Media Ethics for 6th Graders

If I were to teach a 6th grade media ethics class, I would focus on the principles of telling the truth and remaining independent. Those are the easiest to explain and the most essential for building a strong foundation for a journalist. 

I would tell the class that a journalist must always seek the truth, even if it's difficult. The truth exists somewhere, and its a journalist's job to find it. Even if you think you've found the truth and you're ready to report it, triple check. You can never verify your information too many times. This means re-conducting interviews, conducting new interviews, making phone calls, and searching for numbers to support your claims. The biggest mistake a journalist can make, is reporting anything but the facts. 

I would also make sure they understand why a journalist must remain independent. It's important for a journalist to try and iron out as much of their own bias as possible. This means staying out of a story you are personally involved in or have some stake in. You can't be an objective reporter otherwise. It also means remaining objective when it comes to the subjects of stories. You shouldn't let a source buy you lunch or give you gifts because then it may appear that you owe them something with your writing. You want to keep yourself out of your stories.