LEVEL
ONE
VOL
CH
ON
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
A collaborative project between the Texas Education Agency, Discovery Communications Inc.,
and the Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
A classroom resource
to build critical thinking
and communication skills
for life in a media and
information society.
LEVEL
ONE
These materials were originally developed by
Dr. Renee Hobbs as part of the Assignment:
Media Literacy curriculum project of Discovery
Communications, Inc. and have been adapted
for use in the state of Texas.
COVER ARTWORK
JAMIE HAWES
Barbers Hill Middle School
RON STEPHENS
Art Teacher
Barbers Hill Middle School
EXCERPTS FROM
JERRY SPINELLI
Crash, courtesy of Random House
CATHERINE GOURLEY
Media Wizards: A Behind-the-Scenes
Look at Media Manipulation
courtesy of Random House
© 2000 by:
Discovery Communication Inc.
7700 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
© 2002 by:
Texas Education Agency
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
i
Project Staff and Contributors
Dirk Funk
Amarillo Independent School District
AUTHOR
Dr. Renee Hobbs
D’Anne Redmon
North East Independent School District
TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
Felipe Alanis
Commissioner of Education
Alicia Gonzalez
United Independent School District
Lisa Scheffler
McKinney, Texas
Paul Cruz
Deputy Commissioner for Programs and
Instruction
Heidi Whitus
Communications Arts High School
Northside Independent School District
Ann Smisko
Associate Commissioner for Curriculum,
Assessment, and Technology
Nancy McMurrey
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association
David D. Anderson
Managing Director of Curriculum and Professional
Development
TEXAS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Patrick Dierschke
Education Service Center Region XV
TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CONSULTANTS
Dr. Muffet Livaudais
Director of English Language Arts and Reading
Maria J. Trevino
Texas Education Agency
Sarah Crippen
Assistant Director of English Language Arts
Carolyn Kiesewetter
Keller Independent School District
Bryan Geer
T-STAR, Videotape Production
Hazel Rowe
Education Service Center XII
DISCOVERY
COMMUNICATIONS
CONSULTANTS
Carrie Passmore
Senior Vice President
Discovery Communications Inc.
Bryan Geer
T-STAR
Marne Setton
Project Manager, Public Partnerships
Jerry Hagins
Research and Oversight Council on Workers
Compensation
MARYLAND WRITING TEAM
George Rislov
Texas Education Agency
Casey McCreary
Texas Education Agency
Dean Brumley
Texas Education Agency
Catherine Gourley
Dr. Lesley Johnson
Pam Steager
James Larkin
Oak Hills Technology
Charla Rudd
Education Service Center XII
TEXAS WRITING TEAM
Dr. Amanda Batson
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association
Virginia Alford
North East Independent School District
Joan Berry
Education Service Center XIII
Dr. Sharon O’Neal
Southwest Texas State University
ii
Table of Contents for Level One
INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
Overview ................................................................................................................ 1
Key Concepts of Media Literacy ................................................................................. 4
Instructional Strategies ............................................................................................. 5
Supporting Viewing and Representing with Literature Links ......................................... 7
Level One Video Tape Synopsis of Video Segments ........................................................ 9
Involving Families ................................................................................................... 11
CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Asking Critical Questions ........................................................................... 15
Production Assignment: Make a Poster ...................................................... 41
The Art of Slapstick .................................................................................. 45
Production Assignment: Create a Character Sketch ..................................... 65
What’s Reel and What’s Real ..................................................................... 69
Production Assignment: Create a “Promo”
for a Community or School Event ................................................................ 92
History and Media .................................................................................... 95
Production Assignment: Create a “History Web” ........................................ 118
Entertainment Warriors .......................................................................... 121
Production Assignment: Invent a 21st Century Sporting Event ...................... 140
Media Mania! ......................................................................................... 143
Production Assignment: Create a Media Use Survey................................... 162
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Publishing Student Work .......................................................................................
Basic How To’s ....................................................................................................
Excel Graphing ....................................................................................................
Basic PowerPoint How To’s ...................................................................................
Printing Handouts or Note Pages with PowerPoint ...................................................
Search Engine Operators ......................................................................................
Idea Organizer .....................................................................................................
How to Make a PSA .............................................................................................
More Photographs ...............................................................................................
Glossary ...........................................................................................................
References .........................................................................................................
List of Contributors Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas .......................
List of Contributors Assignment : Media Literacy .....................................................
167
168
170
171
174
176
177
178
179
180
182
186
187
Feedback and Evaluation Form ............................................................................... 190
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iv
T EXAS E DUCATION A GENCY
1701 North Congress Ave.★ Austin, Texas 78701-1494 ★ 512/463-9734 ★ FAX: 512/463-9838 ★ http://www.tea.state.tx.us
Felipe T. Alanis
Commissioner of Education
November 15, 2002
Dear Educator
I am pleased with the collaboration between the Texas Education Agency,
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association (TCTA), and Discovery
Communications, Inc., on the media literacy curriculum package. Furnishing
Texas students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed
decisions about the barrage of media messages they receive on a daily basis
is the goal of the viewing and representing strand in the English Language
Arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
I encourage you to utilize these materials as a stepping stone for engaging
dialogue on how to interpret the images and messages students encounter.
We often hear so much about the negative side of the media’s influence on
students. This program contributes to our efforts to graduate critical thinkers
in Texas by equipping students with the background to make sound choices.
Armed with these tools, more and more students will be able to utilize the
media for its beneficial attributes rather than being influenced in a negative
way.
I appreciate the resources and dedication TCTA and Discovery Communications
has provided to make this media literacy program a reality. I hope that you
share our enthusiasm for this unique program and that these materials prove
helpful to you in the classroom.
Sincerely
Felipe Alanis
Commissioner of Education
gi
Fulfilling the Promise for All Texas Children
v
vi
Overview
T
here’s never been a more exciting or exhausting time to be a teacher. Our students come to us
with so much more access to information than ever before, from television, videos, newspapers,
books, magazines, radio, computer software, the Internet, and more.
But do children have the reasoning and critical thinking skills to analyze the information they
receive? Have they the ability to sort out the quality from the junk? Do they have the competencies
needed to understand, analyze, and use information to solve problems? Are they active, not
passive, consumers of media? Are they effective in communicating messages to a wide variety of
audiences and for different purposes?
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas is a set of curriculum resources designed to
help 7 th -12 th grade teachers integrate these skills into their curriculum. The program consists of
two levels. Level I is designed for students who have had less media literacy instruction and Level
II is for more advanced students.
HERE ARE THE IMPORTANT
FEATURES OF THE RESOURCE MATERIALS:
ALIGNED WITH TEXAS CONTENT STANDARDS
Each activity is designed to develop the key learning standards developed by the State of Texas.
The activities are structured to develop skills in students that will be measured on the TAKS tests
for language arts and social studies. You’ll find these standards identified in the front of each
instructional unit.
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
View and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas is designed to connect to many subject areas,
including language arts, social studies, math, health, and interdisciplinary approaches to the
subject areas.
PRINT LITERACY EMPHASIS
Effective reading and writing skills are the single most valuable
component in helping children grow up to be lifelong learners. The
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas activities provide
rich opportunities to strengthen reading and writing skills alongside
the development of critical viewing and media production skills.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Many of the topics in Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in
Texas provide ideal exploration of character education concepts, including
responsibility, respect, loyalty, sharing, and fairness. Students get the opportunity to reflect on
some of the important public debates about the role of the media in society and connect these
issues to character and values.
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HIGH-INTEREST TOPICS AND COLLABORATIVE HANDS-ON LEARNING
The themes and topics explored in Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas are highinterest issues for children and youth, sure to intrigue and motivate learners. Each of the six units
includes a creative production activity that encourages “making and doing” through teamwork and
collaboration. Among the projects, students get to make a public service announcement, develop
a history web, create a poster, and design a nonviolent sporting event for the future.
SCHOOL-HOME CONNECTION
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas includes activities that promote healthy
communication between children and families. Children interview family members about their
attitudes about issues concerning technology and media use. These learning experiences provide
opportunities for both parents and children to reflect on the role of technology and media in
the home.
2
LEVEL ONE
1.
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
BECOMING CRITICAL VIEWERS
Ask questions to discover the purpose, point of view, target audience, and subtext of
different types of media messages.
2.
THE ART OF SLAPSTICK
Discover what makes physical humor such an important tradition in storytelling, learn the
secrets of creating comedy characters, and invent your own comedy character using the
character wheel.
3.
WHAT’S REAL AND WHAT’S REEL
Explore what makes a media message seem “realistic” or “unrealistic” and learn how realism
affects a reader’s or viewer’s emotional response.
4.
HISTORY AND MEDIA
Explore the way artists, photographers, journalists, musicians, and historians have shared
their understanding of the Civil War, one of the most important events in American history.
5.
ENTERTAINMENT WARRIORS
Examine the role of violence in contemporary sports, reflect on gender stereotypes in
professional wrestling, and imagine a sporting event that will be popular fifty years in the
future.
6.
MEDIA MANIA!
Reflect on your own media use habits, including the role of video games and other media in
your life.
3
Key Concepts of Media Literacy
These ideas are the main principles of media literacy: they are central concepts that help
organize the process of analyzing media messages.
1.
ALL MESSAGES ARE CONSTRUCTIONS
Messages are created by authors who select the ideas, images, words, sounds, and music
to convey meanings. We don’t always notice the way in which authors carefully make
choices about each story element, each word in a book, and each image in a TV commercial.
Constructing a media message takes creativity, planning, teamwork, and persistence.
2.
MESSAGES ARE REPRESENTATIONS
Messages provide us with information about people, places, events, and ideas. But because
media messages are selective and incomplete, they can’t provide an accurate picture of
reality in all its complexity. Media messages about families, for example, leave out many
important elements of ordinary family life. Detecting stereotyping is one way to explore how
media messages may distort, mislead, and oversimplify.
3.
MESSAGES HAVE ECONOMIC PURPOSES
Media messages that rely on advertising must attract large audiences — newspapers,
magazines, TV, radio, and the Internet use advertising to subsidize media products. The
industry’s economic goals of reaching large audiences affect us as consumers. Financial
goals shape the content, quality, and the diversity of media messages we receive for both
entertainment and information.
4.
INDIVIDUALS INTERPRET MESSAGES DIFFERENTLY
People find meaning in media messages when they can connect the message to their life
experiences and their understanding of the world. It’s important to respect people’s unique
interpretations and pleasures as they read, view, and listen.
5.
UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF MEDIA
It’s not fair to say that some forms of communication are inherently better than others.
Each form of media has strengths and weaknesses, depending on your purpose, point of
view, and goals as a communicator. People should be able to use a wide range of symbols,
tools, and technologies for self-expression and communication.
4
Instructional Strategies
Teachers can incorporate media literacy concepts and activities into language arts, social
studies, health, science, and fine arts subjects. The activities and readings provided in the
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum work best if you keep in mind
the following ideas about effective instructional strategies in media literacy education.
CREATING MEDIA MESSAGES
Media literacy is more than just analyzing media messages — it’s learning to create them as well.
Each of the units in Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas includes a production
activity. These assignments are designed to involve students in creating complex real-world media
messages. Some of the activities are best accomplished by individual work, and other activities
work best as small group projects. You’ll see that each activity provides a checklist for students to
use in completing the activity and an evaluation rubric that identifies the qualities that students
should strive to include in their messages. You may want to use the evaluation rubric yourself or
ask students to complete this for peer evaluation or self-evaluation when their projects are completed.
Production activities are a valuable component of the total learning experience.
PROMOTING MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION
Students are aware that adults and teachers watch different kinds of TV shows, read different
magazines, and use the Internet for different purposes. Students may have expectations about
how teachers will respond to their media use — some students fear that teachers will demean or
trivialize their interests in certain kinds of TV shows, web sites, musicians, and movies. They may
be aware of some beliefs or attitudes that teachers and adults have about the media and attempt
to imitate those attitudes. To explore media issues in an authentic way, students
need to feel “safe” in sharing their genuine pleasures and
dissatisfactions with media and technology. You can support this
by providing a balance of both support for students’ ideas and
observations and questions that provide insight on your
interpretation of media messages. This blend of support and
challenge helps deepen the level of discussion.
SUPPORTING CRITICAL
READING SKILLS
The reproducible activity sheets help students strengthen their
reading, writing, and problem solving skills. You can make use
of a variety of different methods of eliciting student responses
to enhance reading skill development. You may want to use
“read-aloud” with whole group discussion. You may want to
ask students to read and then invite them to complete the
activities or discuss the questions in small groups. You may want to check
on students’ reading comprehension by asking them to summarize the arguments they
5
encounter in the readings. You may want to have students identify the
point of view of the writers, critically analyze the
arguments presented, and provide your
own interpretation and point of view about
the issues explored in this curriculum.
ENCOURAGING
COLLABORATIVE
PROBLEM SOLVING
Many of the activities involve students in small group problem solving.
You can maximize the instructional value of these activities by ensuring
that all students are clear about the task and the deadline. Students work best
in groups when they have clearly defined roles, and you may find that it’s effective for
you to assign the roles of taskmaster, time keeper, scribe, and researcher. Some roles
for the media production activities may include director, talent, technology manager, writer, and
graphic designer.
6
Supporting Viewing
and Representing with Literature Links
You may want to interweave literature into the viewing and representing activities presented
in Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas. Along with the literature links, you will
find the linking concept that will aid in making strong connections between media and literature.
Please consider these as only suggestions and feel free to add rich selections of your own
choosing.
UNIT
1. Asking Critical Questions
LITERATURE LINK
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen
Anne Frank: Diary
of a Young Girl
by Anne Frank
LINKING CONCEPT
Using the concepts of
questioning: when is it
critical to ask questions
and what will result from
asking?
Sherlock Holmes
Selections by
Arthur Conan Doyle
2. The Art of Slapstick
“The Ransom of Red Chief”
by O’Henry
Use the concepts of
humor and what makes a
reader laugh.
“The Night the Bed Fell”
by James Thurber
3. What’s Real and What’s
Reel!
“The Man in the Water”
by Roger Roseblatt
True Grit
by Charles Portis
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen
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Use the concepts of
courage, honesty, fairness,
trustworthiness, and
responsibility.
Use the concept of
questioning and
discovering the truth.
Supporting Viewing
and Representing with Literature Links
UNIT
4. History and the Media
LITERATURE LINK
“The Boy in the Alamo”
by Margaret Cousins
LINKING CONCEPT
Use of the concept of the
characterization of
historical figures.
Folk Tales such as
“Pecos Bill”
5. Entertainment Warriors
Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain
Use the concept of
stereotyping.
6. Media Mania
The Secret Garden
by Frances Hogson Burnett
Use the character
attributes of
trustworthiness,
helpfulness, dependability,
and self-direction.
The Incredible Journey
by Sheila Burnford
Star Wars
by George Lucas
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Level One Videotape
Synopsis of Video Segments
Introduction: A video montage showing middle-school teachers and students using the Viewing
and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas.
This list of video segments will help you make effective use of the video materials
provided in the Assignment Media Literacy kit.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.4
Art Elements
Several magazine advertisements introduce basic concepts of graphic design.
1.6
Asking Critical Questions
Students answer five critical questions of media literacy using a print news magazine article.
Three video clips are provided for students to analyze, including a public service
announcement, a reality TV show, and a situation comedy.
2.1
The Art of Slapstick
Montage of slapstick introduces basic questions about this form of humor.
2.2
Oops!
Three scenes help explore how physical humor is constructed:
★ Actors demonstrate how pratfalls are planned, rehearsed, and staged so nobody gets hurt.
★ Actors demonstrate how timing, camera angle, and staging are important.
★ How actors use props for physical humor.
2.3
Setting the Scene
Learn about the visual methods used by filmmakers to establish a scene and communicate
a character’s personality.
2.4
Character Wheel
Short scene from the Nutty Professor and ET used to analyze the character of the professor.
3.1
What’s Real and What’s Reel
Watch a middle school teacher and students explore how people determine what’s realistic
or unrealistic.
3.2
Reality Check
Game show activity to evaluate the levels of realism in different media messages, using four
video clips from TV news, teen Ninja film, promotion for The King and I and a TV ad.
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3.3
TV Teasers
A montage of four news magazine opening sequences.
3.4
Blood and Guts in the ER
Promotion for a TV documentary about the life of an emergency room doctor.
3.5
It Depends on How You Look at It
View a video film segment to identify different types of camera shots including distance,
angle, and perspective.
3.6
Listen Up
Learn the vocabulary of TV production presented along with visual examples of such words
as treatment, reenactment, B-roll, archival footage, and more.
4.1
Mediated History
Instructional video on the role of media in shaping our understanding of history. Two scenes
about Sherman’s march on Atlanta: one from the film Gone with the Wind and the other
from the documentary The Civil War.
4.4
Music and Emotion
Listen to four sound clips from the film Glory. Students describe how each sound segment
conjures up a variety of emotional responses.
5.1
Rage in a Cage
Instructional video on the controversies associated with professional wrestling.
5.2
Violence in Sports
Learn about the issues and concerns about the impact of sports violence.
6.1
Media Mania
Introduce the concept of “media addiction” to reflect on our family use of TV, Internet, and
videogames.
6.5
Kids and Media @ the New Millennium
Instructional video summarizing a new study on the role of media in the lives of children and
young people.
Look for the film symbol to see when to use a video segment.
Look for the book symbol to see the literature links
Look for the paper/pen symbol to see the writing links
Look for the reference books symbol to see when to use the resource guide
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LEVEL ONE
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
Dear Family:
We are on an exploration of the role of the mass media in our society using a new curriculum
called Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas. Your child will be learning how to think
critically about the media, including print and TV journalism, advertising, films, entertainment
programming, and even documentaries.
Some activities your child may participate include:
★ Learning to identify how different points of view are found in the news, advertising, infomercials,
situation comedies, documentaries, and reality TV programs;
★ Exploring the history of slapstick comedy and physical humor and learning how careful actors
are as they rehearse and practice scenes that look simple;
★ Evaluating different levels of realism and making judgments about which messages are realistic
and which ones are not;
★ Evaluating the role of entertainment warriors in sports and comparing and contrasting
professional wrestling with ancient Roman gladiatorial games;
★ Learning about how media shapes our understanding of history by looking at different films
about the Civil War and how each is constructed with a specific point of view;
★ Reflecting on the addictive qualities of video games and their impact on homework, social
relationships, and problem solving.
These classroom activities have been designed to strengthen students’ writing, reading, listening,
and speaking skills, in addition to other language arts skills, including vocabulary development and
critical-thinking skills. In addition, this curriculum provides opportunities to strengthen skills needed
for success on the TAKS tests.
Because most of our children’s media use occurs in the home, we hope you’ll take the opportunity
to talk with your child about the media during this time. I’ve enclosed a brief list of suggestions for
activities that you can do at home to strengthen your child’s critical viewing skills and promote
communication about what your child sees on television.
Thank you for your continued support of your child’s learning!
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LEVEL ONE
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
ASSIGNMENT: MEDIA LITERACY AT HOME
More than ever before, children and young people are surrounded by a complex and increasingly
diverse collection of messages — television, radio, videotapes, the Internet, magazines, video
games, and more. To be a competent citizen in a media-saturated society, it is essential for
students to ask questions about what they watch, see and read.
Try these activities at home to help your child with critical thinking skills about media and
technology.
Play “Spot the Target Audience”
As you watch TV, see if your child can identify the target audience of a TV show or commercial.
Help him or her to recognize that some media messages are for adults and others are designed
for young people.
Use the Mute
While you’re watching with your child, use the mute button on the remote control and ask, “What
do you think is going to happen next?” Encourage your child to make predictions.
Use the TV Guide
Use a TV guide to read the program descriptions. Try to pick out a show what will appeal to all
family members and watch it together.
Watch Their Shows
Watch one of your child’s favorite shows. Ask why he or she likes it and have your child explain
more about the characters.
Watch While They Surf
Watch as your son or daughter takes you on an “virtual tour” of his or her favorite web sites. Ask
why he or she likes these special sites and ask for an explanation of special activities.
Try a Media Fast
For one day, use no media or technology in your home — no car radio, no Internet, no TV, no books
or magazines. What do you notice about the role of those media in your family’s life?
Contact the local cable operator in your community for more opportunities for training in
critical viewing.
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Mirar y
Representar:
Medios de Comunicación
en Texas
NIVEL DOS
Estimados Padres,
Estamos en una época de exploración investigando el papel de la comunicación en nuestra sociedad
usando un currículo nuevo que se titula Mirar y Representar: Medios de Comunicación en Texas.
Su hijo aprenderá a pensar críticamente acerca de los medios de comunicación, incluyendo
periodismo impreso y teleperiodismo, anuncios, películas, programación de entretenimiento y
documentales.
Algunas actividades en las cuales su hijo puede participar incluyen:
★ Aprendiendo a identificar como diferentes puntos de vista se encuentran en las noticias,
anuncios, infomerciales, comedias, documentales y programas reales en la televisión;
★ Explorando la historia de comedias de picardía y comedias con acciones físicas y aprendiendo
que cuidadosos son los actores mientras ensayan y practican escenas que parecen ser simples;
★ Evaluando diferentes niveles de realismo y haciendo determinaciones acerca de cuales mensajes
son realísticos y los que no son;
★ Evaluando el papel de luchadores deportistas de entretenimiento y comparando y contrastando
lucha libre profesional con los juegos antiguos de los gladiadores romanos;
★ Aprendiendo como los medios de comunicación forman nuestro entendimiento de la historia
por miedo de películas diferentes de la Guerra Civil y como cada una se construye con un
punto de vista específico.
★ Reflejando en las cualidades adictivas de juegos de video y su impacto en la tarea, las relaciones
sociales y la resolución de problemas.
Estas actividades de clase se han diseñado para reforzar las destrezas de escritura, lectura,
comprensión auditiva y expresión oral en los estudiantes además de otras destrezas de artes de
lenguaje, incluyendo desarrollo de vocabulario y destrezas de pensar crÌticamente. También el
currículo proveerá oportunidades para reforzar las destrezas que se necesitan para tener éxito
en las pruebas del TAKS.
Como la mayor parte del uso de los medios de comunicación ocurren en casa, esperamos que
ustedes tomen el tiempo para hablar con su hijo sobre los medios de comunicación en esta
ocasiÓn. Hemos incluido una breve lista de sugerencias para actividades que ustedes pueden
hacer en casa para mejorar las destrezas crÌticas de observación y promover la comunicaciÓn
tocante lo que su hijo ve en la televisión.
¡Muchísimas gracias por su apoyo continuo en el aprendizaje de su hijo!
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Mirar y
Representar:
Medios de Comunicación
en Texas
NIVEL DOS
ASIGNATURA:
MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN EN TEXAS
Más que nunca, nuestros hijos y jóvenes están rodeados de una colección diversa de mensajes
complejos — la televisión, la radio, los videos, el Internet, las revistas, los juegos de video y mucho
más. Para ser un ciudadano competente en una sociedad saturada con los medios de comunicación,
es importante que los estudiantes hagan preguntas acerca de lo que miran, ven y leen.
Intenten estas actividades en casa para ayudar a su hijo a desarrollar las destrezas de pensar
críticamente tocante los medios de comunicación y tecnología.
Jugar “Escoger el público señalado”
Mientras ven la televisión, miren si su hijo puede identificar el público señalado para un programa
de la televisión o un anuncio comercial. Ayúdenle a reconocer que algunos mensajes de comunicación
son para adultos y otros son diseñados para jóvenes.
Usar el botón mudo (mute)
Mientras estén mirando la televisión con su hijo, usen el botón mudo (mute) en el telecontrol para
apagar el sonido y pregunten, “Qué crees que va a ocurrir ahora”? Animen a su hijo que haga
predicciones.
Usar la guÌa de televisión
Usen la guía de televisión para leer las descripciones de los programas. Traten de seleccionar un
programa que le interesará a toda la familia y mÌrenlo juntos.
Mirar sus programas
Miren uno de los programas favoritos de su hijo. Pregúntenle por qué le gusta y hagan que su hijo
les explique más sobre los personajes.
Observar mientras navega el Internet
Miren mientras su hijo los lleva en una “gira virtual” en sus sitios favoritos de la Red Mundial
(Web). Preg˙ntenle por qué le gustan estos sitios especiales y pídanle una explicación de actividades
especiales.
Un día sin medios de comunicación
Por un día no usen medios de comunicación ni tecnología en casa % no usen el radio en el coche,
el Internet, la televisión, ni libros ni revistas. ¿Qué observan sobre el papel de medios de
comunicación en la vida de su familia?
Pónganse en contacto con el operador de cable local en su comunidad para más oportunidades
de entrenamiento en observando críticamente.
14
1
Unit 1:
Becoming Critical Viewers
UNIT OVERVIEW
When students begin asking questions about what they watch, see, and read
in the media, they strengthen reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. The
activities in this unit introduce students to some basic principles of media
literacy, including authorship, point of view, audience, and representation. These
activities challenge students to analyze messages in a variety of media —
including print and televised advertisements and news articles.
Students make distinctions between fact and opinion in advertising; they detect
subtexts, appeals, and target audiences in TV advertising; and they look at
two different representations of an athlete to see how point of view is depicted.
Students demonstrate their ability to analyze media messages by designing a
poster that compares and contrasts two different media messages.
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT:
★ How do people distinguish between fact and opinion?
★ What are the techniques used to create a persuasive message?
★ How does graphic design contribute to a print media message?
★ How does the media present a point of view about a person, an idea, or an
event?
★ What critical questions help people analyze media messages?
15
1
Unit 1:
Becoming Critical Viewers
Ask questions to discover the purpose, point of view, target audience, and
subtext of different types of media messages.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1.1 Media and Messages
Identify the wide variety of media available for communication today.
1.2 Fact or Opinion in Advertising
Distinguish between fact and opinion in a critical reading activity.
1.3 Subtexts, Appeals, and Targets
Identify persuasive strategies used in constructing advertisements.
1.4 Art Elements
V1.4
Learn basic concepts of graphic design for communicating with visuals.
1.5 Two Views of Venus
Read and analyze two distinct media messages — a sports news article and
an anti-drug advertisement — about tennis pro Venus Williams.
1.6 Asking Critical Questions
V1.6
Analyze media messages using the key questions of media
literacy.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Make a Poster
Students work in a group to create a presentation board or web page that
analyzes a media message using the five critical questions.
Literature Link: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen; Anne Frank: Diary of
a Young Girl by Anne Frank; Selections by Arthur Conan Doyle
Writing Link: Most people say they ignore the ads they see on
TV and in print media. Are people more persuaded by messages
they pay attention to or messages they ignore?
16
1
Unit 1:
Becoming Critical Viewers
CONNECTIONS TO
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
(TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been
designed to align with TEKS. Some of the activities and lessons are modeled upon
the structure and format used in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
(TAKS) tests for language arts and social studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
end of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in the Texas content
standards.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in
each unit of the program.
Level One: Unit 1
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
Understands and interprets 6.22(a), 7.22(a), 8.22(a), 19 (a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c) (b), (c)
visual images, messages,
(b), (c)
and meanings.
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual
images, messages,and
meanings.
6.23
(a), (b),
(c), (d)
7.23
8.23(a), 20 (a),
(a), (b), (b), (c), (b), (c),
(c), (d) (d)
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
Produces visual images,
messages, and meanings
that communicate with
others.
6.24(a), 7.24(a), 8.24(a), 21 (a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c) (b), (c)
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
Listens critically to analyze
and evaluate a speaker’s
message(s).
6.2 (b),
(e)
15 (c)
14 (c),
(d)
15 (c),
(d)
6.8 (b),
Reads extensively for
different purposes in varied (c)
sources.
7.2 (b), 8.2 (b), 15 (c)
(e)
(e)
7.8 (b), 8.8 (b), 8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b)
(c)
(c)
17
Level One: Unit 1
TEKS
English Language Arts
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
6.9 (e), 7.9 (e), 8.9 (e), 6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e)
(f)
(f)
(f)
Comprehends selections
6.10
using a variety of strategies. (a), (e),
(f), (h),
(i), (j), (k)
8.10
7 (a)(e), 7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e), 8 (a) (e),
(a)(e),
(f), (h), (f), (g), (f), (g), (f), (g),
(f), (h),
(h)
(h)
(h)
(i), (j), (k)
7.10
(a)(e),
(f), (h),
(i), (j),
(k)
Analyzes the characteristics 6.12 (h) 7.12 (h) 8.12 (h)
of various texts.
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
12 (b),
(c), (d)
12 (b),
(c)
12 (b),
(c)
13 (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a) 7.15.(a) 8.15 (a) 1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c) 7.20 (c) 8.20 (c) 4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
TEKS
Fine Arts
Develops and organizes
ideas from environment.
TEKS
Health
Engages in behaviors that
reduce health risks.
Analyzes the relationship
between unsafe behaviors
and personal health.
6th
Grade
6.1 (b)
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
7.1 (b)
8.1 (b)
6th
7th-8th
High
Grade Grade School
6.5 (c),
(d), (e)
5 (h), (j)
7 (a),
(b), (c)
18
Art
I
1 (a)
Level One: Unit 1
TEKS
6th-8th
Technology Applications Grade
Formats digital information 10 (a)
for appropriate and effective
communication.
TEKS
Social Studies
Contemp Texas
Early World
World History U.S.
Geo.
Civil
History
Applies critical6.21 (d)
thinking skills to
organize and use
information.
7.21
(d), (f)
8.30
(d), (f)
21 (b)
19
World
U.S.
History History
Gov’t
25 (c), 24 ((a), 21 (a),
(d), (e), (b), c), (b)
(f), (g) (d), (e),
(f), (g)
Eco
23
(a),(c),
(d), (e)
Unit 1: Activity 1.1
Media and Messages
Teacher
Notes
Small groups of students brainstorm a list of different types of media to understand
the diverse array of choices available for expression and communication.
