Lateral Reading About Interest Groups

Interest groups play an important role in influencing and shaping policy and public opinion. Many are honest about who they are, but some use cloaked websites to disguise their true intentions. In this lesson, students learn how interest groups influence public opinion. Students then read laterally to investigate interest groups and consider why information from interest groups matters politically.

This lesson plan is part of the Civic Digital Literacy Project from iCivics and the Digital Inquiry Group. Civic Digital Literacy equips students with evidence-based strategies to discern online information, find trustworthy sources, and be better-informed citizens within the rapidly changing online environment.