebar “Stop Following Me!” support the article? What is something you want to do differently online? (Text Features)
The sidebar supports the article by offering three suggestions for how people can protect themselves from data tracking. Consumers can use apps that protect users’ privacy, reduce the amount of information they share online, and delete or limit cookies. Responses to the second question will vary.

Watch Videos

As students watch “A Day in the Life: Your Privacy Matters,” ask them to record at least two facts and explain why they are important. Share responses.

Then ask students to make a timeline with key dates and details as they watch “A History of Advertising.”

Write an Argument

Assign the Skill Builder Argument Writing Toolkit to guide students to respond to the “Write About It!” prompt on page 17.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.