BACKGROUND
Students use four different categories to identify the wide variety of media technologies, formats
and genres:
★ Media that are used for one-on-one communication
★ Media that are used for entertainment
★ Media that are used to provide information to a large group of people
★ Media that are used to persuade
This classroom activity provides an opportunity to introduce some key vocabulary words that will
help students talk about the mass media with more precision.
GETTING STARTED
This activity is ideal as a collaborative learning experience. Pass out the activity sheet and ask
students to work with a partner or in a small team. Have one person act as recorder for the team.
Invite them to brainstorm as many different types of media that can fit into the four categories.
Students may place one of the media in more than one category, if appropriate.
ANSWERS
Media that are used to send a message from one person to another.
★ Letter
★ Telephone
★ E-mail
Media that are used for entertainment
★
TV shows, like situation comedies and dramas
★ Novels
★ Video games
★ Movies
20
Media that are used to provide information to a large group of people
★
Books
★
Newspapers
★
Radio news
★
Web sites
Media that are used to persuade
★
Advertising
★
Infomercials
★
Direct marketing (junk mail)
★
Telemarketing (phone calls from salespersons)
EXTENSION
Have students find out which of the media on their lists were common during their parents’ or
grandparents’ childhoods. How were these media different when they were growing up? Students
may discover that e-mail, telemarketing, direct marketing, and many other forms of communication
were not common only twenty years ago.
21
Unit 1: Activity 1.1
Media and Messages
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: See how many different types and forms of media you can identify in the
categories below.
Media that are used to communicate
to a large group of people:
Media that are used for
entertainment:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Media that are used to persuade:
Media that are used to communicate
from one individual to another:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
22
Unit 1: Activity 1.2
Fact or Opinion in
Advertising
Teacher
Notes
Students practice evaluating advertising claims by identifying them as facts or opinions.
BACKGROUND
Students may have already begun to take advertising claims at face value, without critically analyzing
the use of language in persuasive statements. This activity helps students determine whether the
information in an advertisement is a statement of fact or an opinion.
GETTING STARTED
This activity is ideal for individual seatwork or as a homework activity. You might review the concept
of fact and opinion by encouraging students to ask the two questions identified in the box:
★ Is the statement general or specific?
★ Can the claim be measured or tested?
You may prefer to use this activity as a whole-class activity, asking students to provide their
reasons for making their choice of “fact” or “opinion.”
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Facts (F) or opinions (O)
1.
O
6.
O
2.
O
7.
F
3.
O.
8.
F
4.
O
9.
O
5.
F
10.
O
EXTENSION
Ask students to bring in their own examples of advertising
slogans and write them on the board. Have students
identify whether these slogans are facts or subjective
opinions.
23
Unit 1: Activity 1.2
Fact or Opinion
In Advertising
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
To determine whether the information in an advertisement is a statement of fact or a statement
of someone’s subjective opinion, ask these two questions.
Is the statement general or specific?
Statements of opinion in advertising claims often include sweeping generalizations or
exaggerations. Facts are often highly specific.
Can the claim be measured or tested?
Factual claims are measurable. They can be tested and proven as either true or false.
Opinion claims can’t be measured and therefore can’t be proven either true or false.
Instructions: Identify each advertising slogan below either as F for factual statement; or O for
subjective statement of opinion. Write the letter (F or O) on the line in front of each statement.
_____
You meet the nicest people on a Honda. (Honda motorbikes)
_____
The ultimate driving machine. (BMW automobiles)
_____
Bet you can’t eat just one. (Lay’s Potato Chips)
_____
Nobody does it like Sara Lee. (Sara Lee Desserts)
_____
New Extra Strength Doan’s is made for back pain relief. (Doan’s Pills)
_____
For the adult in you. For the kid in you. (Frosted Mini-Wheats)
_____
Colgate Platinum. Advanced whitening formula. Plus cavity protection, tartar control, and
fresh breath. (Colgate toothpaste)
_____
Designed to actively penetrate below the gumline with new dual Power Tip Bristles and
soft, end-rounded bristles. (Braun Oral-B Ultra toothbrush)
_____
Wear the world. (Mondera.com web site for selling diamonds)
_____
You aren’t fully clean until you’re zestfully clean. (Zest soap)
24
Unit 1: Activity 1.3
Subtexts, Appeals,
and Targets
Teacher
Notes
This activity introduces students to three important concepts in analyzing media messages:
the subtext of the message, the persuasive appeal used, and the target audience.
This activity uses two worksheets. The first explains three concepts: subtexts, appeals, and
targets. The second presents examples from different types of persuasive messages and
students apply the critical concepts they have learned.
GETTING STARTED
Review the concepts using Activity Sheet 1.3(A). Make sure students understand the idea of the
three different concepts. You might want to demonstrate how subtexts, appeals and targets can
be identified in advertising found in newspapers and magazines.
Give students a copy of Activity Sheet 1.3(B) ask them to read the first numbered paragraph. If
you prefer, you may choose to read aloud the descriptions of this ad.
Ask students to come up with a possible subtext for the first paragraph. Students may come up
with a number of possible subtexts — although you should review the answers provided below, it is
important to emphasize to students that a subtext is an interpretation. There could be a number
of different but plausible subtexts for each of these examples.
Still working on the first paragraph, ask students to select one of the three persuasive appeals
from Activity sheet 1.3(A). Which one of the descriptions seems most like the TV ad
that is described in the paragraph? Encourage students to provide reasons for
their responses using clues provided in the text.
Finally, ask students to identify some of the demographic
characteristics of the target audience. Who is the target audience
for this “Got Milk?” campaign? Encourage students to be as specific
as possible and write their answers on a separate sheet of paper.
You may choose to discuss the examples as a large-group
activity, or ask students to work individually to complete
the remaining examples.
25
ANSWERS
GOT MILK?
Appeal:
Subtext:
Target Audience:
Slice-of-life
If you run out of milk, something bad is bound to happen. Or, your good
health is at risk if you run out of milk.
The humor in the ad will appeal to a wide range of audiences, men and
women, young and old. Although the main human character is a little old
lady, the audience is families in general.
KRAFT FOODS
Appeal:
Subtext:
Target Audience:
Slice-of-life
Serving Kraft foods will bring your family closer together. Or, your family
can also be “normal” and “wholesome” if you serve Kraft foods.
Mothers and wives
DUPONT ON CAR HOOD
Appeal:
Subtext:
Target Audience:
Testimonial
Because Gordon is often in the winner’s circle for car racing, the
transference message is that DuPont is used by winners. You can be a
winner (or your car can be a winner) if you choose this product.
Some students may suggest race fans — both male and female, all
ages — are the target audience. Some may argue that the
endorsements are appealing primarily to males of driving age.
ANTI-DRUG SKATEBOARD PSA
Appeal:
Subtext:
Target Audience:
Lifestyle
Championship athletes do not use drugs. Or, drugs limit athletic
performance.
Teens, primarily male.
EXTENSION
Consider enhancing the discussion to explore with students why a company like DuPont would
invest in Jeff Gordon. Ask students to guess at what they might have paid Gordon in order to have
their name painted on his car and what might happen to their endorsement should Gordon spin
out a string of losses.
26
Unit 1: Activity 1.3(A)
Subtexts, Appeals,
And Targets
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
SUBTEXTS
All media messages have a subtext, an unstated message that is implied or suggested though the
use of symbols — characters, words, images, music, special effects, and more. The author
composes the message with a certain subtext in mind. The reader or viewer interprets the subtext
by carefully studying the construction of the message.
APPEALS
Ads use a set of common strategies to get the attention of the audience and convince them to
accept the persuasive message. Here are three common appeals:
The Testimonial Advertisement: A celebrity or authority figure promotes a product.
Subtext strategy. If the audience likes or believes the spokesperson, then they will transfer that
acceptance of the person to the product.
The Lifestyle Advertisement: An advertisement provides a glimpse from a particular lifestyle
or way of living.
Subtext strategy: If the audience desires the lifestyle, then they’ll transfer that longing to the product.
The Slice of Life Advertisement: The advertisement is a mini-story with characters, conflict and
the advertiser’s product.
Subtext strategy: If the audience understands or relates to the character and the conflict, then
they will transfer that good feeling from the story to the product.
TARGETS
All advertisements also have a target audience. This is the group of people the advertiser hopes
to influence – either by shaping opinion or motivating behavior. Advertisers categorize people by
their demographic characteristics: their age, gender, race, class, and the geographic region
where they live. These are some of the categories they use in targeting which types of people will
be likely to purchase their products:
★ Male
★ Female
★
★
★
★
Caucasian
African American
Hispanic
Asian
★
★
★
★
★
★
2 - 11 year olds
12 - 17 year olds
18 - 25 year olds year olds
26 - 35 year olds
35 - 55 year olds
over 55
27
★ Urban
★ Suburban
★ Rural
★
★
★
★
Rich
Middle class
Working class
Poor
Unit 1: Activity 1.3(B)
Subtexts, Appeals,
And Targets
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: For each advertising example below, identify the subtext, the type of appeal
used in the ad (testimonial, lifestyle, or slice of life), and the target audience.
1. In this televised commercial, a little old lady lives with dozens of cats — hungry cats. When she
discovers she has run out of milk, she mixes up a big batch of powdered milk. The cats hiss
and arch their backs. Suddenly, a paw flips off the light switch. “Oh-oh,” the little old lady
murmurs. The TV screen goes dark and this question appears: “Got milk?”
SUBTEXT
APPEAL
TARGET AUDIENCE
2. In this televised commercial, a large family gathers for dinner. The sounds of conversation and
the music of a fiddle fill the airspace. The grandmother speaks: “Everybody needs to connect
as a family. Just a thing as simple as making dinner. Everybody gets a little bit of attention —
which I don’t mind giving; I like that.” Images of Kraft packaged foods appear on screen. The
final line reads: “Food brings us together. Let’s make something good.”
SUBTEXT
APPEAL
TARGET AUDIENCE
3. This advertisement doesn’t appear in a newspaper or on television. You can glimpse it on
racetracks where NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon races at speeds of 200 miles per hour. Painted
on the hood of his car is this brand name of automotive finishes: DuPont.
SUBTEXT
APPEAL
TARGET AUDIENCE
4. A print ad on the back cover of the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) magazine shows skateboard
athlete Andy MacDonald sitting on the floor with his back against a wall. “My idea of getting high” is
printed across his image with an arrow pointing to a filmstrip of a dozen images showing him in
skateboard competition, soaring against the clouds as he completes a series of loops.
SUBTEXT
APPEAL
28
TARGET AUDIENCE
V1.4
Unit 1: Activity 1.4
Art Elements
Teacher
Notes
In order for students to effectively analyze visual images, they need a basic vocabulary
for describing artistic elements. This activity provides them with basic art terminology
and an opportunity to apply it by examining cross-promotional magazine advertisements.
BACKGROUND
A magazine advertisement has a fraction of a second to attract the attention of a potential consumer
before the page is turned. Therefore, advertisers must often gain notice and communicate the
appeal of a product in a single image. Design principles and successful use of art elements are
extremely important in constructing an effective message.
This activity focuses on the art elements used in several “ads within an ad” or advertisements that
are promoting multiple products in a single ad. Cross-promotional ads involve two or more companies
who collaborate in a marketing campaign.
GETTING STARTED
See how familiar students are already about the art elements of line, texture, shape/form, size and
space, and the psychological associations of different colors. What do they know about these concepts?
The Vocabulary of Design
Explain how artists and graphic designers think carefully about visual design by using these concepts.
Pass out copies of Activity Sheet 1.4(A) and use read-aloud to review the definitions and uses. Or
have teams of students study one of the concepts and prepare a brief way to explain the concept
in a short oral presentation.
Then use Activity Sheet 1.4(B) to learn about cross-promotion and ask students to describe which
of the art elements from the list are most appropriate for the four examples of cross-promotional
advertising provided as still photographs to analyze. You’ll want to use the pause button to study
each image carefully to see which concepts apply.
The Psychology of Color
Introduce the psychology of color with Activity Sheet 1.4(C) and invite students to bring in examples
of print advertising to discuss. You might want to create a “gallery” in your class and invite students
to make a brief oral presentation about the use of color in the ad they’ve selected.
Then use Activity Sheet 1.4(D) to analyze three still magazine ads found on Video 1.4 using
the color concepts to guide your discussion. You can find more photographs to analyze by
consulting the Resources Section, page 179.
29
V1.4
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
ACTIVITY 1.4(B)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Line: Discover/American Airlines
Text reads: “Earn a Cash-back Bonus award when you use your Discover Card at American
Airlines. It pays to Discover.”
The window acts as a framing device to highlight the product. The tree line outlines the “card.” The
crop lines and the road draws the eye to the product. The “card” is placed at a diagonal, making
it appear more dynamic and visually interesting.
Texture: Discover/Barnes & Noble.com
Text reads: “The Discover Card is accepted at 1000 new locations every day including Barnes &
Nobel.com. Discover Card for the slightly smarter consumer.”
The texture of bubble wrap is used to create and highlight the “card.”
Shape/Form: Minority Report/Nokia
Text reads: “The Future Can be Seen. Minority Report only in theaters. Connect to the future.
Run to www.nokia.com. Nokia. Connecting People.”
The organic shape of the human eye contrasts with the geometric lines crisscrossing the image
as well as the badge, which resembles a camera aperture.
Size: Discover/Sephora
Text reads: “Discover Card members earn double Cash back Bonus awards at Sephora. It pays to
Discover.”
The compact is the largest object in the advertisement. Notice that it is positioned at an angle, so
that it draws the eye. The image is also in focus, where the other objects are slightly blurred.
30
V1.4
Unit 1: Activity 1.4(A)
Art Elements
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
THE VOCABULARY OF DESIGN
Instructions: Read about how art elements communicate meanings. Look at the images provided
in the video and explain how these elements are being used in each example.
ART
ELEMENT
DEFINITION
USES
IN THE EXAMPLE
Line
A stroke or mark.
Qualities include width,
length, direction, and
feeling (jagged, smooth
blurred etc.)
★ Focuses attention and
creates the illusion of
depth
★ Can “frame” an object
★ Horizontal lines
appear static or stable
while vertical lines are
dynamic and may
suggest movement
★ How is line used to draw
attention to the product?
Texture
The surface quality or
appearance of an
object
★ Makes an object look
three dimensional
★ Affects tone and
perception. Consider a
smooth, glossy marble
versus a fuzzy blanket.
★ What textures are suggested?
★ How does texture draw
attention to the product?
Shape/
Form
Shape: the external
outline of an object.
Form: a three
dimensional object
★ Organic shapes appear
natural and living.
★ Geometric shapes are
inorganic and appear
man made.
★ What shapes are organic?
★ Which are more geometric?
★ What is the effect of the
combination of both?
Size
How large or small a
form or shape appears
in relation to others
★ Size helps create
perspective and depth
(small objects placed
high in the frame
appear farther away.)
★ Larger objects
command more
attention
★ What is the largest form in the
image?
★ Why do you think that is true?
Space
Positive space is
occupied by a shape or
form
Negative space is
empty space
★ Objects can be
arranged in space in a
uniform pattern or
randomly.
★ The arrangement
affects perception,
from crowded and
claustrophobic to alone
and isolated.
★ How does the arrangement of
objects highlight both products?
31
Unit 1: Activity 1.4(B)
Art Elements
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: After reading the following Q & A by music professional Michael Allison about crosspromotion advertising, view each of the advertising photographs and apply the art elements from
Activity Sheet 1.4(A) to describe and analyze.
Question:
Hello Michael,
I just read an article about cross promotion and really didn’t understand what it was. The
author said that cross promotion is a great way to advertise. Could you explain this to me in
plan English?
Michael’s Answer:
Cross promotion is a form of advertising that involves two or more parties. It’s a good way to have
other people help you promote your music or product. What happens is each party helps to
promote the other party’s product or service. A good example of an effective cross-promotion
campaign would be Visa. They tend to use this technique a lot. What they do is mention a store or
whatever in their commercials. Let’s say it’s a dot com. Yourname.com will make a good example.
Their commercials will talk about all that you can buy on “Yourname.com,” and what a great place
it is for buying that product. Then their ads will mention the Visa credit card is the same in some
way, shape, or form. In turn, “Yourname.com” will recommend that their customers use their Visa
cards to make any purchases from the web site. There will probably also be ads, and maybe even
credit applications.
www.musemuse.com
1. Discover/American Airlines
2. Discover/Barnes & Noble.com
3. Minority Report/Nokia
4. Discover/Sephora
32
V1.4
Unit 1: Activity 1.4(C)
Art Elements
Instructions: Read the following information about color and its psychological effects. Apply
what you learn to the advertisements shown on the video.
PROPERTIES OF COLOR
Hue: Primary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue
Secondary colors: Orange, Green, Violet
Intensity: The brightness or dullness of a color. The more “true” a color, the more intense it is.
The true red of a stop sign is intense, while the red of a flower pot may be dull.
Value: The lightness or darkness of a color. Imagine the blue of the sky at noon versus the
blue of the sky right after sunset. Highlight is the lightest value, while shadow is the
darkest.
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF COLOR
Warm Colors
★ These colors may speed up our perception of time
★ These colors more readily draw the eye
★ They are often associated with happiness and comfort
COLOR
POSSIBLE MEANINGS
red
passion, excitement, energy
strength, courage
orange
adventurous, confident, creative
most associated with appetite
yellow
brightness and warmth, spirituality
goodness, playfulness
brown
strength, solidity
maturity
Cool colors
★ These colors can slow down our perception of time
★ These colors recede into the distance and are very suitable for backgrounds
★ They are often associated with feelings of peace and contentment or sometimes sadness,
depression and melancholy
COLOR
POSSIBLE MEANINGS
green
nature, youth vigor
harmony, contentment
blue
honesty, generosity, integrity
calmness, peace
violet
richness, royalty
inspiration, beauty
blue-violet
sadness, melancholy
mystery, fantasy
pink
romantic, tender
calming
33
V1.4
ACTIVITY 1.4 (D)
ART ELEMENTS
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR
Instructions: Study the three images and describe how color has been strategically manipulated
to affect a viewer’s interpretation of each print ad. Describe the hue, intensity, and value of the
colors in each ad and the possible meaning and emotional responses they create. Be prepared
to answer the questions below in a brief oral presentation.
Knowledge Wins Poster: Text reads: “Public Libraries...Books are Free.”
HUE
INTENSITY
VALUE
POSSIBLE MEANING
How are the colors in this ad supposed to make you feel? What action is desired by the advertiser?
Discover/Sam Goody Ad:
HUE
INTENSITY
VALUE
POSSIBLE MEANING
How are the colors in this ad supposed to make you feel? What action is desired by the advertiser?
Canada’s Army: Text reads: “Canada’s new army needs men like you.”
HUE
INTENSITY
VALUE
POSSIBLE MEANING
How are the colors in this ad supposed to make you feel? What action is desired by the advertiser?
FOR DISCUSSION
★ Are most people aware of how color affects their attention and emotional reactions? Why or
why not?
34
Unit 1: Activity 1.5
Two Views of Venus
Teacher
Notes
Students compare and contrast two media messages that feature tennis pro Venus
Williams. One message is a sports news article, while the other is an anti-drug public
service announcement.
BACKGROUND
Students might not know the term used to describe commercials they see that communicate an
anti-drug or anti-tobacco message. A public service announcement (PSA) is the use of advertising
techniques to communicate a particular pro-social message, often concerning aspects of lifestyle
and health. Research shows these campaigns do have an impact on people’s attitudes about drug
use and health.
This activity invites students to explore how media representations of people affect our perceptions,
attitude, and feeling about them.
GETTING STARTED
This activity includes two worksheets: 1.5(A) includes a newspaper article and an anti-drug print
ad featuring Venus Williams. Activity 1.5(B) includes questions for students to answer in comparing
and contrasting these messages. Students need both sheets to complete this activity.
Ask how many students are familiar with Venus Williams. What do students already know about
this athlete? Where did they learn this information?
Pass out Activity 1.5(A). After students read the short article and look at the image, pass out
Activity 1.5(B). Ask students to write down the answers to the questions on the activity sheet. You
may want to use the questions on the activity sheet for a small-group discussion.
35
Unit 1: Activity 1.5(A)
Two Views of Venus
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Read the lead paragraph below from a news article on tennis pro Venus
Williams. Compare the news media message to the print advertisement, also featuring
Williams. Then answer the questions on Worksheet 1.5.
PRINT AD
NEWS ARTICLE
UNDERHANDED DEED
Williams forces opponent into desperate
serve
New York (AP) — For 40 minutes, Venus
Williams blistered the court with serves,
volleys and groundstrokes, all of them going
a gazillion miles an hour and all of them
winners.
That’s when Elena Wagner cracked.
Losing 11 straight games to go from a 1-0
to two points away from U.S. Open
elimination can make a woman do desperate
things. So Wagner, down 1-6, 0-5, 0-30,
took a gamble — she served underhand.
It didn’t work.
On Tuesday night, with Williams across the
net in off-the-shoulder, yellow-and-blue
splendor, matching hair beads bouncing and
an all-star crowd including Olympic track icon
Carl Lewis cheering, not much did.
(cnnsi.com, 9-1-98 posting)
36
Unit 1: Activity 1.5(B)
Two Views of Venus
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Read the paragraph on the previous page from a news article on tennis pro Venus
Williams. Compare the news media message to the print public service announcement, which
features an image of Williams.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who created each message and who is the target audience for each message?
PRINT AD
NEWS ARTICLE
2. Which message assumes the audience knows who Venus Williams is?
3. Which message uses repetition to communicate its message?
4. Which message uses vivid verbs to communicate its message?
5. Which message uses comparison to communicate its message?
6. Circle the phrases in either the news article or the advertisement that describe Williams’
physical appearance rather than her athletic performance.
7. What is the purpose of each message? To inform, to entertain, or to persuade?
PRINT AD
NEWS ARTICLE
8. Whose point of view is depicted in each message?
PRINT AD
NEWS ARTICLE
9. What information or points of view may be missing from this message? On the back of this
page, write down one fact or point of view that is missing from each message.
37
V1.6
Unit 1: Activity 1.6
Asking Critical
Questions
Teacher
Notes
Students strengthen critical thinking skills by engaging in active viewing to analyze
three different video segments featuring advertising, reality TV, and a situation comedy.
GETTING STARTED
Explain why it is important to ask questions about media messages. Then play the video that
opens this segment. It illustrates the five critical questions that help people analyze media messages.
After viewing, pass out copies of Activity Sheet 1.6.
Use the activity sheet to introduce the five questions for analyzing media messages. Show each of
the three video segments one at a time and spend time using the activity sheet to make sure that
students can answer the questions. You may want to use the first two video segments as a wholeclass activity, and ask the students to write the answers using the third video segment to test
their understanding.
The three video segments include:
★ “We Card” Phillip Morris (advertising)
★ Real LAPD (non-fiction “reality TV”)
★ City Guys (situation comedy)
These questions help students think critically about purpose, audience, point of view,
and representation:
★ Who is the sender of the message?
★ What is the purpose of this message?
★ What techniques are used to attract and hold your attention?
★ What point of view is represented in this message?
★ What information or points of view may be missing from this message?
38
V1.6
Unit 1: Activity 1.6
Asking Critical
Questions
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: After reading or viewing a media message, analyze it using the questions below.
1. Who created this message? List the types of jobs of people involved in the construction of the message.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the purpose of this message? (check all that apply)
_____
to inform
_____
self-expression
_____
to persuade
_____
to teach
_____
to entertain
_____
to make money
Explain your reasons for your choice.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. What point of view is represented in this message?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. What has been left out of this message?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
39
Unit 1:
Make a Poster
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Teacher
Notes
Collect and analyze two different media messages about
an object or event and create a presentation board or
web page that compares and contrasts the messages
using the five critical questions.
OVERVIEW
This activity provides students with the opportunity to explore the five critical questions of media
literacy with two different media messages of their choice.
This is an ideal activity for collaborative learning. You might want students to work with a partner
to complete this activity.
SELECTING PAIRS OF MEDIA MESSAGES TO ANALYZE
Explain that students will need to select two different media messages to compare and contrast.
Here are some examples of appropriate pairs of “texts” for students to analyze:
★ A TV ad and a print for the same product
★ A newspaper article and a magazine article about the same news event
★ A web site and a TV news program about the same issue
★ Two reviews of a film or a TV show from different publications
REVIEW CHECKLIST
Pass out the production activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles on the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process.
MATERIALS
Students will need chart paper or posterboard to create their visual displays. Or, you may prefer to
help build computer literacy skills by asking students to design this as a PowerPoint presentation.
See page 174 for basic instructions on using presentation software to complete this
assignment.
40
Encourage students to make effective use of graphic design by giving them the following advice
about effective design:
★ Use a word processor for creating headlines and creating answers to critical questions (see
page 168 in the Resource section of your notebook for instructions on using word
processing software for graphic design)
★ Avoid cluttering the poster with too much to look at — white space is important in a poster
★ Don’t use more than two different fonts or more than three different colors
★ Use word play to create headlines that get attention.
EVALUATION
Review the evaluation criteria shown with students on the Evaluation Rubric early
in the production process. You might want students to evaluate each other’s
work using this evaluation sheet or you might want to use this as an evaluation
tool yourself.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work. You may wish
to place posters on your classroom web site or your school
web site.
41
Assignment
Unit 1:
Make a Poster
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Select two different media messages about an object or event and create a
poster or visual display of your analysis of the two messages.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY:
First, select two different media messages and analyze using the five critical questions.
O Find an image or picture or draw something to represent each of the messages you select.
O Develop your ideas by responding to the questions below. Analyze each message individually.
Be sure to use description and reasoning in your responses.
Next, create a presentation board or web page to display your analysis.
O Write brief explanations to convey your ideas.
O Use word processing tools to print out your work and create headlines that attract and hold
attention.
O Arrange images and text attractively using art elements including color, line, and shape.
O Display or publish completed projects.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO INCLUDE:
★ Who made this message and what is the purpose?
★ What techniques are used to attract and hold your attention?
★ What meaning does the message have for you and how might others interpret it
differently?
★ What point of view is represented in this message?
★ What information or points of view may be missing from this message?
42
Evaluation
Unit 1:
Make a Poster
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Student Team: ____________________________________________________________________________
POSTER DEMONSTRATES CRITICAL THINKING
4
Both messages are effectively analyzed using the five critical questions to examine
author, purpose, point of view, and representation.
3
Some evidence of critical thinking is present but some important concepts are missing.
2
Message does not demonstrate an understanding of the concepts.
1
Many concepts are unclear and/or have not included required elements of the
assignment.
LANGUAGE USE IS EFFECTIVE
4
Language is used to attract attention and communicate meaning effectively.
3
Language used could be more attention-getting or more precise in conveying ideas.
2
Language used to present some concepts is unclear.
1
Language used is difficult to understand.
DISPLAY IS DESIGNED EFFECTIVELY
4
Images and words are arranged thoughtfully and attractively.
3
Images and words are placed on the page but more awareness of design or
composition would have improved the final product.
2
Images and words are placed on the page in a sloppy or careless fashion.
1
Key elements of the display are missing.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Grade: _________
43
44
2
Unit 2:
The Art of Slapstick
UNIT OVERVIEW
This unit explores the use of slapstick or physical humor as an important part of
comedy. By learning about the history of comedy, students recognize the common
stock characters that have been part of storytelling traditions in many cultures.
For thousands of years, slapstick (or physical humor) has been a part of the
theater. But recently, live action films for children and teens have been making
greater use of slapstick, with more and more outrageous physical stunts involving
people getting hurt in weird and horrible ways. This unit provides an opportunity
to discuss the way in which humorous depictions of violent acts may desensitize
us to empathizing with others.
Students learn about the strategies that actors use for creating slapstick and
how actors plan and reflect on physical humor. Students create their own
characters using a “character wheel” to create a written character sketch. By
creating their own comedy characters, students learn about the important function
of characterization in storytelling.
Connections to character education can be easily incorporated in this set of
activities by exploring the values that slapstick communicates using concepts like
respect and compassion.
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT:
★ Why do people laugh at comedic characters?
★ What makes slapstick funny?
★ How is slapstick humor constructed?
★ How are characters invented by authors?
★ How is humor used to make a serious point about a social issue?
45
2
Unit 2:
The Art of Slapstick
Discover what makes physical humor such an important tradition in storytelling,
learn the secrets of creating comedy scenes, and invent your own comedy
character using the character wheel.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
2.1 The Art of Slapstick
V2.1
Learn about the history of slapstick humor from its origins in the Middle Ages to
the 20th century.
2.2 Oops!
V2.2
Three scenes help explore how physical humor is imagined, planned, and rehearsed.
2.3 Setting the Scene V2.3
Learn about the visual methods used by filmmakers to establish a scene and
communicate a character’s personality.
2.4 Character Wheel
V2.4
Use short scenes from The Nutty Professor and ET to analyze how characters
are constructed.
2.5 The Underdog
Read from the novel Crash by Jerry Spinelli and discuss the connections between
humor, violence, and bullying.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Create a Character
Invent a comedic character and write a character sketch, a short descriptive
passage that gives a vivid picture of your character. Write a persuasive e-mail to
an actor explaining why he or she should be interested in playing this role.
Literature Link: “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O Henry; “The
Night the Bed Fell” by James Thurber.
Writing Link: If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month,
which show would you choose? What kind of character would you
like to portray?
46
2
Unit 2:
The Art of Slapstick
CONNECTIONS TO TEXAS
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS (TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been
designed to align with TEKS. Many of the activities and lessons are modeled upon
the structure and format used in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
(TAKS) tests for language arts and social studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
end of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in the TEKS.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in
each unit of the program.
LE
Level One: Unit 2
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
Understands and interprets
6.22(a),
visual images, messages, and (b), (c)
meanings.
7.22(a),
(b), (c)
8.22(a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19(a),
(b), (c)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual images,
messages, and meanings.
