Activities for Media Literacy

Search either Classroom 2.0 (there is a Google Classroom 2.0) on the right hand side of the page) or the Center for Media Literacy for a resource or lesson plan you might consider using in your future classroom.

1. 1. Describes the activity or resource.

2. 2. Link me to the activity or resource.

3. 3. Find and post a West Virginia CSO for that you might meet by using the activity or resource in your future classroom.

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Candace Bonecutter on February 15, 2010 at 8:09am

1. The activity I selected is on monitoring the media. It has students watch the news and read newspapers to found out just what issues are being covered and if minority groups are included. It is an excellent project because it has something for every type of learner.
2. Click on the Link to visit the website with the activity
3. I think that this activitywould meet the following West Virginia CSOs.
7th Grade:
Citizenship:
SS.O.7.1.4 research and organize information about an issue of public concern from multiple points of view.
History:
SS.O.7.5.5
research and explain the role of racial and ethnic minorities, women and children in the advancement of civil rights.

10th Grade
Citizenship:
SS.O.10.1.5
evaluate, take and defend positions on issues in which fundamental democratic values and principles are in conflict (e.g., liberty and equality, individual rights and the common good, majority rule, minority rights).

11th Grade
Citizenship:
SS.O.11.1.4
develop positions and formulate actions on the problems of today and predict challenges of the future (e.g., terrorism, religious conflict, weapons of mass destruction, population growth

12th Grade
Citizenship:
SS.O.12.1.9
evaluate, take and defend a position involving a conflict between an individual freedom and the common good regarding specific current issues (homeland security, civil liberties, human rights, race, gender, etc.).

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:30pm

You selected great standards for this activity! Think about developing this for your PBL activity we will be developing later on!

Permalink Reply by Lesley Rakocky on February 15, 2010 at 11:44am

http://www.medialit.org/pdf/mlk/27_Lesson5a.pdf

The activity I chose was a literacy activity from the Center for Media Literacy. It is a lesson that explains the three reasons that we communicate. (to inform, entertain and persuade) The students will pick a topic of interest and make posters or signs to convey the three types of communication. I think this activity will be very useful because not only does it explain the three reasons for communication but it also helps the students identify these types of communication.

RLA.O.4.1.9
determine the author’s purpose in literary and informational texts and use supporting material to justify author’s intent:
• to persuade
• to entertain
• to inform
• to determine a specific viewpoint

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:33pm

The perfect standard for this activity!

Permalink Reply by Lindsey Howell on February 15, 2010 at 11:54am

I found a lesson plan on media literacy titled "Why We Communicate." It stresses the importance of knowing why a media message is being sent so we know how to respond to it. Students brainstorm reasons why people communicate and put them into 3 categories: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain. Students are then put into groups, where each group chooses a topic of interest. They create 3 media texts around that topic, one that informs, persuades, and entertains. The students present their messages to the class, where they are interpreted.

I found this lesson plan from the Center for Media Literacy. Here is the link: http://www.medialit.org/pdf/mlk/27_Lesson5a.pdf

Corresponding CSO:
RLA.O.2.3.2 - describe the main idea or intended messages in a variety of visual media

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:35pm

This is a good standard for this kind of activity!

Permalink Reply by Eric Mason on February 15, 2010 at 12:15pm

The resource that I found was talking about different historical events and gives the students background information on the topic and gives them a question to answer about the topic. It could be used to get the students thinking on their own and working on their writing skills. A History CSO that this would cover would be SS.O.10.2.1. The link to the site that I found is http://web.wm.edu/hsi/cases.html?svr=www

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:36pm

What an interesting site! Could eliminated the need for a textbook!

Permalink Reply by Ashley Renee Bunner on February 15, 2010 at 12:51pm

The resource I found for a lesson plan that I might consider for the future classroom is something I found about comics and the background on comics. Everyone comes across a comic in their life usually everytime they pick up a newspaper. They read them for entertainment or just to look at the funny pictures. There is more than that! Why were these created by artists? Why are they important? Are they just stories or something more than that? The website I found explains a little about comics and why they are so interesting. You can bring this to your classroom and first bring a few comic strips to your students ask them if they have ever seen one of these before. Ask them what it is? Start a discussion with them. Ask them why were they made? Why they are important? Maybe they think they are not important at all. Ask them if they think there is a historical background to comics and not just art and a short story. Then discuss the vocabulary of art with them that they see in the comics such as line, color, space, shapes, etc... At the end of your discussion as the activity let them make a comic strip of their own!

WVCSO's:

VA.O.5.1.3
use media, tools and technology in a safe and responsible manner.

VA.O.5.5.3
evaluate works of art from various eras and cultures, e.g., how the artwork reflects the artist or culture.

VA.O.5.6.2
explain relationships between art and other subjects, e.g., color theory and science, tessellations and math, Baroque art and music.

VA.O.5.3.1
communicate personal ideas by selecting subjects or topics in art.

VA.O.5.2.2
create a drawing(s) using contour, continuous, and/or gesture lines.

VA.O.5.2.1
recognize the elements of art: line, shape/form, color, texture, value, and space.

I think that this lesson would be a great way to have fun and learn about at the same time!

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:37pm

Students would love doing this! There are some online programs that help students make their own comic strips!

Permalink Reply by Eric Sandstrom on February 15, 2010 at 1:08pm

How to monitor the News

This above linked activity is designed to encourage students to understand how media outlets cover issues relating to minority groups. This could be particularly impactful in a secondary level class in West Virginia as it could expose students to and encourage debate on issues surrounding minorities.
The project involves monitoring news media coverage of minority issues and reporting on the frequency or other notable aspects. Students would be part of a group involved in looking at written, televised, internet and other related coverage of current news for a week long period. Each group would then report back their findings in ways which could be statistically analyzed and presented (digitally) to the class for interpretation. I like the fact that a wide array of reporting could be analyzed from print media to digital rsl feeds and further the students could be creative in their process of presenting their results to the class.
Some of the CSO’s that would be met include:
SS.0.11.4.2
SS.0.11.4.10
SS.11.5.16
SS.11.5.20
SS.11.5.21

Permalink Reply by Denise Lindstrom on February 18, 2010 at 7:39pm

I think students would really enjoy this activity! It would make a great PBL activity! Think about using it for the one we will be designing later on in the semester.