How to Start Using News Literacy Project Resources

The News Literacy Project (NLP) at newslit.org gives educators free access to news and media literacy teaching resources. To start, go to the site and use the "Start teaching now" entry point, which leads to Checkology, NLP's digital learning platform. The resources are built for classroom use — lessons, activities, and infographics on misinformation, conspiratorial thinking, algorithms, and related topics — and the site describes the platform as a free virtual classroom. If you mainly want updates rather than teaching materials, use the Subscribe page instead.

Who the resources are for

NLP states it provides educators in all 50 states with resources to help students navigate the digital world. The site's own usage figures for the 2025-26 school year give a sense of scale:

That context matters if you are deciding whether the materials fit a K-12 classroom setting: the platform is positioned around educators and their students, not independent adult learners.

Step-by-step: getting to the teaching materials

1. Go to newslit.org. The homepage is the starting point; the primary call to action is "Start teaching now."
2. Follow the "Start teaching now" link. This is the entry point to Checkology, described on the site as NLP's digital learning platform and free virtual classroom.
3. Explore Checkology's content. According to the site, lessons, activities, infographics, and other resources cover misinformation, conspiratorial thinking, algorithms, and more. The stated goal is helping students spot falsehoods, understand media bias, find reliable sources, and think critically.
4. Use the video walkthrough if you want an overview first. The page includes a "Watch the Video" option to see how the platform can help before you commit classroom time to it.
5. Verify what account setup your situation requires. The site does not state in the provided material whether creating an account is required to access Checkology. Treat that as something to confirm on the platform itself rather than assuming either way.

Expected result: you reach the teaching platform and can review or assign its lessons and activities. If a step asks you to log in or register, that is a platform requirement rather than something described on the homepage.

Subscribing for updates

The site has a Subscribe page at newslit.org/subscribe. Use it if your goal is staying informed about NLP's work — news posts, press releases, and educator features — rather than teaching with the materials directly. The homepage's news section shows the kind of updates involved, such as posts on how news literacy prepares Oklahoma students for civic engagement, commentary from board members on technology in schools, and educator spotlights.

Note that the presence of a "Subscribe" link does not by itself tell you the terms. The provided site material does not specify whether subscribing involves a cost, an email signup, or another mechanism, so check the page directly before assuming it is free or requires payment.

What students actually learn

The curriculum centers on practical skills rather than abstract media theory. Per the site, students work on:

• Spotting falsehoods
• Understanding media bias
• Finding reliable sources
• Thinking critically
• Recognizing misinformation and conspiratorial thinking
• Understanding how algorithms shape what they see

Testimonials on the page reinforce the classroom angle. Student Neveah Rice of Cornell High School in Pennsylvania mentions learning about the First Amendment, journalistic integrity, and deciphering sources. Teacher Beth Holmgren, a CTE business teacher at Negaunee High School in Michigan, calls Checkology one of the best resources in 25 years of teaching. These are promotional quotes from the site, so weigh them as such — but they do indicate the materials are designed to be used directly with students.

Common sticking points

• Assuming it is a self-study course. The framing is educator-led classroom use, so independent learners may find the structure oriented toward a teacher assigning work.
• Skipping the video. If you are short on planning time, the walkthrough is the fastest way to judge fit before building a lesson around the platform.
• Confusing Subscribe with the teaching platform. They serve different purposes: Subscribe is for updates, while "Start teaching now" is the route to instructional content.
• Expecting stated pricing details. The site's provided material describes the virtual classroom as free but does not lay out terms for every feature or for subscribing, so confirm specifics on the relevant page.