7.23 (a), 8.23(a),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(d)
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
Produces visual images,
6.24(a),
messages, and meanings that (b), (c)
communicate with others.
7.24(a),
(b), (c)
8.24(a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
Listens critically to analyze and 6.2 (b),
evaluate a speaker’s
(e)
message(s).
7.2 (b),
(e)
8.2 (b),
(e)
15 (c)
15 (c)
14 (c),
(d)
15 (c),
(d)
Reads extensively for different 6.8 (b),
purposes in varied sources.
(c)
7.8 (b),
(c)
8.8 (b),
(c)
8 (a), (b)
8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b)
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
7.9 (e),
(f)
8.9 (e),
(f)
6 (a), (e)
6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e)
6.23(a),
(b), (c),
(d)
6.9 (e),
(f)
47
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
Level One: Unit 2
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
Comprehends selections using 6.10 (a), 7.10
(e), (f),
(a)(e), (f),
a variety of strategies.
(h), (i), (j), (h), (i), (j),
(k)
(k)
8.10
7 (a)(e),
(a)(e), (f), (f), (h),
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
Analyzes the characteristics of 6.12 (f), 7.12 (f),
(h)
(h)
various texts.
8.12 (f), 11 (c)
(h)
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
12 (b),
(c), (d)
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e), 8 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(f), (g),
(f), (g),
(h)
(h)
(h)
12 (b),
(c)
12 (b),
(c)
13 (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a) 7.15.(a)
8.15 (a) 1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c) 7.20 (c)
8.20 (c)
4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
TEKS
Fine Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
4 (e)
8th
Grade
Theatre
I
Develops concepts about self,
human relationships, and the
environment.
6.1 (b)
7.1 (c)
8.1 (c)
1 (c)
Interprets characters using the
voice and the body expressively.
6.2 (a)
7.2 (a)
8.2 (a)
2 (a)
48
Theatre
II
2 (a)
Theatre
III
2 (a)
V2.1
Unit 2: Activity 2.1
The Art of Slapstick
Teacher
Notes
Students learn about the earliest history of comic characteristics in ancient and medieval
entertainment and to see how current comedy characters embody some of the traits
found in historic characters.
GETTING STARTED
This activity includes a two-page reading on Activity Sheet 2.1 and a page with questions for
students to answer. Students will need all three pages to complete this activity.
Show the video marked 2.1 to introduce students to the importance of physical comedy as a
storytelling tradition. Ask students if they can identify any of the actors and names of films and TV
shows included in the video montage. You may be surprised at how many of these characters are
familiar to them.
Pass out copies of the reading. Ask students to read the first page, including the boxed text. Take
time to explore the meaning of the short anecdote about the village idiot in England, described in
the text box. Discuss students’ reactions to this story.
Invite students to continue reading page two. You may want to have students complete the questions
as part of individual student seatwork. Or you may prefer to use the questions as a small-group
activity, to stimulate large-group discussion, or as a homework activity.
ANSWERS
1. Who is the “he” referred to in the first sentence of this article?
“He” is the fool as portrayed throughout history, including theater and literature.
2. What does the author mean when she writes ”buffoon was the fool’s first name”?
Fools and jesters are not a Jim Carrey or an Adam Sandler invention. The
Greco-Roman Theater featured fools, called buffoons, who amused
audiences with their physical humor and clever practical jokes.
3. What medieval superstition surrounded jesters?
Jesters, because they brought laughter, were good luck and
could possibly prevent misfortune.
49
V2.1
4. How did the word “slapstick” come into use?
The word derives from Harlequin’s prop, the wooden paddle made of two slats of wood, which
the character used to pretend to whack his adversaries.
5. In what way is Pantalone a stereotype?
He is portrayed as wealthy, old, and miserly. Expand discussion to explore why it is easier to
laugh at a stereotype than at a fully developed character. A fully developed character would
have more than just positive or negative personality traits. Pantalone was abstract, an object
of scorn.
6. What common character trait or behavior do most “fools” share, whether they are Greek
buffoons, court jesters, village idiots, or a cartoon coyote?
They use their apparent mental or physical deficiencies to get what they want.
7. Explain the meaning of the last sentence. How is Wile E. like the Coventry idiot?
The idiot always takes the larger but lesser-valued coin because he knows he’ll get more for
them. The joke is on the townsfolk who continue to bring people to him with money. The coyote
fails every time but that ensures that he’ll be given another chance to try again.
8. Create a time-line showing the history of slapstick. The time line should include these elements:
★ Greco-Roman Theater (buffoons)
★ Medieval England (court jesters and village idiots)
★ Commedia del’ Arte, Italy (Harlequin, Pantalone)
★ Slapstick in Vaudeville
★ Three Stooges
★ Abbott and Costello
★ Charlie Chaplin
★ Wile E. Coyote
EXTENSIONS
Ask students to talk about modern-day celebrities who exemplify the characteristics of the buffoon.
50
V2.1
Unit 2: Activity 2.1
The Art of Slapstick
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SLAPSTICK HUMOR
By Catherine Gourley
He sometimes wears a court jester’s hat with
bells or a patchwork costume of loud colors. Or
the fool may wear baggy-legged trousers, floppy
shoes, and a derby too small (or too big) for the
head. The fool may not even be human — rather
a skinny coyote who pins a sheriff’s badge to his
furry chest and mail-orders ACME demolition kits
and rockets in an attempt to capture the fastest
bird in the desert, the Road Runner.
In the 1200s, jesters appeared in England. Many
were clever and intelligent, using wit and word
play not only to amuse but also to advise kings
and other nobility. Some were musicians and
acrobats who performed pratfalls and juggling. But
other jesters were disabled or deformed and
treated cruelly by villagers — ridiculed, prodded,
or splatted with rotten fruit. Playing the village idiot
often was the only way to earn a meal.
No matter the costume or the prop, the fool has
performed buffoonery since the days of the ancient
Greeks and Romans. In fact, buffoon was the fool’s
first name.
Even so, a widespread belief during these medieval
times was that good-humored joking protected a
person from misfortune. Jesters, therefore, were
good luck pieces who might spread their good
fortune to those who were their masters.
In ancient Greece, “buffoons” traveled about the
countryside, telling stories and playing tricks,
cleverly stealing a coin from an unknowing person
in the audience. Buffoons also performed in the
theater, wearing heavily padded costumes and
boisterously boxing each other on the head, belly,
and buttocks. The mock violence was exaggerated
and silly and apparently very amusing to the ancient
Greeks and Romans.
Of course if the king were having a bad day or a
run of bad luck, he might order the court jester
beheaded, according to Daniel Achterman from
Princeton University. Was the fool dim-witted or
witty? Mocked or the mocker? Read the jest below
and decide.
The village idiot provided great amusement to the townsfolk of Coventry. They liked nothing better than
bringing every visitor to town to see the fool. They told the visitor to place two coins on the ground
before him — a sixpence and a pence. Now, everyone knew the sixpence had greater value than the
pence. Ah, but the pence was larger in size. The idiot snatched the pence while the townsfolk laughed
at his stupidity.
One day, the townsfolk were amusing themselves at this game once again. The newcomer placed the
two coins on the ground. As always, the idiot chose the pence. The townsfolk wandered away, still
guffawing. The newcomer squatted, stared the idiot in the eyes, and scolded him. “Don’t be a fool! The
sixpence is worth more! Next time, show them you aren’t stupid and choose the sixpence!”
The idiot grinned. “And would I be getting all these pennies if I carried on like that?”
QUESTIONS
★ What assumption about the idiot do the townsfolk make?
★ What does the story reveal to be true?
51
V2.1
Unit 2: Activity 2.1
Art of Slapstick
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SLAPSTICK HUMOR (page 2)
Like a Jack-in-the-box, a new kind of fool — and
comedy — sprang up in the 1500s during what
historians call the Italian Renaissance. (That’s
just a fancy word for revival of the arts.) The
art of comedy, called Commedia del’Arte in Italy,
featured two contrasting characters: Harlequin
and Pantalone.
Harlequin was poor and stitched his patched
tights and tunic from colorful bits of material.
He didn’t wear the court jester’s hat with jingling
bells but rather a mask. Harlequin also carried
a pickle made of two slats of wood that he
pretended to wield as a weapon. The slats
slapped together startlingly. It was just more
mock violence, however. Like the buffoons and
fools who had come before him, Harlequin
appeared simple and stupid but really wasn’t.
His wit — not his slapstick — always got the
better of those who were greedy and arrogant.
Pantalone was one of the arrogant. This wealthy
merchant constantly looked over his shoulder
lest someone rob him of his gold. The old man
was a stereotype and no match for Harlequin.
Theatergoers of the 1500s loved Harlequin’s
zany antics and for three hundred years they
never tired of watching Pantalone get his
comeuppance. Harlequin’s character, not to
mention his wooden paddle, inspired still
another form of comedy in the 1900s —
slapstick.
Slapstick was more than just telling jokes. The
humor often developed from an unexpected
situation that suddenly arose (also called
improvisation), or an ordinary activity that
suddenly went wrong.
The Three Stooges bake a cake but Curly gets
the ingredients wrong and adds bubble gum —
an entire box of gum — to the mixture. In Stoogefashion, he tries to correct the situation but
fails. When the wealthy socialite lady bites into
her cake, suddenly — to her embarrassment
and the audience’s hilarity — she blows bubbles
each time she attempts to speak!
Even in slapstick the wealthy, the greedy, the
arrogant, and the power ful get their
comeuppance — often a cream pie in the face.
Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, Fatty
Arbuckle, and Charlie Chaplin were the
masters of slapstick. The costume and the
props had changed, but the exaggerated
violence and the triumph of the quick witted
underdog — the fool — were still part of the
jest.
In 1949, an artist named Chuck Jones created
a scrawny cartoon coyote. Wile E. hardly spoke
a word but often introduced himself with a
business card that read: Wile E. Coyote, Genius.
No matter what method he tried — tying a
boulder to his feet to gain speed on the Road
Runner, painting false tunnels on granite cliffs,
strapping himself onto a rocket and lighting the
fuse — he failed every time. So much for genius.
And yet, like the village idiot
of Coventry, maybe Wile E.
wasn’t so stupid after all.
Think about it. If he had
caught the Road
Runner, would he
still be a cartoon
celebrity fifty years
later?
52
V2.1
Unit 2: Activity 2.1
Art of Slapstick
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Answer the questions below on a separate sheet of paper using what you learned
from the reading.
QUESTIONS
1. Who is the “he” referred to in the first sentence of this article?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the author mean when she writes “Buffoon was the fool’s first name”?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What medieval superstition surrounded jesters?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. How did the word “slapstick” come into use?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. In what way is Pantalone a stereotype?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
6. What common character trait or behavior do most “fools” share, whether they are Greek
buffoons, court jesters, village idiots, or a cartoon coyote?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Explain the meaning of the last sentence. How is Wile E. Coyote like the Coventry idiot?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8. Create a timeline showing the history of slapstick humor, using specific information you learned
from this article.
53
V2.1
Teacher
Notes
Unit 2: Activity 2.2
Oops!
Students imagine, plan, and perform unusual variations on everyday activities that can result
in physical humor. They learn how professional actors plan and rehearse slapstick comedy
scenes.
BACKGROUND
Many students have unrealistic ideas about how slapstick scenes are actually created. This activity
provides an opportunity for students to learn how much careful planning and attention to safety
are involved in creating slapstick scenes. In addition, students discover the importance of
brainstorming as a part of the pre-writing process.
GETTING STARTED
Students will plan their slapstick scenes, then watch a video that shows how professionals plan
and rehearse their scenes.
You might want students to work on this activity in small groups to make brainstorming more
enjoyable for students. The activity sheet provides several ordinary events that could have a slapstick
comedy “solution”.
Read the instructions aloud and walk through the first example on the activity sheet, about what
can go wrong when scrambling an egg. Invite students to work together to create three steps for
each of the remaining problems, along with three (Oops!) problems, and three slapstick solutions.
SCREEN THE VIDEO
After students have brainstormed and planned their ideas, show the video that presents three
sequences:
★ Part 1 shows the rehearsal process, including the process of filming a slapstick scene from
different angles to make slapstick look more violent than it actually is.
★ Part 2 shows the role of sound effects, including the use of sounds to make slapstick scenes
more amusing.
★ Part 3 shows the use of breakaway props like glass bottles made of candy.
THE PERFORMING ARTS CONNECTION
To explore the performing arts components of physical humor, you might want students to work up a
physical routine to perform one of their examples after viewing the processes shown by the actors.
Be sure to warn students that no touching can occur in actually performing the slapstick routines —
actors’ bodies are too valuable to risk actually getting hurt.
54
V2.2
Unit 2: Activity 2.2
Oops!
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
WHEN EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES GO WRONG
Slapstick may look silly but physical comedy requires a great deal of planning, rehearsal, and
creativity. Physical comedy arises from ordinary things going wrong. The comedian attempts to do
a simple thing — like hanging a picture on a wall, scrambling an egg, or taking a telephone
message — in the most inefficient way. The slapstick strategy looks like this:
Everyday situation + Oops! = Inefficient but creative (and funny) solution
EXAMPLE:
This classic slapstick example is from the TV comedy show I Love Lucy. Comedian Lucille Ball is a
worker in a candy factory. As the chocolate drops come down the conveyor belt, she wraps each
piece. “The Oops!” occurs when the candy starts coming fast — really, really fast! Her slapstick
solution is to pop the candies in her mouth, scoop them down the front of her uniform, and hide
them under her hat! The humor comes from the physical behavior of the character and not from
dialogue.
INSTRUCTIONS
Select one of the everyday situations listed below. Identify three steps involved in completing the
activity. Then for each step, decide what goes wrong and a zany, illogical but creative solution to
the problem. We’ve done the first one for you. Once you’ve planned the routine, perform it!
SITUATION
Scramble an egg
STEPS
1.Open refrigerator
2.Remove egg from
carton
3.Crack egg on pan
PROBLEMS
SOLUTIONS
Door won’t stay open. Perform karate chop on door
Egg is stuck.
Use teeth to remove egg from
carton
Egg won’t crack
Place uncracked egg in pan and fry
Hang picture on wall
Blow bubble from
bubble gum
Dress to go outside
in the rain
55
V2.3
Teacher
Notes
Unit 2: Activity 2.3
Setting the Scene
Students explore visual methods used by filmmakers to establish setting and provide characterization.
BACKGROUND
Mise en scene (pronounced <meez on sen>) is a major aspect of film and television. It literally
means, making the scene. Mise en scene includes the elements that exist in front of the camera,
such as setting, lighting, costuming, make-up, and acting. Therefore, it plays an important part in
establishing setting and characterization. Because so much is communicated just through mise
en scene, it is important that students become conscious of these elements and how a producer
uses them to communicate.
GETTING STARTED
Pass out copies of Activity Sheet 2.3(A) and read aloud the paragraph on set design. Brainstorm
as a large group various ideas in response to the question under the subtitle “You’re the Director.”
Then play the video for this activity, which shows a few minutes of El Clon from the Telemundo
Spanish Channel.
Pass out copies of Worksheet 2.3(B) and review. Ask students to identify the clues the director
has provided to establish character and setting. What is expressed through set design, costume,
acting, and lighting? Encourage students who speak Spanish to wait until the conclusion of the
lesson before translating the dialogue to their fellow students. They can then correct any
misinterpretations or omissions.
Have students form small groups of 3 - 4 people and assign each group one of the remaining
topics; costume/makeup, acting, and lighting. Encourage them to brainstorm ideas and ask
groups to orally summarize their ideas.
56
V2.3
Unit 2: Activity 2.3(A)
Setting the Scene
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
MOVIE LANGUAGE
Instructions: Read the following terms and their definitions. Brainstorm possible answers as if
you were producing a movie.
Set Design: Whether a scene is shot on location or on a sound stage created to look like a real
place, directors must communicate the time and place of their story. Set design helps portray the
social setting and begin to establish the characters’ identities. For example, viewers make certain
assumptions automatically when characters are shown in a penthouse in Manhattan versus a
farmhouse in Nebraska.
You’re the director: You are directing a comedy set in the Texas Panhandle during the pioneer
days. What would you show in the first minutes of your movie to convey the setting to the
audience?
Costume and Make-up: Actors are dressed and made up to look like the characters they portray.
Sometimes costume and make up help convey a sense of realism. Other times, characters are
dressed symbolically, as when the bad guy wears black. Because stars are important to the
success of popular films, most filmmakers will select costumes and make-up that maximize the
physical appeal of an actor. Just because a movie was set before dental hygiene was common,
does not necessarily mean you’re going to black out your actor’s teeth!
You’re the director: Your wild west comedy stars young newlyweds who have just moved from
the cosmopolitan city of Boston to the frontier town of Amarillo. How would you dress and make
up your actors?
Acting: Some actors manage to convince you that you are watching a real person, not an actor
playing a role. However, effective acting does not always mean acting like people do in real life.
Comedic actors often go overboard in their portrayal of a character to make people laugh. Certain
stars have personas that limit their effectiveness in a variety of different roles, such as Adam
Sandler in a drama or Chris Rock in a comedy. Sometimes stereotypes are used in comedy and
drama to communicate a character’s feelings, behaviors, and beliefs quickly. However, an overuse
of stereotypes can make a story predictable and uninteresting.
You’re the director: How would you have your newlyweds act? What stereotypes might you rely
on that make your newlyweds funny? What stars might you cast in this movie?
Lighting: In film and television, lighting has several purposes. Lighting directs a viewer’s attention,
so the most important people and objects in the scene will need more light. It helps show time of
day and provides clues about the setting. Setting the tone is another way lighting contributes to a
scene. For example a director may use bright sunlight on a playground versus using very little light
in a haunted house. Lighting also affects characterization. Actresses are often lit with soft diffused
light to make them appear more beautiful. A villain may be lit with harsh direct light to cast
shadows across his face and make him appear more sinister.
You’re the director: Imagine a scene where dramatic or unusual lighting could be used creatively.
What would the viewer see and hear? How would they feel?
57
Unit 2: Activity 2.3(B)
Setting the Scene
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
SETTING THE SCENE
Instructions: View a short segment from a El Clon from the Telemundo Spanish Channel. Using
ONLY clues from the set design, costumes, make up, acting, and lighting, describe what you learn
about the setting and characters.
FROM THE SET DESIGN
FROM COSTUME/MAKE UP
Setting:
Setting:
Characters:
Characters:
FROM THE LIGHTING
FROM THE ACTING
Setting:
Setting:
Characters
Characters:
58
V2.4
Unit 2: Activity 2.4
Character Wheel
Teacher
Notes
Students use the character wheel to build their understanding of the components of a fictional
character. This pre-writing activity helps students to develop ideas that will generate lively
writing.
BACKGROUND
Most writing assignments fall in the pre-writing stage. Whether the assignment is to write a firstperson narrative, a persuasive argument, or an informative report, if students fail to generate
ideas and supportive details and examples in the pre-writing stage, it is likely that the paper will be
underdeveloped, “voiceless,” or unoriginal. The character wheel, therefore, can be a valuable tool
in the pre-writing stage.
GETTING STARTED
Before viewing video segments and using Activity Sheet 2.4, you may need to check student
understanding of the literary elements shown on the character wheel. Begin by explaining that the
wheel is a way to develop a new character or analyze an existing character.
ANALYZING THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
Screen video segment 2.4 which shows a brief scene from The Nutty Professor with Eddie Murphy.
After viewing, ask students to create a character wheel for the Professor, describing the setting,
behavior, speech, etc. Students can work individually, with a partner, or in a small team.
ANALYZING ET
The second segment shows the opening scene from ET featuring the character of Elliott. Use the
character wheel to analyze Elliott’s character as presented in this scene.
Emphasize the importance of supporting your interpretations with specific information from the
visual and verbally presented information on the screen.
59
V2.4
Unit 2: Activity 2.4
Character Wheel
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
THE CHARACTER WHEEL:
A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
FOR DEVELOPING CHARACTERIZATION
THOUGHTS
PHYSICAL
APPEARANCE
REACTIONS OF
OTHERS
SETTING
BEHAVIOR/
ACTIONS
SPEECH/
DIALOGUE
Physical Description: Describe the physical appearance of the character using words that appeal
to one of the five senses.
Setting: Describe a particular place and a time inhabited by your character, such as a city, a cave,
a bedroom, or a school gymnasium. The time could be the future, the present, or the past.
Behavior: Describe your character doing some action.
Speech: Provide examples of how the character talks.
Reaction of Others: Describe your character through the eyes of another character, capturing
that person’s attitude.
Thoughts: Describe your character’s thoughts, such as desires, fears, or regrets.
60
Unit 2: Activity 2.4
Character Wheel Template
Name:
Class:
Date:
The Character Wheel:
A Graphic Organizer
For Developing Characterization
Teacher
Notes
Unit 2: Activity 2.5
The Underdog
This activity involves students in a critical reading activity that generates opportunities for
discussion about bullying, violence, humor, and social relationships.
This activity provides a valuable opportunity to explore character education concepts, including
friendship, compassion, caring, and loyalty. This activity also provides a useful framework for
talking with students about bullying and non-violence.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Jerry Spinelli won the Newberry Award for his novel Maniac McGee. In that novel, he touched
upon a serious subject in a not-so-serious way. Maniac is a homeless kid who manages to survive
and bring inspiration and happiness to others.
This activity provides a reading excerpt from another of his novels, Crash. In Crash, the serious
subject is bullying. Crash is a seventh grade football hero. Physically, he’s big. Behavior-wise, he
gets what he wants mostly by running people over or knocking them down. It is, in fact, how he got
his nickname. Penn Webb, however, is Crash’s opposite. He’s a Quaker. He doesn’t believe in
violence. He wears peace buttons. And more than anything else, he wants to be Crash’s best
friend.
When read aloud, these selected passages will trigger laughter. Spinelli wrote them with that goal
in mind. But he also had an ulterior motive, to sensitize kids to the stings of bullying. In the final
scene, Penn — the underdog, the Harlequin — wins. Crash gets his comeuppance but he brings
it on himself. He stomps his water pistol into pieces.
GETTING STARTED
Pass out the two-page Activity Sheet 2.5. You might want to begin by reading Scene One aloud to
motivate student interest. Or you may prefer to have students read silently.
The questions at the bottom of the Activity Sheets can be used in a number of ways. You may
prefer to use the questions as an in-class writing activity, with students completing the questions
by answering on a separate piece of paper. Or you may prefer to use some of the questions as a
small group discussion, with students discussing answers in a small group. You may also want to
use the questions as part of a large-group discussion. Finally, you may want to assign the questions
as a homework activity.
Conclude the activity by asking students to use the character wheel presented in Activity 2.4 to
depict the characters of Crash or Penn. Students can find specific words or phrases from the
worksheet to fit each spoke of the wheel.
61
ANSWERS
Scenes 1 and 2
1. What specific words or information suggests Crash’s age?
“Little red shovel,” “digging a hole” plus the response “Poop State” suggest he’s five, six or
seven.
2. What information suggests Penn is new in town?
He doesn’t know Crash. He’s wearing a button that he explains is about North Dakota.
3. On what does Crash form his first opinion of Penn?
Penn’s physical appearance (the button) and his behavior — wanting to shake hands, not
fighting back when Crash steals the button.
4. Why does Crash make up a name for Pennsylvania and why does he steal and bury Penn’s
button?
He’s trying to be funny but he’s also trying to bait or tease Penn.
5. Why does Crash think Penn is pitiful?
His house is small; even though he has lots of toys, none of them are guns or soldiers.
6. At what points in the scenes did you laugh?
Discuss student answers. It’s OK for them to laugh. Spinelli wants them to. But the value
comes in analyzing why.
Scene 3: Water Pistols
1. What is funny here?
Humor derives from word choice/language (Dumnkopf!, hambone) and from Crash’s behavior.
2. What serious message is Spinelli sending to his readers?
Crash has never encountered someone who chooses not to be violent. Spinelli is making a comment
on the society in which kids grow up, including media blitzes that feature violent characters and
violent situations. Crash’s reaction to his frustration is to become violent himself.
3. Explain the ages of the kids who might read this and enjoy it. Then explain why humor is an
important tool in constructing a serious message for this age group.
Discuss student answers. Typically, this book is read by students in upper elementary grades,
ages 8 through 12. Spinelli succeeds at crawling inside the heads of kids and seeing life
through their eyes. Often, it’s a funny picture.
4. Who is the victor in this scene — Penn, with water dripping off his nose, or Crash?
Penn is the victor. Crash destroys his own guns — throwing one away and stomping the other.
If they were Penn’s guns, of course, the effect wouldn’t be funny and Spinelli’s point would not
be made.
62
Unit 2: Activity 2.5
The Underdog
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
The story below is an excerpt from the novel Crash written by Newberry Award author Jerry
Spinelli. It is told from the point of view of John “Crash” Cogan, a seventh grade football wonder.
Penn Webb is Crash’s opposite. In these scenes, John remembers how he first met Penn.
Scene One: Flickertail
It was a sunny summer day. I was in the front
yard digging a hole with my little red shovel. I
heard something like whistling. I looked up. It
was whistling. It was coming from a funny-looking
dorky little runt walking up the sidewalk. He was
walking like he owned the place, both hands in
his pockets, sort of swaying lad-dee-dah with
each step. Strolling and gawking at the houses
and whistling a happy little tune like some Sneezy
or Snoozy or whatever their names are.
“It’s a squirrel. There are lots of them in North
Dakota. That’s why it’s called the Flickertail State.
What is Pennsylvania called?”
“The Poop State.” He didn’t crack a smile, didn’t
even know it was a joke.
I plucked the silly button off his shirt, dumped it
in the hole I was digging and covered it over
with dirt.
The kid froze. His eyes took up his whole face.
Then he turned and walked down the block. He
wasn’t whistling now. I figured that was the last
time I’d see that hambone.
He wore a button, a big one. It covers about
half his chest. Which wasn’t that hard since
his chest was so scrawny.
So I jumped up from my hole and planted myself
right in front of the kid. And what did he do?
He gives me this big grin and says, “Good
morning. I’m your new neighbor. My name is
Penn Webb. What’s yours?” And he sticks his
hand out to shake.
Scene Two: Penn’s House
I couldn’t believe it. His house was no bigger
than a garage. In fact, I found out that it really
was a garage once, until somebody changed it
into the world’s dinkiest house. The front yard
was the size of a bathroom mat.
“What does your button say?” I asked him.
I looked under his bed. I nosed into his closet.
Dump trucks. Fire engines. Cars. Batman. No
guns, no soldiers. How pitiful could you get?
“It says, ‘Hi, I’m a Flickertail.”
“What’s a flickertail?”
QUESTIONS
In Scene One, seventh-grader John “Crash” Cogan is remembering the day he first met Penn.
1. What specific words or information suggest Crash’s age at the time?
2. What information suggests Penn is new in town?
3. On what does Crash form his first opinion of Penn?
4. Why does Crash make up a name for Pennsylvania and why does he steal and bury Penn’s
button?
5. In Scene Two, why does Crash think Penn is pitiful?
6. At what points in the scenes did you laugh and what was funny about the scene?
63
Unit 2: Activity 2.5
The Underdog
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Scene Three: Water Pistols
I ran to my room. I got two water pistols, loaded
them at the bathroom sink, and brought them
out. I gave him one. “Here’s yours. Stick it in
your pocket like this. We stand five steps apart.
At the count of three, draw and fire. Got it?”
I shot him right between the eyes with my
water gun. He didn’t move. Water trickled
down his nose.
That was crazy. Whoever heard of a kid who
didn’t shoot back? Then all of the sudden I got
it. “Hah!” I sneered. “You’re trying to trick me!”
He didn’t say anything for a long time. The grin
was gone. He just stared at the green plastic
gun in his hand. He wasn’t even holding it right.
Finally he looked up at me. “I can’t.” He looked
me dead in the eye. “I’m a Quaker,” he said.
I fired three quick shots. He didn’t move except
to blink when water hit his eyes. I was laughing
so hard I though I’d bust a gut. He held out the
water gun I’d given him. His loaded weapon. I
stopped laughing.
“A Quaker?” I screeched. “What’s a Quaker?”
“You’re supposed to shoot back, hambone!” I
wound up and whipped his gun over the roof of
our house. “Dummkopf!”
“It’s somebody who doesn’t believe in violence.”
“Who says you have to believe in it? You just
do it.”
“I don’t fight in wars.”
I laughed. “You hambone, this ain’t war. This is
water guns.”
I slammed my own gun to the ground. I stomped
and stomped on it till it was green plastic
splinters.
I took a deep breath. I got up in his face. I stared.
I dared him to blink first. I wanted to hate him.
I wanted to stay mad, but I was having problems.
QUESTIONS:
1. How does Spinelli use humor to construct this scene? What is funny here?
2. What serious message is Spinelli sending to his readers?
3. The book from which these passages come are written for a young audience. Explain the ages
of the kids who might read this and enjoy it. Then explain why humor is an important tool in
constructing a serious message for this age group.
4. Who is the victor in this scene — Penn, with water dripping off his nose? Or Crash? Give
reason for your choice.
5. Work with a partner to create a character wheel for either Penn or Crash. Use specific
phrases from the three passages that provide information related to the six spokes of the
wheel.
64
Unit 2:
Create a
Character
Sketch
Assignment
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Invent a comedic character and write a character sketch, a short descriptive
writing that gives a vivid picture of a character. Then write an e-mail to an actor that you think
should play this character, persuading him/her to consider the part in your upcoming film.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY:
Invent an imaginary character by creating a character wheel.
0 Draw the character wheel on a sheet of paper.
0 Spoke 1: Physical Description. Write about what the character looks like. You don’t have to
describe everything. Consider: face (lips, eyes, hair); physique; clothing; hands, feet.
