In today's world, critical thinking is one of the most important skills we can foster in young people. It's essential to be able to critically analyze information for its truth, and also to understand what drives people to believe and feel certain ways. This was the inspiration for Doug Himes, our English teacher, to create a unit on conspiracy theories to teach to our senior class.
The conspiracy unit started with an emphasis on rhetoric and persuasive techniques in writing and in media. Students learned about rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos) before applying these concepts to a selection of news articles and popular videos. Then, they covered the basics of conspiracies: what they are, why people believe them, and considering the social and political elements contained within conspiracy theories. With the fundamentals of conspiracy theories down, students then created their own conspiracies. These were often comical (cats orchestrated the moon landing, Chuck from RPS is using maple syrup to power nefarious activities, etc.), and students had a hard time keeping a straight face during their presentations! Finally, students researched an existing conspiracy, which culminated in a long (5+ page) article about that conspiracy theory, giving students a preliminary taste of research expectations that they might encounter in a college setting.
"What's been most surprising to me about working with students on this unit is how strong their intuition is when it comes to evaluating the credibility of sources and media. Students have a strong implicit understanding of persuasive tactics that media (either mass media or things like Tik Tok/ Youtube) uses to sensationalize and 'sell' their arguments." - Doug Himes, English Teacher
A central part of this unit was establishing the political and social motivations for belief in conspiracy theories. By looking at how education differences, political beliefs, and socioeconomic status might play a factor in one's willingness to believe in conspiracies, we're able to better understand how it is that people fall for these beliefs and appreciate the complex factors that lead one to adopt otherwise outlandish claims. Beyond gaining a nuanced understanding of how we form beliefs, students have also been learning about how the practice of creating an "other" leads to division and conflict. As our seniors prepare to move on from RPS, we hope that they will carry this empathy, understanding, and critical thinking into their future schools and communities.