Ethics discussions only work when the scenarios feel real. This toolkit gives you 25 journalism dilemmas that actually mirror what student journalists face — not textbook hypotheticals, but the kinds of decisions that come up in a real newsroom: Do you publish the photo? Do you protect the source? Do you run the story when an advertiser is involved?
See it on Teachers Pay Teachers — $12.40
What's Included: 54-slide PowerPoint / Google Slides presentation — each scenario on its own slide, short and discussion-ready 25 realistic ethical dilemmas covering conflicts of interest, source anonymity, editorial pressure, privacy, visual manipulation, sponsored content, and more Student task slide — students create their own dilemma and propose a solution tied to SPJ Code principles SPJ Code of Ethics (printable PDF bonus) — the four core principles students reference throughout: Seek Truth, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, Be Accountable How to Use It: Each slide runs as a standalone discussion prompt — drop one into a bell ringer, run a full Socratic seminar with five or six back to back, or assign scenarios to small groups for debate and written reflection. The student task works as a culminating assessment or a creative extension.
Works in any order; no setup required beyond opening the file. Who It's For: High school journalism teachers, newspaper advisers, and media literacy instructors looking for a discussion-based ethics unit that meets students where they are. Also strong for student press staff meetings, civics classes covering First Amendment issues, and college intro journalism courses. This resource is part of the Journalism Ethics & Press Freedom Unit Bundle, which adds press freedom readings, a Pentagon Papers lesson, and the You Be the Editor simulation game — all five resources together at significant savings.
Everything is also included in the Complete High School Journalism Curriculum Bundle. If this resource saved you prep time, please leave a rating under My Purchases Provide Feedback. Every review earns you TpT Credits toward future purchases — roughly $1 in credits for every $10 reviewed. Follow Starmaker English & Journalism Tools to be notified when new resources launch or go on sale. Keywords:
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Designed for grades 9-12.
Starmaker English and Journalism Tools 
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