0 Spoke 2: Setting. Write about where your character is located right now — at school, at
home, at a sports game, at the mall, at a lake, in a dark alley? What’s in your character’s
locker? Gym bag? Pockets?
0 Spoke 3: Behavior. Make your character do something. Don’t use spoken dialogue yet, just
focus on action. Think of vivid verbs to make the action come alive.
0 Spoke 4: Speech. Create two or three lines of dialogue, but let it grow out of the behavior
established on spoke 3.
0 Spoke 5: Reaction of Others. On this spoke, create a second character who observes or
interacts in some way with your character. Who is that person and what is his or her reaction?
0 Spoke 6: Thoughts. What memory does your character suddenly recall? Or what wish does
he or she make? Revealing something private about your character, something only you, the
character, and the reader know, can create suspense, but it can also help the reader to relate
to your character.
Write a character sketch and compose an e-mail to an actor.
★ Think about a celebrity who would be effective at playing the character you’ve designed and
use the internet to learn about his or her previous roles on stage and screen.
★ Write a persuasive e-mail, introducing yourself and explaining the character in details. Using
convincing arguments to encourage the actor to become more interested in playing the
character.
65
Teacher
Notes
Unit 2:
Create a Character
Sketch
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Invent a comedic character and use the character wheel
to write a character sketch, a short descriptive writing
that gives a vivid picture of a character. Write an e-mail
to an actor that you think should play your character and
persuade them to consider starring in your film.
This activity provides students with the opportunity to invent a comedic character and write a
character sketch that uses rich descriptive detail to present the character’s physical presence,
thoughts, speech, behavior, and how others react to him/her. By writing an e-mail to a celebrity,
students get the opportunity to use persuasive writing.
REVIEW THE CHECKLIST
Pass out the production activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles on the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process.
EVALUATION
Use the Evaluation Rubric provided to give students feedback about their writing. You might also
want students to evaluate each other’s work using this evaluation sheet.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work.
66
Unit 2:
Create a
Character
Sketch
Evaluation
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Student Name _____________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTER IS DESCRIBED WITH RICH DESCRIPTIVE DETAIL
4
The character sketch includes a rich description of the physical characteristics, the
setting, the character’s behavior and actions, his/her speech, the reaction of others,
and his/her thoughts. Language choice is effective and communicates rich detail.
3
The character sketch includes a physical description, the setting the character’s
behavior and actions, his/her speech, the reaction of others, and his/her thoughts,
but language choice does not communicate rich detail.
2
Some of the components of the character wheel are not included.
1
Many of the components of the character wheel are not included.
CHARACTER IS ORIGINAL AND IMAGINATIVE
4
The character, setting, behavior and speech are original and imaginative. This character
is a “one-of-a-kind.”
2
The character, setting, behavior and speech are reminiscent of other characters in
media or literature. This character does not seem “one-of-a-kind.”
SENTENCES ARE WELL WRITTEN
4
Sentences are written in complete sentence form with no spelling or usage errors.
3
Sentences have some spelling or usage errors.
2
Sentences are not written in complete sentence form.
1
Sentences are not written in complete sentence form and have spelling or usage errors.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Grade: _________
67
68
3
Unit 3:
What’s Real and What’s Reel
UNIT OVERVIEW
This unit explores the ways in which realism is constructed in media messages in
shows like “reality” TV, documentaries, news programs, game shows, and more.
The way we respond emotionally to a media message depends on our perception
of its realism. We can laugh when someone hits someone else in a slapstick
comedy, but the same act would be tension-filled or suspenseful in a drama or
“reality” TV program.
As viewers of film and television, we make reality judgments automatically, and
this unit explores how even highly realistic messages are constructed by producers
to accomplish specific purposes.
Using a game show format, students practice evaluating the realism of different
kinds of media messages. They learn about techniques for making messages
seem realistic, and create a promotional message for a school or community
event.
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT:
★ What makes a media message seem “realistic” or
“unrealistic”?
★ Why do different viewers evaluate the realism of a
media message differently?
★ How does the structure of a story affect a reader or
a viewer’s emotional response, interpretation, and
enjoyment of a media message?
★ How are actual historical facts used in the
construction of fictional media?
★ What techniques are effective in promoting a
community or school event?
69
3
Unit 3:
What’s Real and What’s Reel
Explore what makes a media message seem “realistic” or “unrealistic” and
learn how realism affects a reader or viewer’s emotional response.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
3.1 What’s Real and What’s Reel
V3.1
Examine different production strategies that are used to suggest that a media
message is real or fictional.
3.2 Reality Check
V3.2
Evaluate short segments of video on a continuum from “realistic” to “unrealistic.”
3.3 TV Teasers
V3.3
Learn more about how storytelling structure is used in non-fiction.
3.4 Blood ‘n’ Guts in the ER
V3.4
Read how the TV show ER creates realism in a fictional hospital emergency
room.
3.5 It Depends on How You Look At It
V3.5
Identify different types of camera placement and examine how it shapes viewers
perception of characters and situations using a video clip from Paths to War.
3.6 Listen Up
V3.6
Learn vocabulary words used in the media business.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Create a Promo
Students create a promo or public service announcement for a community or
school event.
Literature Link: “The Man in the Water” by Roger Roseblatt; True
Grit by Charles Portis; Hatchet by Gary Paulson
Writing Link: What makes fictional TV shows often seem more
“real” than TV nonfiction shows? In what ways are “reality shows”
(such as Survivor , now so popular on American television)
simultaneously realistic and unrealistic?
70
3
Unit 3:
What’s Real and What’s Reel
CONNECTIONS TO
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND
SKILLS (TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been
designed to align with TEKS. Many of the activities and lessons are modeled upon
the structure and format used in the TAKS tests for language arts and social
studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
end of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in the TEKS.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in
each unit of the program.
Level One: Unit 3
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
16.22
Understands and interprets
visual images, messages, and (a), (b),
(c)
meanings.
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
7.22 (a), 8.22 (a), 19(a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
19(a),
(b), (c)
19(a),
(b), (c)
19(a),
(b), (c)
6.23 (a), 7.23 (a), 8.23 (a), 20 (a),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(d)
(d), (e)
(d)
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
6.24 (a), 7.24 (a), 8.24 (a), 21 (a),
Produces visual images,
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
messages, and meanings that (b), (c)
communicate with others.
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
15 (c),
(d)
15 (c),
(d)
15 (c),
(d)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual images,
messages, and meanings.
Listens critically to analyze and 6.2 (b),
(e)
evaluate a speaker’s
message(s).
7.2 (b),
(e)
8.2 (b),
(e)
15 (c),
(d)
Reads extensively for different 6.8 (b),
(c)
purposes in varied sources.
7.8 (b),
(c)
8.8 (b),
(c)
9 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b)
6.9 (e),
(f)
7.9 (e),
(f)
8.9 (e),
(f)
7 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e)
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
71
Level One: Unit 3
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
Comprehends selections using 6.10 (a),
a variety of strategies.
(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
7.10
(a)(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
8.10
7 (a)(e),
(a)(e), (f), (f), (h)
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
Analyzes the characteristics of 6.12 (f),
various texts.
(h)
7.12 (f),
(h)
8.12 (f), 11 (c)
(h)
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
12 (b),
(c), (d)
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e), 8 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(f), (g), (h)
(f), (g),
(h)
(h)
12 (b),
(c)
12 (b),
(c)
13 (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a)
7.15.(a)
8.15 (a) 1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c)
7.20 (c)
8.20 (c) 4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
TEKS
Contemp Texas
Social Studies W. Civil. History
Early
World World
U.S.
U.S.
Geo. History History
History
Gov’t
Eco.
Applies criticalthinking skills to
organize and use
information.
6.21 (b), 7.21 (b), 8.30 (b), 21 (b)
(c), (d), (e) (c), (d),
(c), (d),
(e), (f)
(e), (f)
24 c) ,
(d), (e),
(f), (g)
24 (a),
(b), (c) ,
(d), (e),
(f), (g)
21 (a),
(b)
23 (a),
(c), (d)
(e)
Communicates in
written, oral, and
visual forms.
6.22 (b),
(c), (d)
26 (c),
(d)
25 (c),
(d)
22 (c),
(d)
24 (c),
(d)
7.22 (c), 8.31(c),
(d)
(d)
22 (d)
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
72
Level One: Unit 3
TEKS
Fine Arts
Develops and organizes ideas
from enviroment.
6th
Grade
6.1 (b)
TEKS
Technology Applications
Delivers the product electronically in a
variety of media.
7th
Grade
7.1 (b)
8th
Grade
8.1 (b)
6th - 8th
Grade
11 (b)
73
Art
I
1 (a)
Unit 3: Activity 3.1
What’s Real and
What’s Reel
Teacher
Notes
Students generate examples of some of the different production strategies that can be used
to suggest that a media message is real or fictional.
GETTING STARTED
Use the video segment for this activity to introduce the topic of different levels of realism in film
and TV programming. Ask students if they have ever been fooled into thinking that a fictional TV
program or film they were watching was actually a real event. Students may refer to films like The
Blair Witch Project, TV programs like Unsolved Mysteries or The Real World, or other programs.
Activity Sheet 3.1 provides some examples of production techniques that can be used for both
fictional and non-fiction media messages. Ask students to work in pairs or small groups to generate
specific examples of TV programs or films that use the different production strategies listed on
the activity sheet. If these shows are unfamiliar to you, encourage students to describe them
briefly.
SAMPLE ANSWERS
★ People filmed are not actors:
MTV’s Real World — not fictional
★ Production style looks like a news or documentary format:
Animal Planet’s Wild Rescues — real, not fictional
★ Camera movement is shaky, blurry, and sometimes out of focus:
Visa TV ad — fictional, not real
You’ll want students to see that these techniques can be used for content that is fiction or
non- fiction — but we tend to associate some of these techniques with content that is “real” or
“actuality” footage.
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V3.1
Unit 3: Activity 3.1
What’s Real and
What’s Reel
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Here is a list of some media production techniques that are used by producers to
indicate that a media message is real or authentic or to indicate that a message is fictional or
unreal. For each of the examples, see if you can name a TV program or film that uses this
strategy. Then indicate whether your example represents an actual real event captured on film or
a constructed media event created by a filmmaker.
PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE
MEDIA EXAMPLE
Footage is gathered in an
actual location, not a studio
set.
Camera position is fixed and
image is grainy and jerky,
like a surveillance camera.
Setting is contemporary and
modern in appearance.
People filmed are not actors.
Interviews are used with
people who have special
knowledge.
Black-and-white footage is
used to indicate events that
happened in the past.
Still photographs or images
are used.
People filmed are actors.
75
REAL OR FICTIONAL?
V3.2
Unit 3: Activity 3.2
Reality Check
Teacher
Notes
This activity is designed as a mock “game show” where students explore the different levels of
television “reality” and consider the complex ways in which television programs blend aspects
of artifice and reality.
BACKGROUND
This activity is designed to be a classroom “game show.” There are four video clips to use in playing
this interactive classroom game:
★ World News Tonight segment on car chases on local
TV news
★ A scene from the Three Ninjas Fight Back film
★ A film trailer for the film Anna and the King
★ An ad for ADT, a home security firm
GETTING STARTED
Play video clip 3.2 which introduces the premise of the activity. Students will evaluate how realistic
or unrealistic a specific scene is and place the name of the clip on a continuum from “realistic” to
“unrealistic.”
There are four video excerpts in this activity. To involve all students and encourage more reflective
responses, you may use Activity Sheet 3.2 to allow students time to write down their responses
after viewing each clip. Doing this activity will give students the time needed to think about both
what was realistic about each video segment and what was unrealistic.
For each clip, select four contestants and have other students be the studio audience. Have a
student signal for “applause,” and so on. Ask each contestant to explain what is realistic and
unrealistic about this message.
DRAW A CONTINUUM FROM “REAL” TO “UNREAL”
Draw a continuum on the blackboard and have each student write in the spot where they would place
the video clips on a continuum from “realistic” to “unrealistic.” Class members can create their own
continuum using paper at their desks and place the shows in the positions they think are best.
It’s important to emphasize that this activity involves making reality judgments and that reality
judgments are different for different people. People make different reality judgments depending on
their life experiences and exposure to media messages.
76
V3.2
EXTENSION
You might extend the game by adding TV program titles (without showing video clips) and ask
students where they would place shows like Monday Night Football, ER or Cops on the continuum.
You may be surprised at students’ judgments about what they perceive to be “realistic” and
“unrealistic.” It’s important to realize that students use both their limited real-world experience
plus their experience of watching television and films and other media in judging the realism of
different kinds of media messages.
The important part of the activity is in having students verbalize what their reasoning is for placing the
show on the reality continuum and in recognizing that people are making reality judgments constantly
when using media — reading books, using the Internet, and watching film and TV shows.
77
V3.2
Unit 3: Activity 3.2
Reality Check
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: For each of the video segments, complete the pair of sentences below.
Video Segment 1
This message seems realistic because ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This message seems unrealistic because ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Video Segment 2
This message seems realistic because ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This message seems unrealistic because ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Video Segment 3
This message seems realistic because ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This message seems unrealistic because ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Video Segment 4
This message seems realistic because ______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This message seems unrealistic because ___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
78
V3.3
Unit 3: Activity 3.3
TV Teasers
Teacher
Notes
In this activity, students identify the different ways in which television news magazine programs
are structured to maximize the entertainment value of the non-fiction story presented.
BACKGROUND
A Gallup poll from the late 1990s discovered that most Americans name TV news magazines as
the medium they trusted the most to deliver the truth about the news. They rated news magazines
higher than nightly newscasts and local newspapers. Middle school students are starting to watch
more TV news but may not be aware of the different purposes and motives of entertainment news
and other news magazine programs that blend entertainment values with news and information.
GETTING STARTED
Show the video for this segment, which is a montage of four different short introductions from TV
news magazines:
★ Charity crime
★ Adoption fairs
★ Beauty pageant mystery
★ Digitally created ad
Ask students to select the one story from this montage that they would be most interested in
seeing, giving reasons for their choice.
Introduce the term infotainment, which is the blending of information and entertainment in a
news program. Ask students why they think that news programs blend information and
entertainment.
CRITICAL READING
Pass out copies of Activity Sheet 3.3 and read the instructions aloud. After students have read
the two different segments from Dateline, you might emphasize this point: The construction of
news through a storytelling format with characters and conflicts may alter the accuracy of the
story.
Use the four questions presented on the activity sheet as an in-class writing activity, a small-group
discussion, a large-group discussion, or a homework activity.
79
V3.3
Unit 3: Activity 3.3
TV Teasers
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Read these script excerpts which come from two different NBC Dateline TV shows.
After reading both, answer the questions that follow.
JUNE 27, 1999, SUNDAY
FAMILY FOCUS:
STUDY EXAMINES TEMPERAMENT
OF CHILDREN
JUNE 25, 1999, FRIDAY
KEEPING THE FAITH:
BLOODLESS BRAIN SURGERY
PERFORMED
Jane Pauley:
Many a parent has had dark thoughts at
3:00 AM when the baby’s been crying for
an hour. But imagine the baby has been
crying for days. Other parents may be full
of advice, but they never raised your baby.
This is not a Dateline Survivor Story, but if
you’ve ever struggled with a fussy newborn,
you know it could be. Here’s Dawn
Fratangelo with a Dateline Family Focus.
Jane Pauley:
Good evening. Is there anything more
important than your health? How about your
faith? And what if you had to choose? For
the young woman you’re about to meet,
that was a life-or-death dilemma. Just a
teenager, she was desperately ill. There was
a medical treatment that could save her
life. But it threatened the thing she valued
more than life, her religious faith. Chief
science correspondent Robert Bazell has
our story tonight.
QUESTIONS:
1. A TV teaser is a short promo (promotion) that persuades viewers to tune in to a program.
Teasers are also the opening words and images intended to hook and hold an audience. Circle
the specific words in each promo above that “tease” a viewer to watch the complete report.
2. News magazine-type programs are cheaper to produce than hour-long dramas. And yet these
news magazines use drama to tell their non-fiction stories. Explain what is dramatic or
suspenseful about both teasers above. What are the unanswered questions each teaser
presents to the viewer?
3. A successful news magazine like Dateline often follows a formula in presenting their stories.
Like all narratives, conflict and characters are the very heart of the telling. Who is the main
character and what is the character’s conflict in each teaser?
4. Don Hewitt, the producer of another news magazine, 60 Minutes, has stated in a New York
Times magazine interview, “I wish we were still in the business of reporting news. I’m afraid a
lot of us are now in the business of filling time.” What do you think he means and do you agree
with him? Why or why not?
80
V3.4
Unit 3: Activity 3.4
Blood “N” Guts
in the ER
Teacher
Notes
Students learn some of the “behind-the-scenes” techniques used to create the illusion of realism
in the dramatic program ER.
GETTING STARTED
Show the video that displays a promo for a non-fiction “reality” show, Life in the ER. A promo is a
commercial for a TV or film. Ask students how this show is both similar to and different from the
popular prime time drama ER.
You might want to introduce students to vocabulary words for the names of two program genres:
“Reality” TV programs are non-fiction shows that use documentary techniques to record real
people and events. By carefully selecting which sequences of action to include in the program, a
real event can be made dramatic and exciting. The most well-known example of this genre is the
program Survivor.
Realistic dramatic programs are fictional stories that use actors and scripts, but present the
sequence of action in ways that seem authentic. They may use film production techniques that are
similar to documentary footage. A well-known example of this genre is the show Homicide.
CRITICAL READING
Activity Sheet 3.4(A) contains a reading and Activity Sheet 3.4(B) displays the reading comprehension
and critical thinking questions. Pass out Activity Sheet 3.4(A) and ask the students to read silently.
The questions on the activity sheet can be used in several ways, depending
on your goals and the time available. You may want to use the questions
on Activity Sheet 3.4(B) as an in-class writing, as a small-group
discussion and writing, or as a large group discussion.
81
V3.4
Unit 3: Activity 3.4 (A)
Blood “N” Guts
In the ER
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
By Catherine Gourley
Excerpted from Media Wizards
As Dr. Mark Greene on NBC’s dramatic series
ER, Anthony Edwards has sutured wounds,
suctioned throats, and paddle-shocked nonbreathing patients back to life again. The fastpaced action on ER looks and sounds so real
that people often mistake the characters,
including those bloodied bodies writhing on
hospital gurneys, for the real thing.
So realistic are the special effects that a crew
member has said, “I have to keep telling myself
this is make-believe.” The show’s jolts of reality
involve more than just corn-syrup blood and liquid
plastic lacerations. The team of writers
interviews practicing doctors and nurses in
emergency rooms across the country and delves
into medical journals.
The medical instruments may be real, but the
lacerations, bruises, and heart attacks are pure
Hollywood special effects. Liquid plastic poured
into molds makes a batch of phony wounds and
scars of various sizes that a makeup artist can
glue onto an actor’s body. The actor-doctor
stitches away through the supple plastic without
ever piercing real-life muscle or skin.
Professional doctors are among the show’s
technical advisers. They provide insight into how
a doctor might treat a patient suffering from
traumatic injuries and teach the actors how to
properly handle the medical instruments, how
to pronounce really long medical terms like
idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, and how
to speak emergency room lingo.
Should the script call for an amputation, for
example, no problem. The special effects team
creates prosthetics, or human body parts, also
made of plastic. In this particular scene, an
actress played the role of a traffic accident
victim. The makeup artist “strapped” a prosthetic
shoulder onto the actress, then secured a false
arm to the stump end of the shoulder.
“Call for Neg, 15 units, stat!” means the
shooting victims just wheeled in need blood
transfusions — now!
No matter how it’s constructed, ERs realism
keeps more than 60 million viewers around the
world tuning in each week. And that’s just the
way the show’s creator and producer, Michael
Crichton, likes it. By the way, Crichton’s
credentials include an M.D. degree from
Harvard Medical School.
Next came the body makeup. Dabs and streaks
of blues and grays, reds and purples suggested
that the woman’s arm was nearly severed from
the shoulder. To complete the grisly makeup,
the artist mixed corn syrup, which is just the
right thickness to simulate human blood, with
food coloring. During the amputation scene, the
actor-doctor cut away the fake arm from the
fake shoulder while the fake patient provided very
real cries and moans.
82
V3.4
Unit 3: Activity 3.4 (B)
Blood “N” Guts
In the ER
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: After reading the article on the previous page, answer the questions below.
1. What are prosthetics in the real world? On ER?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe three construction strategies that create the illusion of reality on ER.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What’s the purpose of ER — to inform, to persuade, or to entertain an audience?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Is ER a realistic drama or a reality TV show? What is the difference?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. If Michael Crichton is a doctor, why is he producing television shows? Write your answer in a
paragraph on the back of this page.
83
V3.5
Unit 3: Activity 3.5
It Depends on How
You Look At It
Teacher
Notes
Students identify how different types of camera placement are used in film and television to
help shape viewers’ perception of a scene.
BACKGROUND
This activity is designed to have students pay attention to the way camera placement is used.
After being introduced to the terms associated with camera placement, students will watch a
video segment from Paths to War and while viewing, they will identify the shot being used by
holding up cards with the names of different camera placement techniques.
Some filmmakers have compared the placement of the camera in a shot to a window frame. The
director limits the view of the world to only what he or she wants the audience to notice. Thus
camera placement becomes an important tool in creating meaning and shaping perceptions.
Camera distance (the distance from the camera to the subject) depends on how much of the
scene the director wishes to show and how he or she wants to focus the audience’s attention.
For example, the opening show of a scene often is taken from a distance to show all the important
elements and orient the audience in the space. If a character’s reaction is important to a scene,
a director might use a close up to show the actor’s facial expression.
Camera angle is another consideration. Occasionally a director will place the camera above or
below the subject. Placing the camera above the subject makes it look smaller and diminutive,
while placing it below will make it look bigger and more imposing.
Camera perspective is also a tool a director can use. Most of the time the camera takes the
perspective of an objective bystander to the action. However, sometimes the camera takes on the
point of view of a person involved in the scene. This is often used to put the audience in that
person’s place and communicate that person’s perspective on the action.
GETTING STARTED
Activity Sheet 3.5 contains terminology relating to camera distance, angle and perspective. Have
students cut out these terms into ten cards. Review the terms with the students and help them
to recognize the six different camera placement terms, the two different camera angle terms,
and the two different camera perspective terms.
Because trying to identify all the shots can be overwhelming, divide students into three groups.
Have students concentrate on camera placement, camera angle or camera perspective. While
viewing the video segment, ask them to hold up the appropriate card to “label” each shot in the
video segment.
The purpose of this activity is to have students become more aware of how frequently the camera
changes positions and how camera placement, angle, and perspective affect the viewing experience.
84
V3.5
You may need to show the video segment several times while students hold up their cards. It may
be important to remind students of the goal of this activity if they become frustrated trying to
identify camera placements. Do not let them get bogged down in the difference between a close
up and an extreme close up.
After doing this activity, discuss the following questions:
★ Why did the director use the camera placement that he or she did? How does it direct
your attention?
★ How does camera placement, angle, and perspective shape your perception of the
characters?
★ How could characters be differently identified with the use of different types of camera
placement, angle, and perspective?
EXTENSION
This film attempts to capture the spirit of the 1960s Washington D.C. Discuss with students how
the director used set design, casting, costume, and makeup, and acting to enhance the realism of
this scene.
85
V3.5
Unit 3: Activity 3.5
It Depends on How
You Look At It
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
EXTREME CLOSE UP
CLOSE UP
A very close shot of some detail,
such as an actor’s hand
or a small object.
The most important part of
the subject fills the frame.
A close up of a person includes the
head and part of the shoulders.
MEDIUM SHOT
MEDIUM LONG SHOT
A shot that shows part of a
person (usually from the waist
up) or object.
A shot that is in between a
medium shot and a long shot.
LONG SHOT
EXTREME LONG SHOT
The entire subject and much of
the surroundings are shown.
A shot that shows
considerable distance.
Usually used to describe
outdoor shots.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT
LOW ANGLE SHOT
A shot where the camera is
looking down on the subject.
A shot where the camera is
looking up at a subject
SUBJECTIVE SHOT
OBJECTIVE SHOT
The camera takes on the
perspective of a character in the
scene. (Similar to 1st person
narration in literature.)
The camera shows the
perspective of an impartial
observer of the scene. (Similar to
3rd person narration in literature.)
86
V3.6
Unit 3: Activity 3.6
Listen Up!
Teacher
Notes
This listening skills activity is designed to build knowledge about media production concepts
and strengthen student’s ability to recall information presented from an audio source.
GETTING STARTED
You might talk about the special vocabulary used in the movie business. See if students can tell you
of some of the special terms used in the production of film and television.
Use the video to provide students with the listening experience. Depending on your students’ skills,
you may want to ask students if they can explain the production terms in their own words after
listening only once.
You may find that students are able to explain these terms better after listening and looking at the
terms on the activity sheet, or after listening, looking, and discussing the terms. Feel free to use
all of these methods or use the methods that work best with your students.
ANSWERS
★ A concept is the main idea for the television program or a film.
★ A treatment is the short written document that explains what the show will be about. A
treatment is created to persuade a funder to provide money to produce the program.
★ A script is the written document that presents all the dialogue, language, and a description of
what the viewer will see during a program. A script is used to help everyone involved in the
production know what to do.
★ A re-enactment is the use of actors in a dramatic re-creation of events to portray an actual
event that happened in the past. Producers use re-enactments when they want the viewer to
see something that was not captured on film or videotape.
★ B-roll is the name producers use for the visual images that will be used as background footage
for a scene, when the voice-over is presenting the main information.
★ The producer is the person responsible for organizing and implementing a media production.
This person selects or develops a concept, prepares the budget, hires all the people needed to
complete the project, and oversees the whole production process from start to finish.
★ Archival footage is the use of old photos, films, or other visual material to convey what actual
people or events in history looked like.
87
★ Talking head is the term used for interviews with experts or other people who provide information
in a news or documentary program.
★ Sound bites are the short segments of a talking head interview that are used in a news or
documentary program.
★ Graphics/animation is the term used for all the computer-generated imagery that is used to
help viewers understand something that can’t be captured using regular film or video images.
EXTENSION
Ask students to bring in other terms for the film and video production process and invite
students to create their own entries for a classroom-created media dictionary. Look on
page 180 find additional vocabulary words related to media.
88
V3.6
Unit 3: Activity 3.6
Listen Up!
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: After listening to the audio recording, explain the production terms below in your
own words.
Concept ___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Treatment_________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Script _____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Re-enactment _____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
B-roll______________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Producer __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Archival footage ___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Talking head _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Sound Bite ________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Graphics/animation _______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
89
Teacher
Notes
Unit 3:
Create a Promo for a
Community or
School Event
Create a 30-second TV promo to persuade people to attend
a community or school event.
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
This activity involves student teamwork and problem solving in
designing a persuasive message to promote a school or
community event. Students construct a short TV commercial,
using in-camera editing and home camcorder equipment.
REVIEW THE CHECKLIST
Pass out the production activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles on the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process. You may want to
involve the whole class in this production, or divide the class into smaller groups and create two or
three promos for different community or school events.
ESTABLISHING GROUP ROLES
Team-based media production projects can often be accomplished effectively by assigning students
specific roles. As teacher, you should always clarify to students that you are the executive producer,
the person who is ultimately responsible for the overall production. That means you have veto
power over productions that may have inappropriate elements.
Students often respond well to being “hired” to complete a complex media production — and even
a simple commercial is a complex production. Some student roles appropriate for this project
include:
Producer: oversees whole project and makes sure everyone is working effectively.
Researcher: researches the attitudes, knowledge, and characteristics of the target audience to
help in the effective design of the message.
Recorder: keeps notes during brainstorming and maintains a file of all drafts and notes. Keeps a
“to do” list for producer.
Writer: writes script and description of all action. Revises as needed throughout to keep script
current at all times.
Liaison: communicates with teacher and others to get script approvals and filming approvals
as needed.
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Artist: draws storyboard showing all shots to be included in the filming.
Director: supervises the actors and leads their rehearsal. Provides critique and support to get
effective performances.
Talent: actors and actresses who perform in front of the camera.
Camera Operator: responsible for labeling tape, filming, and taking care of equipment.
Technical Assistant: provides additional support for camera and other production needs.
Musician: composes, performs, or selects music to be used in the production.
See Resource page 178 for more information on making a PSA.
EVALUATION
Use the evaluation rubric provided to give students feedback about their writing. You might also
want students to evaluate each other’s work using this evaluation sheet.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work. You may wish to place PSAs on your
classroom video news program, on a class web site or your school’s web site.
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Unit 3:
Create a
Promo for a
Community or
School Event
Assignment
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Create a thirty-second TV promo to persuade people to attend a community or
school event.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY:
Select the event to promote, gather information, and brainstorm.
0 Choose an event that could benefit from publicity, like a school play or musical event.
0 Gather information about the event you are promoting.
0 Learn about the target audience — the people who you want to see this message and
respond to it.
0 Be sure that team members all participate in brainstorming the ideas for your promo.
Don’t be critical during brainstorming — it limits creativity.
0 Write down the ideas during brainstorming so you don’t forget something good. Strive to
find a memorable phrase or visual that will capture the imagination of your target audience.
Select the best idea and develop it into a script and storyboard.
0 Write out any dialogue or voice-over that the viewer will hear.
0 Plan out any action that the viewer will see by drawing a storyboard showing what the
viewer will see.
0 Get feedback from teachers and students about your script and storyboard and revise
based on their comments.
0 Select music that could be used.
Produce the video using in-camera editing.
0 Time the script and music bits so that they fit into thirty-seconds.
0 Shoot the scenes in the order they will appear in the video.
0 Use the audio dub feature in your camera to add voices or music.
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Unit 3:
Create a Promo
for a Community
or School Event
Evaluation
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Team Members: ___________________________________________________________________________
THE EVENT IS WELL CHOSEN
AND APPROPRIATE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED IN THE PROMO.
4
The promo gives viewers a good idea of what to expect about the event and
contains information that viewers need if they plan to attend the event.
3
The promo gives viewers a good idea of what to expect about the event but leaves
out some information that viewers need if they plan to attend the event.
2
The promo doesn’t give viewers a good idea of what to expect about the event and
leaves out some information that viewers need if they plan to attend the event.
1
The message does not promote an appropriate event.
THE PROMO USES ATTENTION-GETTING TECHNIQUES
AND IS CREATIVELY CONSTRUCTED.
4
The promo uses fine attention-getting techniques and is creatively constructed.
3
The promo uses attention-getting techniques and is creatively constructed.
2
The promo does not use attention-getting techniques effectively.
1
The promo is missing some key attention-getting techniques.
THE PROMO SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CAREFUL PLANNING AND GOOD TEAMWORK.
4
A script and storyboard have been written and team members worked effectively
together.
3
A script and storyboard have been written but all the team members did not work
effectively together.
2
A script and storyboard have been written but are not high quality and all the team
members did not work effectively together.
1
A script and storyboard have been written. Many team members did not work
effectively together.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
Grade: ____________
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94
4
Unit 4:
History and Media
UNIT OVERVIEW
This unit explores how storytellers use the historical past in creating stories. By
focusing on the representation of the Civil War, students discover that all history
is an interpretation of different kinds of media — letters, photographs, documents,
and more.
Students analyze how music affects our emotional responses to media messages,
and appreciate that the representations of the past can shape our understanding
of the present and our expectations for the future. They compare the historical
messages received from a historical fiction film as compared with a non-fiction
documentary about the same subject.
Students learn how an author’s purpose and point of view are expressed in different
media forms, and students create a history “web” to show the relationships between
information about the same historical event.
Many activities in this unit provide students with an opportunity to explore concepts
in character education, including fairness, loyalty, perseverance, responsibility,
and courage.
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT ARE:
★ What are the similarities and differences between a documentary and a
historical fiction film?
★ What gives political symbols their power?
★ How is an author’s point of view communicated through manipulation of
language, images, music, and sound?
★ How do media and visual messages shape our understanding of the
historical past?
95
4
Unit 4:
History and Media
Explore the way in which artists, photographers, poets, journalists, musicians,
and historians have shared their understanding of the Civil War, one of the
most important events in American history.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
4.1 Mediated History
V4.1
Compare a segment of Ken Burns’ The Civil War to a scene from Gone with the
Wind using the five critical concepts of media literacy.
4.2 Flag Flap
Explore varying opinions expressed in the media about the Confederate flag that
flies over South Carolina’s capitol.
4.3 Civil War Sources
Determine how pictorial images communicate meaning as compared to historical
information presented verbally.
4.4 Music and Emotion
V4.4
Explore how the music in the movie Glory adds to the experience of the film.
4.5 “I See, I Hear, I Feel”
Read about how the Hollywood soundtrack for Glory was developed.
4.6 Photojournalism at Gettysburg
Read and analyze how photographers constructed their gruesome images of the
Gettysburg battlefield on the days after the battle.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Create a “History Web”
Work in a group to create a “history web” for a historical topic of your choice.
Present your web by creating a presentation board, web site, or a plan for a
walking tour.
Literature Links: “The Boy in the Alamo” by Margaret Counsin: folk
tales such as “Pecos Bill”
Writing Link: The Battle of the Alamo has just been fought. One of the
surviving Texans and one of Santa Anna’s soldiers both described the
battle in their diaries. How might these diary entries compare/differ?
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4
Unit 4:
History and Media
CONNECTIONS OF
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
(TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been
designed to align with TEKS. Many of the activities and lessons are modeled upon
the structure and format used in the TAKS tests for language arts and social
studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
end of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in the TEKS.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in
each unit of the program.
Level One: Unit 4
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
16.22
Understands and interprets
visual images, messages, and (a), (b),
(c)
meanings.
7.22
(a), (b),
(c)
8.22
(a), (b),
(c)
19
(a), (b),
(c)
19
(a), (b),
(c)
19
(a), (b),
(c)
19
(a), (b),
(c)
6.23
(a), (b),
(c), (d)
7.23
(a), (b),
(c), (d)
8.23
(a), (b),
(c), (d)
20
(a), (b),
(c), (d)
20
(a), (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
20
(a), (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
20
(a), (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
6.24
Produces visual images,
messages, and meanings that (a), (b),
(c)
communicate with others.
7.24
(a), (b),
(c)
8.24
(a), (b),
(c)
21
(a), (b),
(c)
21
(a), (b),
(c)
21
(a), (b),
(c)
21
(a), (b),
(c)
Listens critically to analyze and 6.2
(b), (e)
evaluate a speaker’s
message(s).
7.2
(b), (e)
8.2
(b), (e)
15
(c)
15
(c)
14
(c), (d)
15
(c), (d)
Reads extensively for different 6.8
(b), (c)
purposes in varied sources .
7.8
(b), (c)
8.8
(b), (c)
8
(a), (b)
8
(a), (b)
8
(a), (b)
9
(a), (b)
6.9
(e), (f)
7.9
(e), (f)
8.9
(e), (f)
6
(a), (e)
6 (a), (e) 6
(a), (e)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual images,
messages, and meanings.
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
97
7
(a), (e)
Level One: Unit 4
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
8.10
7 (a)(e),
(a)(e), (f), (f), (h)
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
Comprehends selections using 6.10 (a),
a variety of strategies.
(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
7.10
(a)(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
Analyzes the characteristics of 6.12 (h)
various texts.
7.12 (h) 8.12 (h)
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
12
(b), (c),
(d)
8.15 (a) 1 (a)
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e), 8 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(f), (g), (h)
(f), (g),
(h)
(h)
12
(b), (c)
12
(b), (c)
13
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c), 7.20 (c), 8.20 (c), 4 (d), (e) 4 ((d), (e) 4 (d), (e) 4 (e)
(d)
(d)
(d)
TEKS
Contemp Texas
Social Studies W. Civil. History
7.15 (a)
Early
World World
U.S.
U.S.
Geo. History History
History
Gov’t
Eco.
Applies criticalthinking skills to
organize and use
information.
6.21 (b), 7.21 (b), 8.30 (b), 21 (b)
(c), (d), (e) (c), (d),
(c), (d),
(e), (f)
(e), (f)
25 (b),
(f), (g)
24 (a),
(b), (c) ,
(d), (e),
(f), (g)
21 (a),
(b)
23 (a),
(c), (d)
Communicates in
written, oral, and
visual forms.
6.22 (b),
(c), (d)
22 (c),
(d)
24 (c),
(d)
Civil War
TEKS
Fine Arts
Describes and analyzes
musical sounds.
7.22 (c), 8.31(c),
(d)
(d)
22 (d)
26 (c),
(d)
25 (c),
(d)
7.5 (a),
(b)
1 (b),
5 (a),
2 (b)
24 (a)
2 (c)
4 (b)
8.8 (a),
(b)
Music
I
Music
II
Music
II
Music
IV
1 (a), (c)
1 (b)
1 (c)
1 (c)
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V4.1
Unit 4: Activity 4.1
Mediated History
Teacher
Notes
Using the five critical questions, students compare and contrast two different representations
of the Civil War: a scene from Gone with the Wind and a scene from Ken Burns’s The Civil War.
BACKGROUND
Students are not fully aware of how much of their understanding of the historical past has been
influenced by Hollywood films, TV shows, and other popular mass media. It’s important for students
to understand how different types of media messages make use of historical events, so they can
appreciate how a specific point of view is depicted in messages about history.
The video is divided into three sections:
★ An introduction, which explains the different motives and purposes of documentary filmmakers,
poets, historians, fiction writers, and artists as they try to represent the complex experience of
the Civil War.
★ A segment from the documentary The Civil War, by Ken Burns.
★ A segment from the historical fiction film Gone with the Wind.
GETTING STARTED
After viewing the video introduction, explain to students that
they will be seeing two different video segments about
Sherman’s march on Atlanta. Pass out the activity sheet
and ask to students to review the questions on the sheet.
Then ask them to turn the sheet over. On the back of the
sheet, you’ll ask them to divide the paper into two long
columns and make notes as they view about the most
interesting or striking images and remarks heard.
After viewing each segment and taking notes, students should work
individually or with a partner to write sentences to answer each of the
questions more fully on a separate sheet of paper.
99
V4.1
Unit 4: Activity 4.1
Mediated History
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Compare and contrast the two video segments on the Civil War — The Civil War by
Ken Burns and Gone with the Wind. Make notes on the back of this page as you watch to help you
analyze the similarities and differences between the segments.
THE CIVIL WAR
BY KEN BURNS
Purpose and Audience
★ Who created this message?
★ What is the purpose of this
message?
★ Who is the intended
audience for this message?
Form
★ What type of message is this?
★ What are the characteristics
(advantages or limitations)
of this type of message
and medium?
Construction
★ What techniques were used
to attract and hold your
attention?
Interpretation
★ What meaning does the
message have for you?
★ How might others interpret
it differently?
Representation
★ From whose point of view is
the message told?
★ What information or points of
view may be missing from this
message?
100
GONE WITH THE WIND
Unit 4: Activity 4.2
Flag Flap
Teacher
Notes
Students explore and discuss how historical events and issues are represented in the
media today.
BACKGROUND
The activity focuses on the recent protest about the flying of the Confederate flag over the state
capitol in South Carolina. This was the largest civil rights rally since the 1960’s, reports the
Morning Star, a newspaper published in Wimington, North Carolina. but that huge rally, held on
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was not the beginning of the story. A rally held two weeks earlier by
those who supported keeping the confederate flag flying made national news. But even that story
was not the beginning of the controversy.
This critical reading and small group discussion uses two activity sheets for activity 4.2. The first
contains the four short reading passages and the second provides questions for writing and
discussion.
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
This activity uses a small group interaction technique, called a jigsaw, to get students to communicate
and work together to solve a complex problem. The activity sheet presents four short readings
from different news media on the protest about the South Carolina flag. Students break into four
groups to read and discuss a passage. After this, students then divide again into jigsaw groups. A
jigsaw group has one member from each of the four original groups. In this case, a jigsaw group
will have one person who reads Passage A, Passage B, Passage C, and Passage D. The jigsaw
teams work together to answer the questions on the activity sheet.
GETTING STARTED
Break the class into four groups and ask students to read one of these excerpts. Ask students to
summarize what they read. After discussing the issue for a few minutes, ask students to review
the four different publication dates and the different media sources. Use this national issue to
introduce students to the concept of a continuous news story, a news event that has multiple
points of view and new developments over a period of time.
DOING THE JIGSAW
Break students into jigsaw groups by counting off into groups of four. The jigsaw team should have
one member who has read each of the reading passages.
101
Review the questions on Activity Sheet 4.2(B) by reading them aloud. Use the questions on the
activity sheet as an in-class writing activity, having students write out answers on a separate sheet.
Each student on the team could write the answers to one of the questions, for example. If you
prefer, you can use the questions as a small group or large group discussion.
EXTENSION
Can you find a situation in Texas that is similar to the situation found in South Carolina?
Research the web, use archival news documents, and present your findings on a poster or
a PowerPoint presentation.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. What is the single news issue about which all four passages are reporting?
(c) a debate over whether the South Carolina legislature should remove the Confederate flag
from the Statehouse
2. Chronological order of events;
1. 6,000 people rally
2. Clinton’s public statement
3. 46,000 people rally on January 21
3. Which uses the delayed lead?
Passage D uses the delayed lead.
4. Explain the different reasons why the Confederate flag was first raised in 1962.
Clinton’s statement roots the raising of the flag in controversy, “ a symbolic act to show opposition
to desegregation. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, on the other hand, states that it was
raised in celebration of the 100 th anniversary of the Civil War. Extend discussion here by asking
students to analyze the language used by the Morning Star writer (“rebel-yellin’ ancestors”).
Mizzell’s quote is more passionate. As for which is more persuasive, students may debate that
answer.
5. CHALLENGE QUESTION. On what point do the professor and President Clinton agree?
Both the professor and President Clinton agree that the flag has historical meaning and
significance. They disagree about whether the flag should be flown or not. Give students the
opportunity to discuss their ideas about the South Carolina “flag flap”.
102
Unit 4: Activity 4.2(A)
Flag Flap
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
PASSAGE A: 1-9-2000
NBC News Transcripts,
Ron Blome reporting
PASSAGE B: 1-19-2000
News brief, The Augusta Chronicle (Ga.)
President Clinton on Tuesday jumped into the fight
over the Confederate flag over South Carolina’s
statehouse. “He thinks the flag shouldn’t be
flown,” spokesman Joe Lockhart said. . .The
White House spokesman said the president
recalled that the flag controversy was rooted in a
1962 decision by the Legislature, which voted to
fly it in “a symbolic act to show opposition to
desegregation.”
Six thousand people, Southerners with a passion
for a cause, flood onto the capitol grounds of
South Carolina.
With rebel yells, the crowd makes it clear. They
will not allow the Confederate battle flag to be
taken down from the state capitol. A call has
come from blacks, newspapers, even business
leaders who say it’s time to remove it from the
State House dome. . .
South Carolina is the only state still clinging to
the tradition of flying the rebel flag. Supporters
deny it represents hatred.
“He’s not saying the Confederate flag. . .doesn’t
have some historical meaning to it, but in this
case it’s wrong,” Mr. Lockhart said. “It shouldn’t
be flown.”
PASSAGE C: 1-9-2000
Chris Burrit,
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
PASSAGE D: 1-21-2000
Sandy Grady,
Morning Star, Wilmington, NC
Confederate flag supporters declared political war
Saturday on both the NAACP and South Carolina
Legislators who back the civil rights group’s
campaign to remove the divisive banner from atop
the State House.
You’d think that Jeff Davis and Abe Lincoln were
still going at it.
The Civil War, said historian Shelby Foote, was
“our American epic, our Iliad. “So no surprise that
almost a century and half since the cannons were
silenced at Appomattox, they still haunt our
politics.
. . .In Saturday’s chill, the flag dominated the
grounds. Thousands fluttered in the breeze, flying
atop poles that supporters hoisted and waved
when speakers defended the flag as honoring the
26,000 Confederates who died fighting for South
Carolina.
The red flag with its white-star-studded, blue “X”
has flown atop the capitol dome since 1962, when
the legislators raised it as part of the Civil War
centennial.
Like yelling fire in a crowd theater, waving the
Confederate battle flag over a public building still
evokes bedlam — only amazing if you think race
is a settled issue in America. The fight’s no longer
strictly Nor th vs South. To Southern
sentimentalists, it’s the flag their rebel-yellin’
ancestors carried up the hill at Gettysburg. To
many black people, it’s an in-your-face racial insult.
It’s going to stay right there; it ought to stay
right there,’ said Conrad Mizzell, 49, of Marietta,
Ga., Wearing a black feather in his gray cap. “It
is a living monument to the boys who died.
No wonder 46,000 people — the biggest civil
rights rally since the 1960’s — marched Monday
in Columbia with signs, “Your heritage is my
slavery.” They chanted, “The flag is coming down!”
103
Unit 4: Activity 4.2(B)
Flag Flap
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Answer the questions below using the four news passages on the preceding page.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the single news issue about which all four passages are reporting?
(a) a debate over whether President Clinton can order South Carolina not to fly the Confederate
flag;
(b) a public march by people who support flying the Confederate flag over the State House;
(c) a debate over whether the South Carolina Legislature should remove the Confederate flag
from the statehouse.
2. “Flag Flap” is an example of a continuous news story, one with new developments over days or
weeks. Number the news developments below in the chronological order in which they occurred:
_____
46,000 people rally to protest the flying of the Confederate flag over the State House
_____
6,000 people rally in support of flying the Confederate flag over the State House
_____
President Clinton makes public his opinion on the flag controversy
3. A delayed lead occurs when the writer uses an anecdote or startling statistic or quotation to
introduce the story. The news element — who, what, where, when — isn’t identified until the
third or fourth paragraph. Which passage — A, B. C, or D — uses a delayed lead?
4. Compare the language of Passage B with language in Passage C. Both passages provide an
explanation of why the Confederate flag was raised over the State House in 1962, but the
explanations are not the same. Explain the difference. Both passages provide direct quotes
from real people — the president of the United States and an ordinary American citizen. Which
quote is more passionate? Which is more persuasive? Why?
5. CHALLENGE QUESTION. On January 22, 2000, a professor of politics at Princeton University
wrote a letter to the editor of The New York Times, expressing his point of view about the flag
controversy. He proposed: Keep the battle flag flying over the South Carolina State House,
since many whites attribute positive symbolism to it, but fly next to it, displayed with equal
prominence, a specially designed civil rights flag commemorating the abolitionist and civil rights
movements. . .Two flags flying side by side would serve as a powerful symbol of reconciliation —
between blacks and white, between Old South and New, between those who sing “We Shall
overcome” and those who stand for “Dixie.”
On what point do the professor and President Clinton agree? What is your opinion?
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Unit 4: Activity 4.3
Civil War Sources
Teacher
Notes
Students learn about the strengths and weaknesses of images and words in analyzing the
story about Sophia Coffee, the Confederate female Paul Revere.”
BACKGROUND
There are thousands of stories about the role of civilians in the Civil War. One story concerns a
Texas woman, Sophia Coffee, who hosted Union scouts at her home in Glen Eden, in Grayson
County. She overheard the men talking about their plan to seek Colonel James Bourland, the
Confederate leader of Texas’ frontier defenders. Without the scouts noticing, she left the house on
horseback, crossed the Red River, and warned Confederate troops.
This classroom activity uses two Activity sheets: 4.3(A) provides a pictorial image. Activity Sheet
4.3(B) provides a biography of Sophia Coffee complied by the Texas Historical Association. This is
an ideal activity for exploring the unique characteristics of pictures and language and can be an
effective activity to promote large-group discussion.
GETTING STARTED
Pass out copies of Activity Sheet 4.3(A) and ask students to write their interpretations of the
image in the space provided. After writing, invite students to share their responses and point out
the similarities and the difference in responses.
Pass out Activity Sheet 4.3(B) and have students read the biographical outline.
DISCUSS
★ What facts does the pictorial image communicate?
★ What specific elements of the picture express these ideas?
★ How does the author of the written biographical information suggest that the facts of Sophia
Coffee’s life are in dispute?
★ Why might some facts of Coffee’s life be more verifiable and other facts less verifiable?
★ What are some of the differences between the facts stated by the verbal passage and those
implied by the pictorial image?
★ How does your interpretations of the pictorial image change after reading the biographical
information?
CREATING THE NEXT PANEL FOR THE CARTOON
Invite students to create a second panel for the cartoon to visually depict the “end of the story,
using information from the biography.” After sketching these, students should share their drawings
with others and discuss which specific picture elements or visual clues they used to communicate
meaning.
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Unit 4: Activity 4.3(A)
Civil War Sources
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
What is happening in this picture?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What visual clues provide a sense of the time period?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Unit 4: Activity 4.3(B)
Civil War Sources
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
PORTER SOPHIA SUTTENFIELD (1815-1897)
Sophia Porter, North Texas pioneer, was born on December 3, 1815, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the
second of seven children of William and Laura (Taylor) Suttenfield (or Suttonfield). Little is known of
her childhood, but many stories exist about her adult life and her four marriages.
In 1833 she married Jesse Augustine Aughinbaugh (or Auginbaugh), a druggist and teacher. In
1835 the couple arrived in Nacogdoches, where she said Aughinbaugh deserted her. As a participant
in the Runaway Scrape, Sophia claimed to have arrived at the battle of San Jacinto and to have
nursed Sam Houston there.
Holland Coffee, a member of the House of Representatives and an Indian trader, successfully
lobbied the Texas Congress to pass a bill granting Sophia Aughinbaugh a divorce from her missing
husband, and on January 19, 1839, she and Coffee were married in Independence in Washington
County. From there the couple traveled over 600 miles to Coffee’s Station on the Red River in
Grayson County. There they developed Glen Eden Plantation and the town of Preston until Coffee
was killed in 1846.
In December 1847 Sophia married Maj. George N. Butt (or Butts), who helped her run Glen Eden until
he was killed in 1863. Butt reportedly was ambushed by a member of William C. Quantrill’s gang.
The sobriquet “Confederate Paul Revere” was given Sophia during the Civil War, when she is said to
have ridden her mount across the Red River to warn Col. James G. Bourland and his men that
Union troops were at her plantation. The story continues that Mrs. Butt supplied the enemy with
enough wine that they remained unaware of her departure. One account claims she locked the
inebriated men in her wine cellar while she rode off. Other variants say either that Bourland
escaped the Unionist or that he came to Glen Eden and captured them.
On August 2, 1865, Sophia Butt married Judge James Porter, and they lived together at Glen
Eden until his death in 1886. Sophia joined the Methodist church in Sherman in 1869. She had no
children, but she raised two of Holland Coffee’s nieces. She died on August 27, 1898, and was
buried near Glen Eden. When the area was to be inundated to form Lake Texoma, her home was
dismantled with the intention that it be reassembled as a museum of Grayson County history, but
the wood was mistakenly burned.
Source: Texas History Online, Texas Historical Association
107
V4.1
Unit 4: Activity 4.4
Music and Emotion
Teacher
Notes
This activity strengthens students’ listening, music appreciation, and vocabulary skills by inviting
students to identify the different emotions expressed by key musical elements in the film
soundtrack from the movie Glory.
The video for this segment includes four segments of audio from the Glory soundtrack. The clips
are marked A, B, C, and D.
GETTING STARTED
You might want to talk about the purpose of music in a film. Music is one of the most important
tools to express emotion, and a good film soundtrack develops the emotional tones and moods of
the film in a way that should be completely integrated with the images and words of the film.
MUSIC LISTENING AND VOCABULARY
Distribute copies of Activity Sheet 4.4. Then play each sequence of music on the videotape and
after each one, ask students to write down three adjectives that describe the feelings and mood of
the music.
You might remind students that adjectives are describing words. Encourage students to use
interesting and powerful, and complex adjectives like “joyous” or “bitter” instead of simple adjectives
like “happy” or “sad.”
You might want to have students share these word lists immediately after each audio segment so
students can see the similarities and differences in how people use language to capture the
feelings and moods suggested by the music.
After playing and writing about all four sound segments in the film, ask students which of the four
was their favorite.
In small groups, ask student to imagine a specific event or part of a scene about black soldiers in
the Civil War that could be set to one of the audio segments. If students have seen the film Glory,
you might ask them if they can remember or guess which music was used with different scenes in
the film.
108
V4.4
Unit 4: Activity 4.4
Music and Emotion
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Listen to each of the four musical tracks from the film Glory. Use three adjectives to
describe the feeling and moods that each sequence expresses to you.
Clip A
This musical sequence seems ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Clip B
This musical sequence seems ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Clip C
This musical sequence seems ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Clip D
This musical sequence seems ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
109
Unit 4: Activity 4.5
“I See, I Hear, I Feel”
Teacher
Notes
This critical reading activity introduces students to the process of developing a musical
soundtrack for the film Glory.
BACKGROUND
Music is an important part of young people’s lives. And yet many students may not be aware of the
influence musical scores may have on their understanding of and response to the films they see,
not just on the big screen but also on the “little screen” — television. This critical reading activity
introduces students to some basic media literacy points about musical scores.
Musical scores have various functions. Three of those functions are mentioned in this article: to
trigger an emotional response, to parallel action, and to comment on action. Yair Oppenheim,
writing in Film Score Monthly, believes that commenting on action is the most intelligent function of
a musical score.
GETTING STARTED
Student will enjoy this reading after listening to the audio sequences in the
previous activity. You might want to read the essay aloud, followed by a
large-group discussion. Or you may want to have
students read the essay on their own and then
answer these questions in small groups. Or you may
want to use this activity as a homework assignment.
110
Unit 4: Activity 4.5
“I See, I Hear, I Feel”
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
By Catherine Gourley
After viewing Glory, film critic Desson Howe used
two words to describe James Horner’s musical
score: “gushy” and “rhapsodizing.” He blamed
the score, in part, for scenes in the movie
becoming melodramatic and “misty-eyed.”
That’s not the opinion of this reviewer writing
for filmtracks.com: “This score would be one
of the ten I’d take to a desert island with me...;
Every 20 or so minutes during the film, the music
swells up to full glory (no pun intended!): for
instance, Colonel Shaw’s Christmas Eve
monologues, the ‘year of jubilee’ march, the
preparations for the charge on Fort Wagner,
and the finale of the attack itself. These
moments will send chills up your spine, which is
what a good score should do!”
Well, which is it — gushy or good? Melodramatic
or spine-tingling?
Music is an integral part of a film’s media
message. Like all media messages, however,
people do not interpret a film’s musical score
quite the same way. Why? One reason is that
the score is — or at least should be — an integral
part of the moving images on the screen.
This is how film critic Caryl Flinn puts it: “Picture
and track are so closely fused together that each
one functions through the other. There is no
separation of ‘I see’ in the image and ‘I hear’ on
the track. Instead, there is the ‘I feel’, ‘I
experience’, through the grand total of picture
and track combined.”
In other words, scoring a film is a complicated
process in which the composer must capture
not only the mood or atmosphere of the story,
but also the characterization, the conflicts, even
the historical setting and ethnicity of the film.
In Glory, composer James Horner uses a full
orchestra and also the voices of The Boys Choir
of Harlem to trigger emotional responses in the
viewer but also to mirror the racial themes and
the Civil War setting. At times the music parallels
the action: during the assault on Fort Wagner,
the orchestration swells. At other times, the
music’s function is to comment on the action or
the character’s internal struggles: when the
runaway slave Tripp is whipped, the music is
also painful and passionate.
Horner’s score won an Oscar award for Best
Sound. But even a golden statuette won’t
guarantee that every moviegoer will have the
same “I feel” experience. In this point, however,
most music critics will agree: A musical score
can have as much influence as the direction,
the cinematography, and even the acting on the
film’s overall message...and the audience’s
thumbs up or down.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the “I see” part of a film? What is the “I hear” part of a film? Which is created first?
2. What does Caryl Flinn mean when she says “There is no separation of ‘I see’... and ‘I hear’...
instead there is ‘I feel’”?
3. Which instrument might you select to communicate the following emotions?
a. sorrow
w. strings (violins, cellos, violas)
b. suspense, fear
x. brass (French horns, trumpet, trombones)
c. power
y. percussion (snares, timpani)
d. romance
z. woodwinds (clarinets, flutes)
111
Unit 4: Activity 4.6
Photojournalism
At Gettysburg
Teacher
Notes
This critical reading explores the work of early photographers who captured the first photographic
images of war in the history of the world. Because photographs are media constructions, we
learn that these photos were composed in order to stir patriotism as well as to reveal the
harsh tragedy of war.
BACKGROUND
It’s a surprise for students to discover that, ever since the invention of photography, people have
been manipulating photographs in order to communicate a specific point of view.
This classroom lesson consists of a two-page reading on Activity Sheets 4.6(A), plus questions for
students to answer as Activity Sheet 4.6(B).
GETTING STARTED
You may want to show students some of the photos that are described in this reading. You can find
them on the Internet at the Library of Congress’s American Memory web site:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem
Go to the Civil War Photographs Home page to find “A Sharpshooter’s Last Sleep” and “The Home
of a Rebel Sharpshooter.”
You may want to use this critical reading activity as a read-aloud with large-group discussion, a
small-group writing activity, an individual in-class writing, or as a homework activity.
QUESTION AND ANSWERS:
1. What is the definition of photojournalism?
Photojournalism is the use of photographs to communicate news events.
2. Why does the author begin the article by describing the arrival of the photographer’s wagon
after the battle?
Because of the limits of photography at that time in history, cameras couldn’t capture live
action. Typically, photographers arrive after the battle. Photographers set the set by using
props, moving bodies from one location to another, and in some instances changing clothing.
112
3. Explain how Gardner altered reality in photographing the dead at Gettysburg.
Student answers will vary, but emphasize that the posture of the body, the head thrown back,
etc. emphasize the violence of death and that, in turn, triggers an emotional response in the
viewer. The title “last sleep” also had connotations that may trigger emotional responses, i.e.,
peace at last, suffering over, etc.
4. If the photographer’s purpose was to stir patriotism, explain how “A Sharpshooter’s Last
Sleep” might accomplish that?
The photograph communicates the gruesome reality of death, but it also shows an image that
depicts a dead Confederate soldier. To those Northerners seeing this photo, it might have
activated the feelings of revenge upon an enemy, gratefulness that the sharpshooter could kill
no more. However, images of dead enemies can also inspire sympathy for the enemy.
EXTENSION
Students might want to learn more about the history of photography after this lesson. They can
research some of the following topics:
★ The life of Mathew Brady, one of the most distinguished of the Civil War photographers;
★ Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, a widely distributed newspaper that used photographs
and illustrations to describe news events;
★ The photographs and engravings made of the prisoners at Andersonville Prison in Georgia,
which stirred public opinion with their gruesome depictions of the prisoner-of-war camp.
An excellent resource for students is the book The Origins of Photojournalism in America by
Michael L Carlebach, published in 1992 by the Smithsonian Institution Press.
113
Unit 4: Activity 4.6(A)
Photojournalism
At Gettysburg
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
By Catherine Gourley
Excerpted from Media Wizards
Rain had fallen on and off for two days. On
the morning of July 5 mists still shrouded the
fields at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A wagon
rattled over the field, then stopped. To his right
was Culp’s Hill. To his left was Round Top and
the forest. What lay before him, scattered
thickly throughout the field, was the debris of
battle: ammunition, cups, canteens, shattered
caissons, and of course, corpses — human
and animal. Gardner took from his wagon his
photographic equipment and, joining a burial
party, moved among the dead and dying.
Gardner was one of approximately twenty
photographers hired by master photographer
Matthew Brady to document the American Civil
War. The United States government allowed
Brady’s men to travel with Union troops. They
arrived in wooden vans, on the sides of which
were painted Brady’s Photographic Corps. The
back of the enclosed wagon served as a
darkroom where the photographer could
develop his film.
In 1863, photography was an innovation.
Cameras required fifteen-second exposures,
so the photographers could not capture actual
fighting. They could only shoot portraits of
soldiers in camp or the minutes prior to battle.
Often they arrived after the battle, as Gardner
had at Gettysburg to record, as he described
it, “the blank horror and reality of war.”
On that overcast July morning, Gardner shot a
number of images. One he titled “A Sharpshooter’s
Last Sleep.” The dead Union soldier was lying on
his back. His cap and gun were on the ground
behind him. Gardner reasoned that they had been
thrown there “by the violence of the shock” that
struck and killed the man.
Another photograph he titled “The Home of
the Rebel Sharpshooter.” According to the text
Gardner wrote later explaining the image, the
Confederate soldier had camped between two
boulders. Across the front he had built a small
stone wall. From this sheltered position, he
had fired at Union officers. Gardner drew the
viewer’s attention to white marking on the left
boulder, indicating that Union sharpshooters
had fired repeatedly, into the lair to dislodge
the sniper.
The images from Brady’s Photographic Corps
shocked the country because they were so
vivid and gruesome. In 1865, Gardner
published a book showcasing these Civil War
images. “Here are the dreadful details!” he
wrote of his images. “Let them aid in
preventing such another calamity falling upon
the nation.”
Photographers like Gardner’s seem to capture
moments of truth. During the fifteen-second
exposure, time stands still. The camera makes
no decisions, no changes. It has no opinion of
the objects in its angle of vision; it simply
reproduces them on film as they are in reality.
And yet, photographs are also constructed
media messages. Many years after Gardner
photographed the unburied bodies at
Gettysburg, historians who studied his images
have concluded that at times Gardner
rearranged the elements in his photographs
114
so their effect was even more dreadful, more
horrible. He does so for the very reason he stated
in his book — to convince the American public to
never again commit such carnage. The dead
soldiers in “A Sharpshooter’s Last Sleep” and “The
Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter” are, in fact the
same man.
Historian William Frassanito explains that
geographical details place both photographs
in the same area, on the southern slope of
Devil’s Den. Frassanito believes Gardner first
photographed the dead man lying on his back,
his hat and gun behind him. Then, using a
field blanket, Gardner dragged the corpse to
the “picturesque” rock den forty yards away.
He arranged the body between the rocks, with
the face turned toward the camera.
The dead soldier was not a sharpshooter at
all. The rifle above the man’s head was not,
says Frassanito, the type of weapon used by
sharpshooters. Most likely the rifle was
Gardner’s prop, an object he used in a number
of photographs when he felt it was needed.
Gardner’s photographs are striking. They
remain an important piece of American
history. But questions remains: Why move a
corpse from on location to another? Why add
a prop to the composition?
The answer lies in the photographer’s purpose
and intended effect. Gardner was loyal to the
Union. He did not wear a uniform, but if he
had it would have been blue, not gray. His
purpose was to document a war. But it was
also to stir patriotism in Americans, above all
else, to reveal in harsh detail the tragedy of
war. At times the best way to achieve that
effect was to rearrange the elements in the
compositions of his photographs.
115
Unit 4: Activity 4.6(B)
Photojournalism
At Gettysburg
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instruction: Use the reading on the preceding page to answer these questions.
1. Although the author does not define photojournalism, the information presented in the article
suggests a definition. What is that definition?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why does the author begin the article by describing the arrival of the photographer’s wagon
after the battle?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain how Gardner altered reality in photographing the dead at Gettysburg.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. If the photograph’s purpose was to stir patriotism, explain how “A Sharpshooter’s Last Sleep”
might accomplish that.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
116
Unit 4:
Create A “History Web”
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Teacher
Notes
Create a “history web” for a history topic of you choice.
Present your web by creating a presentation board or a
website.
This research activity invites students to find five different types of information on a narrow,
focused topic of the student’s choice using a variety of different media, including photographs,
web site, newspaper articles, videos, books, and interviews with people in the community.
REVIEW THE CHECKLIST
Pass out the production activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles in the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process.
PROVIDING CONTENT STRUCTURE
Limit the content of the research projects by defining some narrower time period or theme
for students to focus on, using your classroom curriculum as a guideline. See the Resource
Section page 176 for how to use this activity to strengthen Internet search skills.
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Graphic organizers are an incredibly productive tool for students. See the Resource Section
page 177 on using graphic organizers for planning and design. To use presentation software,
see the Resource Section page 171.
EVALUATION
Use the Evaluation Rubric provided to give students feedback about their projects. You might also
want students to evaluate each other’s work using this evaluation sheet.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work.
Technology Application Link: Internet Use. See resource page 176 for information on search units.
117
Unit 4:
Create a
“History Web”
Assignment
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Question:
What is a history web?
Answer:
A history web is a visual way of linking various types of information to a specific historical
figure or event.
Instructions: Choose a specific, focused historical event and write it in the center of the circle.
Then use the library and the Internet to collect different kinds of information about it. Select five
pieces of research that will help people learn interesting information about different aspects of the
historical event. Use a combination of images and documents and include at least one primary
source and one secondary source. Put the information in order so that the more basic information
comes first.
1
5
MY TOPIC:
2
4
3
118
Assignment
Unit 4:
Create a
“History Web”
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Work in a group to create a “history web” for a history topic of you choice. Present
your web by creating a presentation board or a web site.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THIS ACTIVITY:
Select a subject to explore in your project.
0 Brainstorm a list of possible topics related to American history by talking to your teacher and
family members, looking at books in the library, or surfing the Internet. Look at unusual possibilities
for topics. Be creative!
0 Narrow your topic to a specific theme, issue, or event.
Research your topic by using many different types of media and messages.
0 Investigate local resources like historical associations, cemeteries, and libraries to learn about
the historical event’s impact in your own community.
0 Select five “research stops” for your history web. Be sure you include different types of messages.
Consider using photographs, drawings or illustrations, music, poetry, letters, and maps. Use web
sites, books, magazines, newspaper articles, and interviews with people with special knowledge.
Select a media format for your project and create it.
0 Decide whether you want to make a presentation board or a web site.
0 Arrange the order of the “research stops” so that they make sense to a reader or viewer who
will visit these stops in order.
0 Write attention-getting titles for the five stops on your web. Write a summary of the information
to be found at the site. Write the source used for each of the five stops.
0 Select or create an image to go with each of the five stops.
0 Put the elements together in the format you have selected.
119
Evaluation
Unit 4:
Create a
“History Web”
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Student Name ____________________________________________________________________________
THE TOPIC IS INTERESTING AND APPROPRIATE
AND A VARIETY OF SOURCES HAVE BEEN SELECTED.
4
The topic is focused, narrow, and interesting, and a variety of sources have been
selected. At least three different types of media have been used.
3
The topic is focused, narrow, and interesting, but a variety of sources have not been
selected. At least three different types of media have been used.
2
The topic is too ordinary, broad, or general. The sources are not as diverse as they
could be. At least three different types of media have been used.
1
The topic is too ordinary, broad, or general. The sources are not as diverse as they
could be. Three different types of media have not been used.
THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IS COHERENT AND COMPLETE.
4
The written summaries provided are informative and clear. The titles are attentiongetting, and the sources are clearly identified.
3
The written summaries provided are not consistently informative and clear. The titles
are attention getting, and the sources are clearly identified.
2
The written summaries provided are not informative and clear. The titles are not
attention-getting and/or the sources are clearly identified.
1
The written summaries provided are hard to understand. The titles are sloppy or not
attention-getting, and some of the sources are not identified.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
Grade: _________
120
5
Unit 5:
Entertainment Warriors
UNIT OVERVIEW
This unit explores issues of stereotyping, violence, and the complex representation
of men and women in the mass media. This unit analyzes the symbolic violence of
sports, as well as the increasingly real violence found at sporting events. Students
examine the role of violence as a form of entertainment by learning about Roman
gladiatorial games and contemporary wrestlers.
Many people have conflicting opinions about the sport of television wrestling today.
Is it real or fake? How have media changed important aspects of sports in our
society?
Students analyze the different types of entertainment warriors in our culture
today and create an imaginary non-violent game or sporting event for the 21st
century. They develop an ad, news media message, magazine cover, or web site
to promote it.
Many activities in this unit are useful for exploring concepts in character education,
including respect, fairness, teamwork, self-discipline, and justice
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT:
★ How are contemporary entertainment warriors similar to and different from
those of the past?
★ How are gender and role stereotypes created, reinforced, or altered through
sports and games, and what impact do they have on real people?
★ Why do people like to watch entertainment violence, and what impact does it
have on our beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and values?
★ How have media influenced our understanding of the role of sports in society?
121
5
Unit 5:
Entertainment Warriors
.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
5.1 Rage in a Cage
V5.1
Examine the role of women in the World Wrestling Federation in this critical
reading activity and, in doing so, examine how the game promotes stereotypes.
5.2 Violence in Sports
V5.2
Interview family members about their perceptions of aggression and violence in
sports.
5.3 Roman Gladiators
Work in a team to discover answers to questions about the Roman gladiatorial
games.
5.4 Roman Games Scavenger Hunt
Competitive teams of students find the answers to different questions about the
Roman gladiatorial games.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
21ST Century Sport
Invent a non-violent game or sport for the 21st century and create a media
announcement (print, video, radio, or Internet) to promote it.
Literature Link: Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Writing Link: Is a televised sports event more real or less real
than a game show? Is a news magazine program such as 20/20
more or less real than a network sports program?
122
5
Unit 5:
Entertainment Warriors
CONNECTIONS TO
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
(TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been designed
to align with TEKS. Many of the activities and lessons are modeled upon format used
in the TAKS tests for language arts and social studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
end of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in TEKS.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in each
unit of the program.
Level One: Unit 5
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
Understands and interprets
visual images, messages, and
meanings.
6.22(a), 7.22(a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
8.22(a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual images,
messages, and meanings.
6.23(a), 7.23 (a), 8.23(a),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(d)
(d)
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
6.24(a), 7.24(a),
Produces visual images,
(b), (c)
messages, and meanings that (b), (c)
communicate with others.
8.24(a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
Listens critically to analyze and 6.2 (b), 7.2 (b),
(e)
(e)
evaluate a speaker’s
message(s).
8.2 (b),
(e)
15 (c)
15 (c)
14 (c),
(d)
14 (c),
(d)
Reads extensively for different
purposes in varied sources .
6.8 (b),
(c)
7.8 (b),
(c)
8.8 (b),
(c)
8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b)
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
6.9 (e),
(f)
7.9 (e),
(f)
8.9 (e),
(f)
6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e)
123
Level One: Unit 5
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
Comprehends selections using 6.10 (a),
a variety of strategies.
(e), (f),
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
Analyzes the characteristics
of various texts.
7th
Grade
7.10
(a)(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
6.12 (h) 7.12 (h)
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(f), (g),
(h)
(h)
8 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(h)
12 (b),
(c), (d)
12 (b),
(c)
12 (b),
(c)
13 (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
8.10
7 (a)(e),
(a)(e), (f), (f), (h),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
8.12 (h)
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a) 7.15.(a)
8.15 (a)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c) 7.20 (c)
8.20 (c)
4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
4 (e)
TEKS
Health
Engages in behaviors that
reduce health risks.
6th
7th - 8th High
Grade Grade School
6.5 (h)
Analyzes the relationship
between unsafe behaviors and
personal health.
TEKS
Technology Applications
Acquires electronic information in a
variety of formats.
5 (k)
7 (a), (b),
6th - 8th
Grade
5 (a), (b), (c)
124
Level One: Unit 5
TEKS
Contemp Texas
Social Studies W. Civil. History
Early
World World
U.S.
U.S.
Geo. History History
History
Applies criticalthinking skills to
organize and use
information.
6.21 (b), 7.21 (b), 8.30 (b), 21 (b)
(c), (d), (e) (c), (d),
(c), (d),
(e), (f)
(e), (f)
25 (b),
(f), (g)
Communicates in
written, oral, and
visual forms.
6.22 (b),
(c), (d)
26 ((a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e),
(f), (g)
7.22 (c), 8.31(c),
(d)
(d)
22 (d)
Gladiators/Roman
Empire
2 (a), (b)
125
24 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e),
(f), (g)
25 (c),
(d)
Gov’t
Eco.
21 (a),
(b)
23 (a),
(c), (d)
22 (c),
(d)
24 (c),
(d), (e)
V5.1
Unit 5: Activity 5.1
Rage in a Cage
Teacher
Notes
This critical reading activity introduces students to the role of women athletes in televised
wrestling. Students explore how point of view is developed in writing and discuss male and
female “entertainment warriors” and the public’s interest in violence as a form of entertainment.
GETTING STARTED
You may want to ask students to rate their interest in TV wrestling on a 5-point scale. You might
want to tally the results anonymously and to discuss patterns in the responses.
Ask this question:
What’s your opinion about TV wrestling?
_____
love it
_____
like it
_____
it’s ok
_____
it’s not ok
_____
it’s awful
Play the video segment provided as a pre-reading activity. The video introduces some of the
important questions about professional wrestling and justifies why it needs to be taken seriously.
This activity uses two Activity Sheets to learn about gender stereotyping in professional wrestling.
Students will need copies of both sheets to complete the activity. Depending on your students and
the time available, you may want to use the reading as a read aloud with large group discussion,
or as an in-class reading and writing activity. Or you may want to assign the reading and questions
as a homework activity.
Review the answers with students to check students’ reading comprehension and critical thinking
skills. These questions provide a valuable opportunity for students to share their ideas about
professional wrestling. You may be surprised to find some very thoughtful and articulate ideas in a
discussion about this topic.
126
V5.1
Unit 5: Activity 5.1(A)
Rage in a Cage
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
By Catherine Gourley
Excerpted from Media Wizards
When Joanie was a little girl growing up in
Rochester, New York, her brothers used to
wrestle inside the dog kennel in the backyard.
In these cage matches, the boys imitated the
TV stars of the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF). Joanie loved sports, all kinds of sports.
The only way she could join the boys’ game was
not by practicing her hammerlock but by making
championship belts out of tinfoil for whoever won
the match inside the dog cage.
That was one of Joanie’s lives. Graduating with
honors from high school and studying Spanish
literature at the University of Tampa, Florida,
was her other life. Joanie’s dream was to work
for the Peace Corps or join the Secret Service
as an agent. You might say her dream came
true. Joanie has gone undercover as “Chyna,”
only it’s not the United States government she
is protecting. It’s the WWF’s DeGeneration-X,
a team of professional wrestlers.
When Chyna strides calmly into an arena —
wearing a sleeveless black leather vest, black
boots, and black shades — the fans take notice.
So do the wrestlers in the ring. Chyna
commands respect, in part because her body
is so incredibly powerful, but also in part because
she is so coolly self-controlled. She doesn’t smile.
She rarely speaks. Fans may jeer at her, but
she never cracks. She’s there to do a job:
protect DX superstars Shawn “The Heartbreak
Kid” Michaels, the Road Dog, and X-Pac. No
one wrestles dirty and gets away with it when
Chyna is in the house.
It’s all an act, though. The WWF is a game, not
so different really than a bunch of kids wrestling
in the backyard. Well, maybe a little different.
Now Joanie wrestles instead of fashioning tinfoil
belts for the boys. And she does it in front of
millions of fans and TV viewers. Now it isn’t
stupid. Now it’s very profitable and, she admits,
even thrilling.
What’s real and what’s fake about world
wrestling?
For one thing, the money is real. Fans spend
millions, and not just on tickets for the
explosive live events. Spending doesn’t stop
at ringside, either. The wrestling federation
has licensed a magazine and video games,
not to mention T-shirts, hats, gym bags,
drinking cups, wristwatches, backpacks,
cardboard stand-ups of WWF stars...even
beach blankets!
The wrestling is also real. Those scoop slams
to the mat and double clotheslines over the
ropes are choreographed and practiced as in
any sport, but they are crunchingly right on.
Yet even the wrestlers themselves admit it’s pure
entertainment. “Basically, we are all human
versions of superheroes,” says Mike “The
Hitman” Hart. He compares himself to Batman.
“Only I’m a little better,” he adds.
Within a year of joining the federation, Chyna
had been dubbed “the fourth wonder of the
world” and became a comic book superhero in
her own right — the Amazon, the woman
warrior. Still, in portraying Chyna, Joanie has
also broken a stereotype —the one that says
girls don’t belong in the sport of wrestling.
“Right now, I’m working with the guys on their
level,” she says.
Joanie describes Chyna as if she is someone
other than herself, “There is a mystery to
Chyna.” You never see her jumping up and down
or really smiling. There is so much I can do with
my character. She hasn’t even been unleashed
yet.”
127
V5.1
Unit 5: Activity 5.1(B)
Rage in a Cage
Teacher
Notes
Instructions: After reading the article on the preceding page, answer the questions that follow.
1. Beyond televised performances, what other media does the World Wrestling Federation use
to promote its stars and matches?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Joanie calls Chyna “her character.” The methods of characterization used by fiction writers
include passages of written text describing the character’s physical appearance, behavior or
actions, thoughts, dialogue, and the reaction of others. Which methods of characterization
does Joanie use to create Chyna? Provide examples.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. In creating this article, the author selected quotes by Joanie and Mike “The Hitman” Hart.
a. What does Hart want you to believe about professional wrestlers?
____________________________________________________________________________________
b. What does Joanie want you to believe about Chyna?
____________________________________________________________________________________
c. What does the author of this article want you to believe about the World Wrestling
Federation?
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. The author compares Chyna to an Amazon. Who were the Amazons? Is this or is this not an
appropriate comparison? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. The author explains some of the things about wrestling that are real. What aspects of wrestling
are not real?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
128
V5.2
Unit 5: Activity 5.2
Violence in Sports
Teacher
Notes
This activity explores the increasing prominence of violence in sports. In this activity, students
learn about some reasons why sports are becoming more violent and interview family members
about their perceptions of violence in sports.
BACKGROUND
People have complex and contradictory beliefs and attitudes about violence in sports. This learning
experience provides an opportunity for students to clarify their own beliefs by sharing ideas with
others. In addition, family communication is strengthened as students interview their family members
about their attitudes about this often controversial and important topic.
GETTING STARTED
You might write the names of these athletes on chart paper or the blackboard and ask students
what they know regarding these individuals:
★ Mark Cuban
★ Latrell Sprewell
★ Tony Gwynn
★ Nate Newton
★ Bobby Knight
★ Mark McGuire
★ Gary Williams
★ Marty McSorley
What do students already know about these individuals?
Where did they learn this information?
WATCHING THE VIDEO
In preparing students to watch the video, ask them to pay attention and write down one idea that
they disagree with as they watch and listen. Play the video clip for students. Share ideas that
students identified and ask why they disagreed.
Play the videotape again as you ask students to identify one idea or statement that they agree
with as they watch a second time.
129
DISCUSSION
★ What made it easy to find an idea to agree or disagree with? What was hard about doing this?
★ What specific topics generate the most agreement among class members? Which ideas are
most controversial and why?
PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
Give every student a copy of the Activity Sheet 5.2. Introduce the activity by reading the instructions
aloud and reminding students that people have different attitudes and beliefs about these statements
— no two people are likely to have exactly the same attitudes about this complex topic. Ask
students to first mark their own responses to the statements.
For homework, students take home the questionnaire and ask two family members to respond to
the statements. You may want students to create a form using Excel or other database software
to display the results.
Point out the Challenge activity and ask students to ask for more information and opinions from
family members. They can do this by asking, “Why do you think that?” or “Can you explain why you
feel that way?” in response to each statement. This will help to clarify the opinions of the family
members and will serve as an opportunity for family communication.
SHARING THE INTERVIEW RESULTS
You may want to have teams of students chart or graph the results of the interview by tallying the
responses using database software or by placing the data on a large chart on the blackboard. This
will create an informal opportunity to share results in a collaborative learning activity. What
patterns emerge from this exercise?
130
V5.2
Unit 5: Activity 5.2
Violence in Sports
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
AN INTERVIEW ACTIVITY
Instructions: Read through the statements below and indicate whether you agree or disagree
with the statement. Then take the statements home and interview two family members. Read
each statement aloud and ask them to agree or disagree. Use a different colored pen or pencil for
each family member so you can see the similarities and differences between the responses.
AGREE
DISAGREE
1.
Serious sport is war minus the shooting.
___________
____________
2.
There is a definite link between violence on
the playing fields and violence in society.
___________
____________
3.
Sports officials know that fans enjoy the
punching and slashing and don’t stop the
violence because they know it attracts viewers.
___________
____________
4.
The people who coach kids’ local sports are
influenced by the extreme coaching behavior
they see in professional and college sports.
___________
____________
5.
Athletes get appropriate punishment
when they violate the rules of the game.
___________
____________
6.
When it comes to violence off the field,
professional athletes often act as though
they are above the law.
___________
____________
7.
TV announcers deliberately make sports
violence seem even more exciting by the
way they talk about it.
___________
____________
8.
People like to think of rival teams as their
personal enemies.
___________
____________
9.
Sporting events communicate the message
of “win at all costs” and “don’t be a loser”
which are valuable life lessons to learn.
___________
____________
Sporting events today are probably less
violent and dangerous than they were in
the past.
___________
____________
10.
Challenge: Pick two statements and ask one family member to talk more about them. On the
back of this page, write down two sentences that represent the opinion.
131
V5.2
Unit 5: Activity 5.3
Roman Gladiators
Teacher
Notes
Students learn about the gladiatorial games of ancient Rome, exploring critical thinking questions
about the games’ purpose and audience.
GETTING STARTED
The activity consists of four short reading passages and some critical thinking questions for
discussion. Before reading, you might want to see what students already know about the gladiatorial
games and invite them to reflect on the similarities and differences between the ancient games
and contemporary forms of entertainment violence. What information sources did students use
to learn about the ancient games?
You might share with them this interesting bit of information: Emperor Trajan once staged games
for 123 consecutive days during which time 5,000 combatants and 11,000 animals were killed.
This activity is ideal for student silent reading followed by large group discussion. Pass out copies
of Activity Sheet 5.3(A). After reading, ask the questions on Activity Sheet 5.3(B). Be sure to ask
students for reasons and evidence to support their choice of answers. Encourage them to identify
specific passages in the text to justify their answers.
132
Unit 5: Activity 5.3(A)
Roman Gladiators
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: The gladiatorial combats of ancient Rome were media events. Read all the passages
and answer the questions that follow.
Passage A: In Rome in 264 B.C, the sons of Junius Brutus honored the death of their father with
a gladiatorial combat. The fighting continued for nine days, the period of mourning. This may have
been the first “game” ever, blood of the living shed for blood of the dead.
(hermes.richmond.edu/students/mbabb/bladiat.html)
Passage B: If transported back to Rome, modern-day Americans would find much of Roman
entertainment extremely violent; especially the thousands of gladiator contests and animal fights
sponsored by Trajan to celebrate his military victories. . .Emperor Trajan once staged gladiatorial
games for 123 consecutive days where some 5,000 combatants and 11,000 animals were killed.
Some upper-class Romans were appalled at the brutality of the games but justified them as a means
of directing popular anger away from the elite. A much larger group defended the gladiatorial games as
useful lessons in bravery and courage in the face of death. . .Vast sums of money were needed. . .Only
the emperor could afford to pay the cost of training gladiators and transporting animals from countries
as far away as India and Africa. Hence the games were a means of displaying the wealth and power of
the emperor and through him the power of the Roman people themselves.
(www.artsednet.getty.edu)
Passage C: Some advertisements were worded in very general terms, announcing merely the
name of the giver of the games with the date. Sometimes when the troop was particularly good
the names of the gladiators were announced as they would be matched together. Example: The
Thracian Pugnax, of the gladiatorial school of Nero, who has fought three times, will be matched
against the Murranus, of the same school and the same number of fights.
(Harold Whetstone Johnston, The Private Lives of the Romans)
Passage D: From our point of view a gladiatorial combat is perceived as bringing death to one of
the combatants; but it can equally be seen as giving a condemned man an opportunity to regain
his physical and social life. . .The posters advertising games found at Pompeii suggest that those
who had the fighting skills to survive their first four or five matches might well become popular
enough with the public to avoid being killed altogether. . .Furthermore, it was in the interests of the
editors, the professional organizers who trained gladiators, to keep their expensively trained
professionals in service for as long as possible.
(Wedemann, Emperors and Gladiators, posted at www.scalareale.org)
133
Unit 5: Activity 5.3(B)
Roman Gladiators
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
QUESTIONS:
1. Which passage suggests that gladiatorial combat was a way to exalt the emperor’s power?
(circle one)
A
B
C
D
2. Like all media messages, media events are carefully constructed with an audience in mind.
Who was the intended audience for the gladiatorial combats and which passage(s) reveals
how the games were staged?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Which passage suggests the Roman people had different points of view regarding the games?
(circle one)
A
B
C
D
4. Which passage suggests that modern-day people might misinterpret the violence of the games?
(circle one)
A
B
C
D
5. What role did money play in staging gladiatorial games?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
134
Unit 5: Activity 5.4
Roman Games
Scavenger Hunt
Teacher
Notes
This research activity involves teams of students competing for points by finding the answers
to different questions about the Roman games.
BACKGROUND
Competition is an essential element of games and sports. This activity provides a structured
“competition” for students to help them gain research skills, experience academic competition,
and learn about the role of entertainment warriors in ancient Rome.
GETTING STARTED
You might want to assign students to teams of two or three people, and then introduce this
activity as a competition. You may want to offer some small prize as a token award for the team
that wins. You may want to ask students to do this as an in-school library research, or assign this
as homework. Provide a firm deadline for the competition.
Students who have access to the Internet will find great starting points for research in the
sources identified in parentheses after the passages on Activity Sheet 5.3. However, students
without Internet access can still complete the scavenger hunt activity using traditional library
research methods. Numerous books have been written about life in Roman times with chapters
devoted to “amusements” or games.
The Private Lives of the Romans by Harold Whetstone Johnson is a good choice. Also, in the
reference section of the library, students may find a text that provides a fairly detailed synopsis of
movies, including Spartacus.
AWARDING THE PRIZE
The learning experience is enhanced if you ask these questions orally and ask students to provide
answers aloud. When students present their answers to these questions, consider allotting five
or ten points per question and then, based on the amount of and quality of information the team
retrieves, awarding full or partial credit. Watch how competition affects student behavior.
DISCUSSION
Be sure to allow time to reflect on how competition affects human behavior. What feelings and
behaviors did students notice about themselves and others in the process of awarding points and
selecting a winning team?
135
ANSWERS
The Games
1. In what year and upon what occasion did the first gladiatorial combats appear?
Rome in 264 B.C. The sons of Junius Brutus staged the combat to honor their dead father.
2. Where and how were the games advertised?
Printed flyers announced date of games and often times who was fighting whom. In addition,
students may discover that flyers were posted or advertisements were painted directly on
sides of homes. Sometimes flyers also covered tombstones that lined a street into town.
3. How many amphitheaters were constructed throughout the empire for the purpose of staging
gladiatorial games?
Students may not get the exact number (the Getty Arts web site states 273 arenas and
centers throughout the empire), but there were hundreds of amphitheaters in which games
could be played. Some were in major cities like Rome and Pompeii but others were in smaller
centers of population as well.
4. What is the difference between a gladiatorial combat and a hunt?
In combat, two men fight one another. In a hunt, one man fights a wild animal such as a lion or
a bear. Hunts, in fact, symbolized Roman order over chaos. Of course, the human did not
always slay the animal.
5. What is the difference between a gladiatorial combat and a circus?
A circus featured charioteers, not gladiators. The chariot races could be just as brutal and
violent, however.
The Warriors
1. What classes of “slave” were trained to become gladiators?
Emphasize that all gladiators were slaves. Generally, they were convicted criminals or slaves
who had proven so intractable that fighting in the arena was their last option for life. Keep in
mind that a master could punish quite severely and even sentence to death an incorrigible
slave. Students who suggest that gladiators were enemy soldiers taken prisoner after battles
would also be correct, as the first gladiators were in fact already trained in combat. But in
time, schools developed to train slaves to become warriors.
2. Where did gladiators live?
In the barracks-like buildings of the school. They were not free to come and go from this
barracks. They were, in effect, prisoners. Remind students that gladiators were slaves and
therefore considered “property.” Depending on a man’s skill, he could be worth quite a bit of
money.
3. What does “mitte, mitte!” mean?
The Richmond University web site provides such an example. The cry “mitte” (loosely translated)
is “send him back,” meaning they allowed him to live to fight again another time.
4. Who was Cicero?
Marcus Tillius was a Roman writer and statesman, often called “Rome’s greatest orator.”
136
5. What point is Cicero making in this quote?
Cicero was entertained by the wild animal hunts and therefore he enjoyed the violence of the
game. However, his phrase “a person of taste” suggests that some citizens (himself included)
were above the vulgarity and brutality of the sport. It seems to him a senseless, though
exciting, amusement.
Weapons and Armor
1. What class of gladiators wore metal cylinders on their legs and a leather sleeve on the left arm?
Thracians dressed in this manner. They were considered “lightly armored” as opposed to the
Samnites who were considered more “heavily armed.” In the movie Spartacus, the character
of Kirk Douglas is a Thracian and he fights his friend, a Samnite, who uses the weapons
described in question 2, the trident and the heavy net.
2. What were the Latin names for the three-pronged spear and the heavy net?
The three-pronged spear is a trident. Students who provide the Latin name, fuscina, should
earn more points. The heavy net was a retiarii.
3. Find an image that shows a gladiator’s helmet, weaponry, and a battle between gladiators.
Numerous sources provide images that depict the three items listed here.
Who was Spartacus?
1. At what school did Spartacus train?
He is a real historical figure, a slave who became a gladiator. He led a bloody slave rebellion
after managing to escape the training school in Capua (south of Rome) where he was imprisoned.
2. In what year did Spartacus lead a slave revolt?
73 B.C. For two years, he and his army of rebellious slaves fought and defeated Roman
legions.
3. Where did Spartacus and his slave-army take refuge?
Mount Vesuvius.
4. How does Spartacus die in the movie and is this historically accurate?
He is captured in battle and is crucified alive, a punishment common — though a grisly and
painfully slow death — in ancient Rome. However, historians say that he died in battle. In the
movie, a final scene shows actor Kirk Douglas on the cross. His wife, a slave also, traveling
along the roadway, sees him and shows him his son, who has been freed. Thus, Spartacus in
the movie dies knowing that his life and his rebellion has not been completely in vain. At least
his son will not be a slave.
5. What was the fate of the slaves in Spartacus’s army? Is the movie representation historically
accurate?
They were crucified on crosses that lined the Appian Way for miles and miles. Their slow
deaths were to be a lesson to other slaves as to their fate if they rebelled. The movie depicts
this gruesome fact of history accurately.
137
Unit 5: Activity 5.4
Roman Games
Scavenger Hunt
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: You will be assigned one of the four topics below. Use the library and the Internet
to answer the questions. Consider using these web sites in gathering your information.
★
http://www.artsednet.getty.edu
★ http://www.scalareale.org
THE GAMES = 25 POINTS
THE WARRIORS = 25 POINTS
1. In what year and upon what occasion did the
first gladiatorial combats appear in Rome?
1. What classes of “slave” were generally
trained to become gladiators?
2. Where and how were the games
advertised?
2. Where did the gladiators live?
3. A gladiator has just been defeated by
another. But he has fought courageously.
The crowd decides the warrior’s fate by
crying “mitte! mitte!” What was his fate?
3. Where and how many amphitheaters were
constructed throughout the empire for the
purpose of staging gladiatorial games?
4. Cicero wrote: “The wild animal hunts, two
every day for five days, are magnificent — I
wouldn’t deny it. But what pleasure can it
give a person of taste when either a feeble
human being is torn to pieces by an
incredibly strong wild animal or a handsome
beast is transfixed by a spear?”
4. What is the difference between a gladiatorial
combat and a hunt?
5. What is the difference between a gladiatorial
combat and a circus?
a. Who was Cicero?
b. Explain in your own words the point
Cicero is making in this quote.
WHO WAS SPARTACUS? = 25 POINTS
WEAPONS AND ARMOR = 25 POINTS
1. What class of gladiators wore metal
cylinders on both legs and a leather sleeve
on the left arm for protection?
1. At what school did Spartacus train?
2. What were the Latin names for the threepronged spear and the heavy net used as
weapons by some gladiators?
3. According to historical records, where did
Spartacus and his slave army take refuge?
2. In what year did Spartacus lead a slave
revolt?
4. In the 1960 movie Spartacus, how does
Spartacus die and is this or is this not what
historians believe to be true?
3. Some of the artwork that has survived from
ancient Rome depicts the games and
provides clues for historians as to what life
might have been like as a gladiator in the
arena. Find an image that shows:
5. According to the movie also, what was the
fate of the 6,000 rebellious slaves captured
after the Roman legions defeated
Spartacus’s army? Does this agree or
disagree with historical records?
a. a gladiator’s helmet
b. a gladiator’s weaponry
c. a battle between gladiators
138
Teacher
Notes
Unit 5:
Invent a 21st Century
Sporting Event
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Teams of students create a media announcement
(print, video, or web) for a non-violent sporting event
or interactive game that could be popular fifty years
from now.
Violence sells. Can you sell something that’s nonviolent? This activity involves a team of students
in designing a persuasive message to promote a non-violent sport or game for people in the
year 2050 to play.
Review the Checklist
Pass out the production activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles in the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process.
DEFINING NON-VIOLENCE
You may find that students are challenged by the emphasis on creating non-violent games or
sports. Discuss with students the importance of developing creative ways to make a game exciting,
fun, and enjoyable to watch without using violence. What are the most exciting non-violent sports
of the present time?
EVALUATION
Use the Evaluation Rubric provided to give students feedback about their projects. You might also
want students to evaluate each other’s work using this evaluation sheet.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work. See page 171 in Resource
pages for tips on creating presentation graphics using computer software tools.
139
Unit 5:
Invent a 21st
Century
Sporting Event
Assignment
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Teams of students create a media announcement (print, web, video) for a nonviolent sporting event or game that could be popular 50 years from now.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THIS ACTIVITY
Invent a non-violent sporting event or game.
0 Brainstorm a sporting event or an interactive game to develop for the year 2050.
0 Decide whether you will create an evolution of an existing sport or game or whether you will
create an entirely new sport or game.
0 Develop the game so that it is non-violent but still exciting to play and watch.
Write a description of your sporting event or game.
0 Think through and plan the basic rules and format for the sporting event or game.
0 Describe your sport or game in a single paragraph, including the main components of play.
Select a media format and design a persuasive message to promote the game.
0 Decide on your target audience — who do you want to inform about your new sport or game?
0 Decide on what kind of format to use — a poster, a TV ad, a radio announcement, a game?
0 Create a slogan of no more than seven words to get people’s attention.
0 Create the images, artwork, photos, or other visuals for the message.
0 Complete or assemble the creative message.
140
Unit 5:
Invent a 21st
Century
Sporting Event
Evaluation
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Student Team: ____________________________________________________________________________
THE GAME OR SPORT CREATED IS ENTERTAINING, PLAYABLE, AND NON-VIOLENT
4
The game or sport created is entertaining, playable, and non-violent.
3
The game or sport created would be fun to play or watch, would be a plausible
game for the future, and is non-violent.
2
The game or sport created doesn’t seem like it would be fun to play or watch or is
violent.
1
The game or sport’s description is so unclear that it’s hard to tell if it would be an
interesting sport or game of the future.
THE MEDIA MESSAGE DESIGNED IS PERSUASIVE AND ATTRACTIVE
4
The media message uses images and words to communicate a persuasive message
introducing the new game or sport. A slogan has been created that is attentiongetting.
3
The media message is attractive and eye-catching.
2
The media message doesn’t use language effectively to communicate a persuasive
message introducing the new game or sport. The slogan is too long or not attentiongetting. The media message is not especially attractive and eye-catching.
1
The media message isn’t persuasive because of its poor use of images and language.
The slogan is missing or inappropriate and the message is not eye-catching or
attractive.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Grade: _________
141
142
6
Unit 6:
Media Mania!
UNIT OVERVIEW
Many children never reflect upon the
role of media in their daily lives. In
this unit students analyze the amount
of time they spend using media. Students
create data charts that display different facts about
media use, and create their own survey questionnaire
to gain information about the media use habits, attitudes,
and behaviors of other young people.
Students view a montage of video clips depicting media addiction.
Students measure their own media use habits, explore the concept
of “addiction,” and create journal entries.
Many of the activities in this unit provide opportunities for exploring character
education concepts, including trustworthiness, responsibility, helpfulness,
dependability, and self-direction.
THE “ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS” OF THIS UNIT:
★ How much time do people spend using mass media and what are people’s
different attitudes about it?
★ How can media use affect the quality of our relationships with family members
and friends?
★ What are the positive and negative consequences of different types of media
use?
★ Can media use be addictive? Why or why not?
143
6
Unit 6:
Media Mania!
Reflect on your own media use habits, including the role of video games and
other media in your life and learn more about how surveys and questionnaires
measure people’s attitudes and behavior.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
6.1 Media Mania
V6.1
Discuss the role of media in everyday life.
6.2 Measuring Attitudes and Behaviors
Examine how survey questions are constructed.
6.3 Media Use in My Home
Gather data about media use habits in the family.
6.4 Media Math
Create and analyze charts of media use habits and make interpretations of
data.
6.5 Kids & Media @ the New Millennium
V6.5
Critical reading on research on young people’s media use habits.
6.6 What is Addiction?
Critical reading skills around definitions of addiction in comparing health
behaviors and media use.
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY
Create a Media Use Survey
Create your own questions about the role of media and technology in our lives,
collect data, and analyze the results.
Literature Link: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
Burnett; The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford; Star Wars by
George Lucas
Writing Link: What is your opinion of today’s media and its impact
on your life?
144
6
Unit 6:
Media Mania!
CONNECTIONS TO
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
(TEKS)
The Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas curriculum has been
designed to align with TEKS. Many of the activities and lessons are modeled upon
the structure and format used in the TAKS tests for language arts and social
studies.
For each unit, the standards are listed for each subject area. The numbers at the
tend of each line refer to specific instructional goals identified in the TEKS.
Use the chart below to identify the specific instructional objectives developed in
each unit of the program.
Level One: Unit 6
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
Understands and interprets
visual images, messages, and
meanings.
6.22(a), 7.22(a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
8.22(a), 19 (a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19 (a),
(b), (c)
19(a),
(b), (c)
Analyzes and critiques the
significance of visual images,
messages, and meanings.
6.23(a), 7.23 (a), 8.23(a), 20 (a),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(b), (c),
(d)
(d)
(d)
(d)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
20 (a),
(b), (c),
(d), (e)
6.24(a), 7.24(a),
Produces visual images,
(b), (c)
messages, and meanings that (b), (c)
communicate with others.
8.24(a), 21 (a),
(b), (c)
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
21 (a),
(b), (c)
Listens critically to analyze and 6.2 (b), 7.2 (b),
(e)
(e)
evaluate a speaker’s
message(s).
8.2 (b),
(e)
15 (c)
15 (c)
14 (c),
(d)
15 (c),
(d)
Reads extensively for different
purposes in varied sources.
6.8 (b),
(c)
7.8 (b),
(c)
8.8 (b),
(c)
8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 8 (a), (b) 9 (a), (b)
Acquires an extensive
vocabulary.
6.9 (e),
(f)
7.9 (e),
(f)
8.9 (e),
(f)
6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 6 (a), (e) 7 (a), (e)
145
Level One: Unit 6
TEKS
English Language Arts
6th
Grade
Comprehends selections using 6.10 (a),
(e), (f),
a variety of strategies.
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
7th
Grade
7.10
(a)(e), (f),
(h), (i), (j),
(k)
Analyzes the characteristics of 6.12 (h) 7.12 (h)
various texts.
8th
Grade
9th
Grade
8.10
7 (a)(e),
(a)(e), (f), (f), (h),
(h), (i),
(j), (k)
10th
Grade
11th
12th
Grade Grade
7 (a) (e), 7 (a) (e), 8 (a) (e),
(f), (g),
(f), (g),
(f), (g),
(h)
(h)
(h)
8.12 (h)
12 (b),
(c), (d)
Reads critically to evaluate
texts.
12 (b),
(c)
12 (b),
(c)
13 (b),
(c), (d),
(e)
1 (a)
1 (a)
1 (b)
Writes for a variety of
audiences and purposes.
6.15 (a) 7.15.(a)
8.15 (a) 1 (a)
Uses writing as a tool for
learning and research.
6.20 (c), 7.20(c),
(d)
(d)
8.20 (c), 4 (d), (e) 4 (d), (e) 4 (d), (e) 4 (e)
(d)
TEKS
Health
Engages in behaviors that
reduce health risks.
6th 7th - 8th High
Grade Grade School
6.5 (c),
(d), (e)
5 (h), (j)
7 (a), (b),
(c)
Analyzes the relationship
between unsafe behaviors and
personal health.
TEKS
Mathematics
Uses statistical representations to
analyze data.
6th
Grade
6.10 (a),
(c), (d)
7th
Grade
8th
Grade
Mathematics
Models
7.11 (a), (b) 8.12 (b), (c) 2 (a), (c)
146
V6.1
Unit 6: Activity 6.1
Media Mania
Teacher
Notes
Analyze a video clip on media addiction and write about your memories of media in childhood.
GETTING STARTED
Screen the video segment, which asks some important questions about people’s addiction to
media. Children and young people often have a very different conceptualization of the positive and
negative aspects of media use. It is important to give students plenty of time to move towards
more complex and nuanced reflections, guided by thoughtful, Socratic questioning.
WHAT’S FAMILIAR?
Discuss: Which of the behaviors and attitudes depicted on this video are similar to experiences
you have had? Invite students to tell stories about their own media habits and uses in their
childhood.
★ Did you have a TV in your bedroom?
★ Did you have any rules about what you could or couldn’t watch?
★ Did you act out scenes that you had seen on television?
★ Did you have a collection of videos at age five, ten, now?
Use Activity 6.1 as a writing activity.
Encourage student to use vivid, descriptive writing that capture memories of watching TV, renting
movies, going to the movies, playing videogames, and family use of newspaper, and books, and
print media. You may find that these questions generate some meaningful rich writing from your
students!
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?
Break students into teams of three to create a chart identifying both the positive and negative
potential consequences of heavy media use during early childhood.
The chart should answer the question:
★ What are the positive and negative consequences of heavy media use in childhood?
Students often have very different attitudes about media use than adults and this activity invites
students to create and develop their own ideas about how media use affects people’s attitudes,
behaviors and development.
147
V6.1
Unit 6: Activity 6.1
Media Mania
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Memory Lane: Writing About Media in Your Early Childhood
Imagine that you were keeping a journal as a very young child about your media use habits and
routines. What do you remember about media use in your family when you were in elementary
school? Use the questions below to spark your memory.
1.
What were your favorite videogames, videotapes, and television programs?
2.
In what rooms did you watch TV? Who watched with you?
3.
What did you do while watching?
4.
What feelings do you remember about the
experience of watching certain programs or
using videogames as a young child?
5.
What were your favorite books when you were
little? Who read to you?
6.
What kind of recorded music did you listen to as a
small child?
7.
What is the first movie you remember seeing at a movie
theatre? What do you remember about it?
8.
Did you ever see a really scary image when you were little? What was it? How did you
react?
9.
Who reads magazines in your family? What kinds of magazines do you remember in the
house?
10. What do you remember about picking out videotape rentals when you were young?
11. When did you first use the Internet? Who did you send your first e-mail to?
12. Did you ever see something inappropriate on the Internet when you were younger? How did
you react?
148
Unit 6: Activity 6.2
Media Use in
My Home
Teacher
Notes
Students complete a media use questionnaire and analyze data about themselves, using charts
and graphs to organize the data. They analyze and reflect upon the meanings of the research
findings.
BACKGROUND
Students enjoy filling out surveys and questionnaires and comparing their responses to those of
other students. This activity provides an opportunity to become more aware of media use and to
reflect on the prominence of media use as a leisure activity.
GETTING STARTED
Pass out Activity Sheet 6.2 and ask students to complete the survey. Ask students to tally the
results in small groups, having each group count a subset of the data and using chart paper or the
blackboard to represent the results.
INTERPRETING THE RESULTS
As students to break down the differences by gender, to report the results for the girls and
boys in the class separately. See resource page 170 for information on creating a database
using Excel.
After the data has been tallied, you might want students to generate different statements in
interpretation about the results.
It’s important to point out that families have very different patterns in their use of media, which is
one important explanation for differences found in questions 3 and 4.
UNDERSTANDING STATISTICS
It would be useful to introduce the grouping concepts of sample and population to students. A
sample is a selected group of people who participate in some kind of research or data collection.
A population is the larger group of people with similar characteristics to the sample. For example,
if the students in your class are the sample, the population would be all students in the age group
in your region, or even in the nation.
149
Unit 6: Activity 6.2
Media Use in
My Home
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Answer the questions on this page, then summarize the data and analyze the
patterns you find within your class.
1. How many of the following items are there in your home?
TV
VCR
CD player
Video game player
DVD player
Computer
Computer with Internet connection
0
1
2
3
4+
2. Which of these items are located in your bedroom?
IN MY BEDROOM
NOT IN MY BEDROOM
TV
VCR
CD player
Video game player
DVD player
Computer
Computer with Internet connection
3. How often is a TV usually on in your home (even if no one is watching)?
Check one
Most of the time
Some of the time
A little bit of the time
Hardly ever
Never
4. In your home, is the TV usually on during meals, or not?
Check one
Yes, the TV is usually on during meals
No, the TV is not on during meals
150
Unit 6: Activity 6.3
Measuring Attitudes
And Behaviors
Teacher
Notes
Students learn how surveys measure attitudes and behaviors. Students analyze a questionnaire
and identify the differences between attitudes and behaviors.
BACKGROUND
This activity provides additional data to examine students’ attitudes about the media and helps
students explore how the design and format of a survey or questionnaire can affect the kind of
information obtained.
GETTING STARTED
Pass out Activity Sheet 6.3 and review the instructions. Ask students to answer all the questions
on the survey first, and then go back and decide whether the question is measuring a student’s
attitude or a behavior.
You might want to review the difference between attitudes and behaviors:
★ Attitudes are a person’s beliefs and feelings.
★ Behaviors are what a person actually does.
Students might want to tally the results of this survey and discuss them.
ANSWERS
1. When doing my homework, I like to listen to music. (A)
2. The only thing that matters to TV producers is money. (A)
3, Does your household receive a daily newspaper? (B)
4. How often do you read magazines? (B)
5. How often do you watch science fiction? (B)
6. TV watching lets you get a break from the pressures in your life? (A)
7. Most celebrities really deserve their fame. (A)
8. If you were on a desert island, which form of media would you take with you? (A)
151
Unit 6: Activity 6.3
Measuring Attitudes
And Behaviors
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Surveys and polls can measure people’s attitudes and opinions — things they think or believe.
Survey questions also try to measure people’s behaviors. But actually, surveys measure only
how people say they behave — not what they actually do. Surveys measure behavior indirectly.
Instructions: First, answer the survey questions below. Then, next to each question, mark whether
this question is measuring an attitude (A) or a behavior (B) and put the letter on the line next to
each item.
___________
1. When doing my homework, I like to listen to music.
Strongly
5
4
3
2
1
Strongly
Agree
Disagree
___________
2. The only thing that matters to TV producers is money.
Strongly
5
4
3
2
1
Strongly
Agree
Disagree
___________
3. Does your household receive a daily newspaper?
(Circle one)
Yes
No
___________
4. How often do you read magazines?
________
Every day
________
Several times a week
________
Once or twice a week
________
Two or three times a week
________
Once a month
________
Less than once a month
________
Hardly ever
___________
5. How often do you watch science-fiction shows, such as The Enterprise
or Farscape?
Frequently
5
4
3
2
1
Never
___________
6. TV watching lets you get a break from the pressures in your life.
Strongly
5
4
3
2
1
Strongly
Agree
Disagree
___________
7. Most celebrities really deserve their fame.
Strongly
5
4
3
2
1
Agree
___________
Strongly
Disagree
8. If you were stranded on a desert island and could take only one form of media
with you, which one would it be?
_______________________________________________________________________
(write answer here)
152
Unit 6: Activity 6.4
Media Math
Teacher
Notes
Students make interpretations and inferences from numerical data by examining data on the
amount of time children of different ages spend using different types of mass media.
BACKGROUND
By looking at data about children’s media use outside of school, students get a chance to reflect
on the amount of time that people of different ages spend using media.
GETTING STARTED
This is an excellent activity for small group work. Pass out Activity Sheet 6.4. Assign students to
work in teams of four, and ask them to look carefully at the data and discuss the meaning of these
numbers.
HOW THE DATA WAS COLLECTED
You might tell them that the numbers come from a 1999 survey of children by the Kaiser Family
Foundation, “Kids and Media @ the New Millennium.” Over 3,000 students estimated how much
time they spent using media by filling out a diary. They were asked to write down how much time
they spent with different types of media each day for seven days. For the 5 to 7 year olds, their
parents filled out the survey form.
Note that the numbers are represented in hours and minutes.
You might help students to understand what is a valid interpretation by providing them with one or
two examples:
★ As children get older, they spend more and more time using CDs and tapes.
★ Children who are 8 to 13 years old view more movies on average than teenagers ages 14 to 18.
Students will gain some insight on the role of media in daily life by making the pie chart
showing how much time teenagers use media, sleep, and go to school. For help in using
Excel to formulate pie graphs see page 170 in the resource section.
153
Unit 6: Activity 6.4
Media Math
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Using the chart below, analyze the patterns you see and write four statements or
interpretations that explain the meaning of the numbers. The numbers are written as hours and
minutes. For example, 4:10 = four hours and ten minutes per day.
AVERAGE TIME EACH DAY CHILDREN
USE MEDIA OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
Medium
5-7 years
Television
2:00
3:37
2:43
Videotapes
:21
:29
:29
Movies
:02
:26
:11
Video Games
:13
:32
:20
Books/Magazines
:40
:50
:37
Radio
:23
:35
1:05
CDs and Tapes
:19
:47
1:29
Computer
:08
:32
:30
4:06
7:47
7:24
Total Time
8-13 years
14-18 years
Statement 1:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement 2:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement 3:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement 4:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Create a pie chart
Most teens ages 14 to 18 sleep for about eight hours per day. They go to school for about six
hours per day. On the back of this page, make a pie chart showing how sleep, school, and media
use fit into a teen’s twenty-four hour day. Label your chart clearly.
154
V6.15
Unit 6: Activity 6.5
Kids & Media @
The New Millennium
Teacher
Notes
Students critically read a press release about the Kaiser Foundation’s report on children’s
media usage. This reading gives students the chance to compare and contrast their mediause habits to a nationwide sample of children in their age group.
GETTING STARTED
Show the video segment for this activity, which provides a brief introduction to the major findings
of the Kaiser Foundation’s study. After viewing, ask students which were the most surprising
findings. Write these on the blackboard.
Pass out copies of Activity Sheet 6.5. Explain that students are seeing a press release — a form
of writing designed to provide journalist with information to encourage them to cover the story. A
press release is created by an organization or individual seeking press coverage. It is written in a
news format, and includes contact information so journalists can contact an individual to ask
questions.
In looking at the reading, remind students that a press release cannot include all the information
presented in a detailed survey report. In constructing a press release based on a report, therefore,
the author must select details that he or she thinks will spark the greatest interest in the audience.
Remind students that press releases have one goal: to persuade the media — television, radio,
print, Internet — that the information in the release is “newsy” enough to warrant coverage.
This activity is ideal for students to read silently, following up with reading the questions aloud and
using the questions in the margins for large group discussions.
EXTENSION
You might want students to write a press release about the findings of the survey they conducted
in Activity 6.3. Or you could encourage students to write a press release about a school or
community event in order to attract press attention. It’s always a terrific opportunity when students
get a chance to participate in an event and then see the coverage of the event in a local newspaper
or on TV. Journalists are often receptive to press releases about issues or events that are
important to young people. Emphasize to students that they have the power to change things by
using the media’s loud megaphone to make a difference in their community.
155
V6.5
Unit 6: Activity 6.5
Kids & Media @
The New Millennium
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Directions: Most people do not read surveys. Instead, they read articles written about survey
findings. The press release below was written by the Kaiser Family Foundation about a survey they
conducted. In other words, KFF conducted the survey and is now reporting the findings in a press
release that they hope other media will pick up and run as news articles. Read the press release,
then answer the questions in the margins.
HEADLINE
How does wording
suggest the
importance of the
study in order to
hook audience
interest in the story?
NEW STUDY FINDS KIDS SPEND
EQUIVALENT OF FULL WORK WEEK USING
MEDIA
Many kids have multi-media bedrooms,
TV on during dinner, and no rules
Time spent with computers lags
far behind TV and music
WORD CHOICE
What is meant by
typical child?
LEAD
Which of the five Ws
(Who? What?
Where, When?
Why?) are stated?
New York, NY — The typical American child
spends an average of more than 38 hours a weeknearly five and half hours a day — consuming
media outside of school, according to a major
national study released today by the Kaiser Family
Foundation. That amount is even higher — nearly
six and three-quarter hours — for kids eight and
older. The study — Kids & Media @ The New
Millennium — examined 3,000 children ages
2-18, including more than 600 who completed
detailed media use diaries. The study included
children’s use of television, computers, video
games, movies, music and print media. The
study found that many parents are not exercising
much control over their children’s media use:
among kids eight and older, two-thirds (65%)
have a TV in their bedroom and say the TV is
usually on during meals in their home, and nearly
that many (61%) say their parents have set no
rules about TV watching. Parents watch TV with
their kids in this age range just 5% of the time.
156
SUBHEADS
What information
from the study is
summarized here?
What is the overall
tone of the message
as stated in the
subheads?
STATISTICS
What is the intended
effect of the use of
percentages?
V6.5
Unit 6: Activity 6.5
Kids & Media @
The New Millennium
ARTICLE DIVISION.
Set in bold and
highlights specific
sections. How does
this increase
readability?
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Computers. Nearly seven in ten kids
have a computer at home and nearly half have
Internet access from home. Despite this
widespread access to computers, kids still spend
a comparatively small amount of time with
computers, averaging less than half an hour a
day using a computer for fun, compared to two
and three quarters hours a day watching TV.
Contrary to popular perception, the study
did not find evidence of large numbers of children
spending hours a day playing computer games
or surfing the Internet.
Heavy media users. The study identified
a subset of children in the 8-18 year-old range
who are classified as “heavy” media users, those
who spend more than ten and a half hours a
day using media. About one in six kids falls into
the category.
SUBTEXT.
What is the author
suggesting about
heavy users vs.
those who are not
heavy users?
FINDING.
Is this positive or
negative information?
Why didn’t the
author use this
information in the
head or subhead?
WORD CHOICE.
What is meant by
heavy?
Most kids in this age group report that
they have lots of friends, are happy at school,
get along well with their parents, don’t get into
trouble a lot and are not often bored, sad or
unhappy. However, those children identified by
the study as “heavy” media users score lower
on the index than those children who use less
media.
Kaiser Family Foundation. Based in
Menlo Park, California, the Kaiser Family
Foundation is an independent national health
care philanthropy. The study is a project of the
Foundation. KFF is committed to work with the
entertainment industry on important public
health issues.
157
FINAL PARAGRAPH
Provides additional
information about
the group who
conducted the
survey. How does
this also help to
promote the
foundation?
Unit 6: Activity 6.6
What is Addiction?
Teacher
Notes
This is a critical reading activity that provides students with information about the general
concept of addiction. Students explore whether or not people could become addicted to different
kinds of media according to the definition of the word.
GETTING STARTED
You might ask students to define the word “addiction” to tap into students’ existing levels of
understanding about the concept. Ask: what are the signs that someone is addicted to something?
Pass out Activity Sheet 6.6. Feel free to use this activity as a read-aloud, as small group discussion
opportunity, as an in-class reading and writing, or as a homework activity.
You will want to be sensitive to the fact that students may have direct experience with family
members who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. Because of this, it is important to
provide a supportive atmosphere to discuss the real problems that people face when they are
addicted. It’s important to emphasize that there are treatment options for people who have
addictions. The first step is to acknowledge that a problem exists.
158
Unit 6: Activity 6.6
What is Addiction?
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
By Pam Steager
The word “addicted” is used a lot these days.
Once used only to describe the final stage on
the journey from early drug use to drug
dependence, it is now applied to a much wider
range of compulsive or habit-forming behaviors.
In the second half of the 20th century there
was an increased recognition of the high
personal, family, and social cost of tobacco,
alcohol and other drug addiction. That led to
an increase in treatment and recover y
programs for the drug dependent and their
families. The success of these programs led
to similar programs to deal with other
compulsive behaviors such as overeating and
gambling. Where once there was only
Alcoholics Anonymous — the free recovery
group founded in 1945 to help people with a
dependence on alcohol — you can now find
ten to twenty dif ferent recover y group
meetings listed in most newspapers.
Despite many efforts to reduce it, tobacco
addiction is responsible for over 400,000
deaths each year in the United States alone.
Alcohol-related deaths are responsible for
another 100,000 — that’s more than the total
deaths from all other drugs combined.
Researchers now know that with physiological
addictions like those to tobacco and alcohol,
the addiction process occurs more rapidly
when you start using a harmful substance
before your body is fully developed. Physical
maturity happens for most girls between the
ages of 17 and 19, and for most boys between
19 and 21.
Most definitions of addiction include three
common aspects: a craving for the substance
or behavior, which means difficulty in leaving
it alone or not using it; diminished pleasure
with frequent use or the need for increased
doses over time, known as tolerance; and
withdrawal — the difficulty or symptoms that
occur upon stopping use.
Using these three aspects of addiction, it is
easy to see how the term can be applied to
many behaviors beyond the use of harmful
drugs. Most addiction specialists agree that
any kind of addictive behavior becomes a
problem when it takes up vast amounts of time,
money, and energy, creates uncomfortable
feelings, and begins to control one’s life.
159
Unit 6: Activity 6.6
What is Addiction?
Name: ____________________________________
Class: _____________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Instructions: Use the reading on the preceding page to answer the following questions.
1. Why did the definition of addiction expand beyond drug dependence? ______________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. How many American deaths each year are tobacco related? ______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. When does physical maturity occur for most boys? ______________________________________
4. What are the three aspects of addiction?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you think people can become addicted to television? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
6. Do you think people can become addicted to video games? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Do you think people can become addicted to using the Internet? Explain your answer on the
back of this page.
160
Unit 6:
Create A Media
Use Survey
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Teacher
Notes
Create a media use survey and compare and contrast the
opinions and media use habits of students to adults in
your family and teachers in your school.
This activity involves a team of students in designing a media use survey to measure the attitudes
and behaviors of students and teachers (and family members, if possible) in your school.
REVIEW THE CHECKLIST
Pass out the Production Activity worksheet and review the steps in the process needed to complete
the activity. Encourage students to check off the steps by using the circles in the left margin.
Establish a realistic deadline and monitor students’ work during the process.
WORK IN SMALL GROUPS
This activity provides an ideal opportunity for collaborative learning. You may want to let students
select their work groups or you may prefer to assign teams.
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STRUCTURE
You may want to structure the content of the surveys by creating a list of some specific topics of
special interest. This can be effective in helping students select a wide range of topics and media —
including radio, newspapers, TV, rental videotapes, film, Internet, computer games, video games,
CDs and tapes, books and magazines. Consider asking students to explore students’ attitudes
about advertising and materialism, sexism and racism in the media, media violence, Internet chat
rooms, reality TV and news, music videos, and more.
EVALUATION
Use the evaluation rubric provided to give students feedback about their projects. You might also
want students to evaluate each other’s work using this evaluation sheet.
PUBLISHING STUDENT WORK
Don’t forget to find opportunities to publish student work. You may wish to place survey results on
your classroom web site or your school web site.
161
Unit 6:
Create a Media
Use Survey
Assignment
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Assignment: Create a media use survey and compare and contrast the opinions and media-use
habits of students to adults in your family and teachers in your school.
USE THIS CHECKLIST TO COMPLETE THIS ACTIVITY:
Develop ten questions that you would like to answer about people’s media use habits.
0 Brainstorm a list of twenty questions that will be appropriate for both students and adults.
0 Experiment with different wordings of the questions until you are satisfied.
0 Select questions and practice your questions to make sure survey participants understand
them.
0 Develop a questionnaire and make copies of it.
Collect information from at least thirty people — half students, half teachers or other
adults.
0 Use the telephone to get information from relatives who may not live nearby.
0 Write down the answers to each question on the questionnaire.
Summarize and communicate the results
0 Gather and count the responses you received. Create tally sheets of the responses to
each of the questions.
0 Interpret what the results mean and compose at least five sentences to explain your results.
0 Write a one-page summary of the results with the most startling or dramatic findings
presented first.
0 Create at least one chart or graphic to depict the findings.
0 Communicate your results in a paragraph interpreting results and inferring trends. Share
with your school board or place on the web.
162
Unit 6:
Create a Media
Use Survey
Evaluation
PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Team Names: _____________________________________________________________________________
THE SURVEY INCLUDES TEN QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
DESIGNED EFFECTIVELY AND WRITTEN CLEARLY
4
The survey includes ten questions. The questions are easy to understand and are
written clearly. The response expected from the participant is appropriate.
3
The survey includes ten questions, but the questions are not easy to understand or are
not written clearly. The response expected from the participant is appropriate.
2
The survey does not include ten questions, or the questions are not easy to understand
or are not written clearly. The response expected from the participant is not appropriate.
1
The survey items were not designed thoughtfully.
THE DATA HAVE BEEN TALLIED CORRECTLY
AND ACCURATE MATH SKILLS HAVE BEEN USED
4
Results have been counted accurately, separating student results from adult results.
Percentages have been used to report the data for each group.
3
Results have been counted accurately, separating student results from adult results.
Percentages have not been used appropriately.
2
Results have not been counted accurately, or student results have not been separated
from adult results. Percentages have not been used appropriately.
1
Data has not been tallied correctly and math skills have not been used.
A VISUAL CHART DISPLAYS THE MOST INTERESTING SURVEY QUESTIONS AND RESULTS
4
A visual chart has been created that displays the survey questions and shows the
similarities and differences between students and adults. Appropriate visual presentation
of data should include a bar graph, pie chart, or other visual models.
3
A visual chart has been created that displays the survey questions and shows the
similarities and differences between students and adults. The chart does not include a
bar graph, pie chart, or other visual models.
2
The chart leaves out basic information, such as the questions or the answer to the
questionnaire. The chart does not include a bar graph, pie chart, or other visual models.
1
The chart is sloppy and/or incomplete.
Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________
Grade: __________
163
164
Viewing and
Representing:
Media Literacy
in Texas
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Publishing Student Work .................................... 167
Basic How To’s ................................................. 168
Excel Graphing ................................................. 170
Basic PowerPoint How Tos ................................. 171
Printing Handouts or Note Pages ........................ 174
with PowerPoint
Search Engine Operators ................................... 176
Idea Organizer .................................................. 177
How to Make a PSA .......................................... 178
More Photographs ............................................ 179
Glossary .......................................................... 180
References ...................................................... 184
List of Contributors
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas ... 186
List of Contributors
Assignment: Media Literacy ................................. 187
About the Sponsors .......................................... 189
Feedback and Evaluation Form ............................ 190
165
166
Publishing Student Work
WHY PUBLISH STUDENT WORK?
Students experience a genuine thrill when their work is published and displayed before a real
audience. A simple classroom activity can become a meaningful experience when students get
feedback that their work is appreciated and valued. Plus, teachers and parents who visit your web
site are inspired by the creativity and imagination of young people — this helps spread the word
about the important work happening in our schools!
There are an increasing number of Internet web sites that specialize in publishing student work.
These include:
Teen Lit
http://www.teenlit.com
This site lists many Internet sites that publish student poetry, fiction, humor and non-fiction.
Listen Up
http://www.listenup.org
This site contains many student-produced videos on a range of topics and lists numerous festivals
and competitions for students’ video and art.
“Empowering Student Learning with Web Publishing”
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/jan99.
This site by Tammy Payton is a good place to read about important guidelines for publishing
student work on the web.
167
Basic How To’s
These steps are true for most all applications — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Works, or other
word processor, spreadsheet, and multimedia.
Start the program
Choose the application icon to start.
Depending on version and platform, this may open to blank document or
you may need to choose option from dialog box.
If in program
File...New or click on New Blank Document icon
File...Open to work with existing document
Exit program
Choose File...Exit/Quit.
If you see a dialog box, you can choose Yes or No.
Choose Yes to save your work.
Choose No to throw away your work.
Save a Document
Choose File...Save. The first time you save a document, the Save As
dialog box will open.
Type the document name in the File name: box.
Choose the appropriate location using the Save in: box.
Open a Document
Choose File...Open.
Open folder(s) where the document is stored and double click on the file
name.
Finding a lost file
If all files are saved in My Documents folder, you will have fewer problems
finding files. If a file is saved to a different location or drive then
Choose File...Open. Dialog box appears.
Choose Tools...Find. Dialog box appears.
Set criteria for looking for the file.
Choose Add to List.
If location is unknown choose My Computer.
Check Search subfolders.
Choose Find Now. Dialog box appears.
A little wait and the list of files meeting criteria will appear.
Click on file. Choose Open.
168
Entering Text
Choose File...Open
Open folder(s) where the document is stored and double click on the file
name.
Entering Text
To enter text in a word processor, start typing. Do not press Enter to
start a new line, the text will wrap automatically to the next line. Press
Enter when you want to start a new paragraph.
Selecting Text
Place mouse pointer just to the left of the text that is to be selected.
Hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse pointer right across the
text to be selected. Text appears highlighted, showing that it is selected.
Release the mouse bottom and the text remains selected until mouse is
clicked again. There are short cuts to select text.
Move and copy with
Cut and Paste
Select text is to be moved or copied.
Choose Edit...Cut to move text.
Choose Edit...Copy to copy text.
Position the insertion point where the text is to go.
Choose Edit...Paste.
Printing
Printing can be done using the Standard Toolbar or a dialog box.
The standard toolbar is the quickest.
Click on the Print button.
Choose File...Print. Dialog box will open.
Choose setting...Printer, Page range, copies, and other special purpose
options.
Click OK .
169
Excel Graphing
These instructions are based on Office 2000 PC version.
To input data
Enter text in cells. Select cells and heading to be shown in the chart.
To create a chart
Choose Insert...Chart Wizard.
Dialog box will open and follow the step to produce a chart.
Chart Type.
Choose Standard Types tab.
Click on chart type and sub-type needed.
Click Next.
Chart Source Date.
Check the data range.
If the data was selected data range will be filled in.
If the data was not selected.
Click at the right end of the Data range box.
Select the data to be shown in the chart.
Click at the right end of the Source Data box.
Click Next.
To format and label
a chart
Click on each tab at the open to format and label the chart.
The different tabs allow one to add or remove options for the type of
chart chosen. The changes will appear in the preview pane.
Click Next.
To save a chart
Choose one of the options for where to place the finished chart.
Click Finish.
To customize a chart
After the chart is finished there are ways of customizing the chart.
Some of these features are
★ changing the chart labels, titles and other text
★ changing the display of the chart labels, data table, legends, gridlines
★ changing colors, patterns, lines, borders
★ changing the way data is plotted
★ changing values in the chart
170
Basic PowerPoint How To’s
To create a new
presentation
Choose the PowerPoint icon to start.
The PowerPoint dialog box will open.
Choose one of presentation options and Click OK.
AutoContent Wizard — will open AutoContent Wizard dialog box and
will prompt fo type of presentation. Show example text that is replaced
for new presentation.
Design Template — will open New Presentation dialog for one to
choose a predefined template with colors and background. Choose a
template. Choose OK.
Blank presentation — will use the default setting for text and colors
New Slide dialog box will open.
Select a slide layout.
Choose OK.
To enter text
Text can be type in one of the following panes:
Outline — shows the text that is type on all slides, can move from slide
to slide easily.
Slide — one slide is shown at a time in normal view.
Notes — area to record notes about the presentation that the
audience will not see when the presentation is given.
Text box positions will appear on the slide (location depend on slide
layout). Click in the text box, the words that are currently in the box will
disappear and an insertion point will appear. Type the text for the
presentation.
To add slides
Choose Insert...New Slide. New Slide dialog box will appear.
Choose the Auto Layout best suited for the next slide.
Choose OK
If the wrong slide layout is chosen, it can be changed by choosing
Format...Slide Layout then click on Apply.
171
To insert pictures
or images
Choose Insert...Picture...Clips Art.
Insert ClipArt dialog box will open.
Choose a category to look for a clip or in Search for Clips: box type
keyword for search.
Choose clip by clicking.
Move mouse to insert clip icon on gray bubble menu.
If using auto layout slide with clip art placeholder box. Double Click in
box and follow the steps above after the Microsoft Clip Gallery dialog
box opens.
Choose Insert...Picture...From File.
Insert Picture dialog box will open.
Locate file.
Click Insert.
If using auto layout slide and the clip art does not go into the
placeholder box, click and drag clip into box. PowerPoint will size it
according to the placeholder box. However, when a clip is selected
sizing handles appear at the corners and each side. The clip can be
resized manually.
To add transitions
between slides
This function allows movement from one slide to the next. This function
is applied in the slide or slide sorter view.
Choose Slide Show.
Choose Slide Transition.
Slide Transition dialog box will open.
In the Effect box choose a transition and speed.
In the Advance box choose if the presenter will click mouse to move to
the next slide or if the presentation will move to the next slide
automatically after a set number of time.
In the Sound choose a sound if appropriate.
Click on Apply (to apply transition only to the current slide) or
Apply to All (to apply transition to all slides in the show).
172
To add animation
to slides
This function allows items on each slide to be animated and/or add
multimedia.
Choose Slide Show.
Choose Custom Animation.
Custom Animation dialog box will open...there are 4 tab from which to
choose options.
In the Check to animate slide objects: box.
Click in the box for the item to animate.
On the Order & Timing tab.
Item will appear in Animation order: box.
Choose On mouse click or Automatically.
On the Effects tab
In Entry animation and sound box choose how item will enter, from
where it will enter; if there will be sound upon and entry.
In After animation box choose an action if any is desired
In Introduce text box choose how the text will come into the presentation
On the Multimedia Settings.
If you have inserted music or sound then this tab can be used to set
animation order
To play
Choose Slide Show.
Choose View Show.
To stop a
presentation
Press Esc key.
To rearrange slides
Choose View.
Choose Slide Sorter.
The sorter will open up and slide can be click upon and dragged to another
position in the presentation.
173
Printing Handouts or Note Pages
With PowerPoint
Before you print
Open the PowerPoint you want to use.
Click View and choose Slide Sorter.
Make sure the slides are in the sequence needed.
To create handouts
On the View menu, point to Master, and then click Handout Master.
To preview the layout you want, click the buttons on the Handout Master
Toolbar that pops up.
On the handout master add items and format the page the way you want
each handout page to appear (i.e. art, text, headers or footers, date,
time, or page number). The items you add in the handout master appear
only on the handouts. No changes are made to the slide master or to the
individual slides.
On the Master Toolbar, click the Close button.
On the File menu, click Print. The print command window will open. (Note:
clicking the printer icon in the tool bar will not bring up the print command
window.)
In the Print What box, select Handouts.
In the Slides per page box, click the number of slides you want on the
handout. The most common choice is 3 slides per page.
If you choose four, six, or nine slides per page, click Horizontal or
Vertical to specify the order in which you want the slides to appear on the page.
You can also change the orientation of the paper when you print handouts.
Click Page Setup on the File menu, and then click Landscape or Portrait
under Notes, handouts & outline.
174
To create note pages On the View menu, point to Master, and then click Notes Master.
On the handout master add items and format the page the way you want
each handout page to appear (i.e. art, text, headers or footers, date,
time, or page number). The items you add in the handout master appear
only on the handouts. No changes are made to the slide master or to the
individual slides.
On the Master Toolbar, click the Close button.
On the File menu, click Print. The print command window will open. (Note:
clicking the printer icon in the tool bar will not bring up the print command
window.)
In the Print What box, select Note Pages.
You can also change the orientation of the paper when you print note
pages. Click Page Setup on the File menu, and then click Landscape or
Portrait under Notes.
175
Search Engine Operators
This can be printed on card stock and laminated.
WORD
AND
SYMBOL
&
OR
Side One
DESCRIPTION
AND links two or more terms together to narrow a search. Only pages
containing all the terms listed will produce a successful result. For
example, Nostradamus AND prophesy will return results with both the
term Notradamus and the term prophesy in the pages.
OR links two terms and collects all documents that include either
term. For example, searching for design OR graphic arts will bring
up pages containing one or both terms.
NOT
Complex
Queries
!
The NOT or ! operator will search for records that contain the query
term that precedes it, but do not contain the term that follows it.
For example, searching for boxers NOT shorts will produce
documents related to pugilists without mistakenly giving you articles
about trousers that do not descend below the knee.
()
Each of the Boolean operators described above will work on either a
simple search term or a more complex query marked by
parentheses. This allows you to construct very powerful queries. For
example,
“bed and breakfast” AND [(grapes AND California) OR “wine country”]
[(hacker OR programmer) NOT “part time”) AND (design OR “graphic arts”]
Side Two
WORD
SYMBOL
Quotation
Marks
“”
Plus
Operator
+
Minus
Operator
-
Wildcards
*
DESCRIPTION
Quotation Marks (“ ” ) are used to denote exact phrases. For
example, a search on “New York Times” will match only documents
containing the words as an exact phrase. It will not find pages with
the words used in different orders, such as “New times in York!”
The plus operator ( + ) placed just before a word or phrase requires
that all returned pages contain that search term. For example, JFK
+CIA will return not only pages mentioning the CIA, but pages that
also mention JFK will be ranked higher in the results.
The minus operator ( - ) placed just before a word or phrase
excludes all documents containing that search term. For example,
searching for “Three Musketeers” – candy will help you find Web
page about the book and the movies without mistakenly getting
article about the candy bar.
Use an asterisk ( * ) to find pages containing words that begin or
end with the same letter sequences. For example, a search for
comput* would return pages containing words like “compute,”
“computer,” and “computation.”
176
177
Subtopic 2
Subtopic 1
Topic Sentence
TOPIC
Subtopic 4
Subtopic 3
Idea Organizer
How to Make a Public Service
Announcement (PSA)
A public service announcement is a short, finely-honed message in the format of a commercial,
but with the goal of informing or persuading, not selling. A good PSA will elicit an audience
response from, “Wow, I didn’t know that!” to “I better do something about that.” Typical topics for
PSAs are social problems and health issues. Students can produce PSAs in teams of 4 - 5 people.
Discuss examples of PSAs that students have seen. They may be familiar with the “Terrorism and
Drugs” campaign or the classic “This is your brain on drugs.” Discuss what makes a PSA persuasive
and explore why it is essential to identify a specific target audience.
Review all the steps involved in creating a public service announcement by using the Internet web
site, STAND: Students Taking Action Not Drugs, available online at http://www.babson.edu/
medialiteracyproject.
At this web site, students can learn about strategies for effective brainstorming, audience
identification, and other pre-production work needed before picking up a video camera to shoot
footage.
After shooting raw footage, students should log their tapes, reviewing the video and listing the
specific image sequences to be used in editing. Even without computer technology, students can
edit video using one of the three methods described below.
1. In “In-camera” editing, everything is shot in exact order and no extra footage is shot. This
requires extremely good planning, but is a good option if you do not have editing equipment.
Titles and graphics can be created in many ways (on a computer, hand-drawn, on a chalkboard).
2. VCR to VCR editing uses two VCRs, or a camera and a VCR, connected with cables so that
footage from one tape can be copied to another tape in the proper order. This is also known as
transfer or linear editing. Titles and graphics are done the same way as they are for in-camera
editing.
3. Non-linear editing uses computer editing software. This will allow students to do more complex
audio, transitions, special effects, titles and graphics within the computer.
178
For More Photographs
For more pictures to analyze without copyright restrictions log onto the Texas Library Connection.
Click on the Gale Group. The next screen will present several choices. Click on the middle school
or the high school hot button. Scroll down the blue listings about halfway down and click on
Student Resource Center Gold. When the next screen appears, click on multimedia. On the
following screen, do not enter anything in the search window, and de-click all choices except the
choice for image. Hit search and you will receive approximately 18,000 possible photos.
You can find these online at: http://tlcic.esc20.net/
179
Glossary
ACTION ADVENTURE refers to a genre of film and television programming that offer the viewer
excitement, suspense, and escape. Most action-adventure films or TV shows feature the hero in
a series of physical feats, fights, and chases, often in unusual settings or exotic locales.
ADDICTION refers to the condition of having given up control over the use of something that is
habit-forming, to the extent that stopping its use would cause physical or emotional discomfort,
pain, or trauma.
ADVERTISING refers to all forms of the practice of calling public attention to a product or service
through the media — whether in print, radio, video, film, or on the Internet — in an attempt to get
more customers. Billboards, TV commercials, and clothing with visible brand names are all forms
of advertising.
ANECDOTE is a short narrative story usually about an interesting, funny, or biographical incident.
ANIMATION is the film art of making drawings appear to move. An animated film is a type of
filmmaking that may combine drawing, painting, sculpture, or other visual arts. Animation is used
in many different types of media messages, including advertising and cartoons.
AUDIENCE refers to any group of receivers of a media message. Audiences may receive a message
by listening, reading, or viewing. The audience is important to understanding the economics of the
mass media business, since advertisers pay to reach audiences when they place ads in newspapers,
magazines, radio, television, or the Internet. Audiences are often identified by specific demographic
characteristics.
AUTHORSHIP refers to the person or people who make or create a media message. For example
the writer of a song, magazine article, book or the director of a film or the producer of a TV show
are all authors.
COMEDY refers to a genre that gives readers or viewers the opportunity to laugh and to feel
comforted by a happy ending. Most comedies provide readers or viewers a look at the ludicrous in
human behaviors and relationships. Books, theatrical performance, and TV shows all use the
genre of comedy.
CONSTRUCTION refers to the process of making, creating, or producing a media message.
Different types of media messages use different construction processes. Different elements are
combined in the construction process, including language, images, and sound. Deconstruction of
media messages consists of looking at all the elements of the message and asking questions
about their intent.
CONTENT is the part of a media message that consists of the ideas, claims, or arguments
presented. Content is always structured with a specific format.
180
CONTINUOUS NEWS STORY is a news story that has multiple points of view and new developments
over a period of time.
CREDIBILITY is the quality of being believable. When a media message is credible, it is reliable and
trustworthy.
CRITICAL VIEWING is the ability to use critical thinking skills to analyze and understand issues
presented in visual media, including photography, film, television, video, and the Internet. Critical
viewers recognize the five key concepts of media literacy and consider them as they analyze media
messages:
1) All messages are constructions.
2) Messages are representations of social reality.
3) Individuals construct meaning from messages.
4) Messages have economic, political, social, and aesthetic purposes.
5) Each form of communication has unique characteristics.
DEMOGRAPHICS is a term used to describe specific characteristics of an audience. Age, gender,
race, geography, level of education, and social class are common elements used to describe
audiences.
DOCUMENTARY is a genre of film and television programming that uses language, sounds, and
imagery to provide an interpretation of actual people, groups, or events. Documentaries often
have informative, persuasive, and artistic purposes.
DRAMA a storytelling genre that tells a story through the speech and action of the characters in
the story. Most dramas use actors to play the characters. The term also refers to stories that are
serious, in contrast to comedies. Books, theatrical performances, films, and TV shows make use
of drama.
EDITING is the process of deciding which words, visuals, and/or audio are used in the production
of a media message. Writers and filmmakers use editing to arrange elements effectively.
FORMAT is the structure of a media message, distinct or separate from its content.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION is the right granted by the First Amendment of the Constitution that
prevents the federal government from restricting the press, speech, religion on the right to
assemble.
GAME SHOW is a genre of TV shows in which contestants compete for prizes by playing a game.
GENRE is the form or type of a media message, such as sitcom, drama, advertising or comedy.
Each media genre has its own set of characteristics or conventions.
HEROES AND VILLAINS are two common stereotypes in the media. Traditionally, one is good and
the other evil. With increasingly violent superheroes and the publicized abuses of some sports
figures or other celebrities, however, the lines between the two become blurred.
181
INFOMERCIAL is an audio or video segment that combines advertising and information. Usually
infomercials are longer than typical commercials. Infomercials are sold the same way that
commercials are sold and are available on some cable networks.
INTERNET is the term used for various kinds of computer communication. It is composed of many
computer networks, including academic, government, community, and commercial systems. The
Internet serves as a vast system for people to publish information and share ideas and opinions.
JOURNALISM refers to the profession and work of informing citizens about their community, the
nation, and the world. Journalists gather, write, edit, and present information in newspapers,
news services, magazines, radio, television, and the Internet each day, 365 days a year. Journalists
are also referred to as the “news media.” In the United States, people depend on the news media
for the fair and truthful reporting of current events. Journalists strive for three major goals:
accuracy, balance, and fairness.
MEDIA are the means of communication in any society. Mass media are those forms that have
the capability to reach a very large audience, including newspapers, magazines, radio, television,
feature films, and the Internet. Any information that comes from any medium of communication
is a media message.
MEDIA LITERACY is the ability to access, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and communicate messages
in a variety of forms. It is an extension of the concept of literacy, where the skills of reading and
writing are expanded to include a wide variety of message forms, including messages conveyed
through language, print, and electronic technologies.
MEDIA VIOLENCE refers to the violent content of many forms of media, including movies, and
videogames.
NEWS refers to the reporting of current events and other timely information in print, visual or
electronic forms. Local news informs us about what is happening in our own community or state.
National news tells us what is happening in the country and the world. A news program is a genre
of television show that usually reports the news, weather, and sports.
NEWS MAGAZINE can refer to either print or television. Print news magazines, like Newsweek or
Time, are weekly summaries of current events, often formatted attractively with the use of photographs,
charts, and graphs. Television news magazines are weekly programs, like 60 Minutes, that investigate
a social issue or problem and use interview and on-the-scene video to deliver a message.
POINT OF VIEW is the specific bias or perspective that an individual brings to a particular scene or
subject. This is based upon many individual traits, culture, and life experience. In visual imagery such as
film, video, or photography, point of view refers to the perspective from which the production is shot.
PRESS RELEASE is a genre of writing created by someone seeking publicity. It is designed to provide
journalists with information in an effort to persuade them to cover the topic.
PRODUCTION is the process of combining various elements to create a media message, from
the writing of a letter to the editor by one person to the making of a feature film involving
hundreds of people.
182
PUBLIC RELATIONS is an organized effect by any organization to communicate effectively with the
public. One component of public relations is the attempt to place messages about the organization,
its products, or services in the news media.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSA) is an ad in TV or print media that attempts to persuade
people to adopt a healthy behavior or lifestyle. Anti-smoking PSAs are common in some states.
RATING refers to the label a TV show or film receives based on its content. The rating helps
consumers decide whether a media message is appropriate for children and young people.
RATINGS are the basic economic unit of broadcasting, providing information about the number
and characteristics of viewers who are watching or listening at a specific time.
REALITY TV refers to any TV programming that does not use actors but features the experience
of real people in (sometimes realistic) situations.
SATIRE is the use of mockery or irony to ridicule a person, an idea, a social practice, or a thing.
SCRIPT is a written narration or dialogue, often with other production notes included, used in
radio, television, film, and theatrical productions.
SITCOM is short for situation comedy. This genre is a humorous, usually half-hour, TV show
featuring the same characters on each program, usually focusing on everyday social relationships
and problems.
SOUND BITE is a small fragment of a quotation from a source that captures a single idea in a vivid
or memorable way. Sound bites are used in radio and TV production to communicate ideas in a
very brief period of time.
SPIN is to extend of twist a story, usually to support your opinion or beliefs.
SUBTEXT is a meaning that must be inferred from a text. Subtexts are meanings that are not
directly presented, but require “reading between the lines.”
V-CHIP is technology built into new TV sets that reads the rating of TV shows. This provides the
option to block out shows or entire channels thought to be inappropriate for certain audiences,
especially children.
VIDEOGAMES are those interactive games created for use on home television, computer monitors,
or video arcade consoles. Videogames can be based on themes, including sports, war, sciencefiction or fantasy.
VOICE-OVER is an audio production terms referring to a vocal recording, which is added to other
audio, video, or film productions. The voices of narrators and cartoon characters are both examples
of voice-overs.
183
References
Barker, Martin and Petley, Julian (1997). III effects: The Media/Violence Debate. London:
Routledge.
Black, Joel (1991). The Aesthetics of Murder. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Braudy, Leo (1986). The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and its History. New York: Oxford University
Press.
Brunner, Cornelia and Tally, William (1999). The New Media Literacy Handbook. New York:
Doubleday.
Buckingham, David (1996). Understanding Children’s Emotional Responses to Television.
Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.
Budd, Mike, Craig, Steve and Steinman, Clay (1999). Consuming Environments: Television and
Commercial Culture. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Cerulo, Karen A. (1998). Deciphering Violence: The Cognitive Structure of Right and Wrong.
New York: Routledge.
Croddy, Marshall, Degelman, Charles and Hayes, Bill (1997). The Challenge of Violence.
Los Angeles: Constitutional Rights Foundation.
Davidson, J.W. and Lytle, M.H. (1986).After the fact: The Art of Historical Detection. 2nd Edition.
New York: Knopf.
Delpit, Lisa (1995). Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York:
New Press.
Fiske, John (1989). Understanding Popular Culture. Boston: Unwin Hyman.
Goldstein, Jeffry H. (1998). Why We Watch: The Attraction of Violent Entertainment.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Gray, Herman (1995). Watching race: Television and the Struggle for ‘Blackness’.
Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Jowett, Garth and O’Donnell, Victoria (1999). Propaganda and persuasion. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Kubey, Robert and Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1990). Television and the Quality of Lie.
Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum Associates.
184
Hooks, Bell (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education and the Practice of Freedom. New York:
Routledge.
Levin, Murray (1998). Teach me: Kids Will Learn When Oppression is the Lesson. New York:
Monthly Preview Press.
Mazer, Sharon (1998). Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle. Jackson, MS: University
Press of Mississippi.
Nichols, Bill (1991). Representing Reality. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Pratkanis, Anthony and Aronson, Elliot (1992). Age of Propaganda. New York: W.H. Freeman.
Scholes, Robert (1998). The Rise and Fall of English. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Scholes, Robert (1985). Textual Power: Literary Theory and the Teaching of English.
New Haven: Yale University Press.
Shenk, David (1997). Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut. New York: Harper Collins.
Tyler, Kathleen (1998). Literacy in a Digital World. Mahwah, NU: Erlbaum Associates.
Winston, Brian (1995). Claiming the Real: The Documentary Film Revisited. London: British
Film Institute.
185
List of Contributors
Viewing and Representing: Media Literacy in Texas
AUTHOR
Dr. Renee Hobbs
Media Literacy Project, Babson College
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE
FOLLOWING TEACHERS AND
THEIR STUDENTS
TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
Felipe Alanis
Commissioner of Education
Virginia Alford
Douglas MacAarthur High School
North East ISD
San Antonio, Texas
Paul Cruz
Deputy Commissioner for Programs
and Instruction
Ann Smisko
Associate Commissioner for Curriculum,
Assessment, and Technology
D’Anne Redmon
Douglas MacArthur High School
North East ISD
San Antonio, Texas
WRITING TEAM
David D. Anderson
Managing Director of Curriculum and
Professional Development
Virginia Alford
Northeast Independent School District
TEXAS EDUCATION
AGENCY CONSULTANTS
Dirk Funk
Amarillo Independent School District
Dr. Muffet Livaudais
Director of English Language Arts and
Reading
D’Anne Redmon
Northeast Independent School District
Sarah Crippen
Assistant Director of English Language Arts
Bryan Greer
T-STAR, Videotape Production
DISCOVERY
COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Carrie Passmore
Senior Vice President
Discovery Communications, Inc.
Dr. Sharon O’Neal
Southwest Texas State University
Alicia Gonzalez
United Independent School District
Lisa Scheffler
McKinney, Texas
Heidi Whitus
Communications Arts High School
Northside Independent School District
Nancy McMurrey
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association
Marne Setton
Project Manager, Public Partnerships
186
List of Contributors
Assignment: Media Literacy
AUTHOR
Dr. Renee Hobbs
Media Literacy Project, Babson College
Video Graphics - Alred Diangelo, AD Design
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Catherine Gourley
Leslie Johnson
Pam Steager
Production Intern - Krystyna Osinski
DISCOVERY
COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Nancy Brien
VIDEOTAPE PRODUCTION
Rob Stegman, BlueStarMedia Productions
David Willox
Mark Herd
Elaine Theodore
PRINT AND WEB SITE
PRODUCTION
Jasmin Sung
Linda Brown
Sharisse Steber
Rick Haffner
Ron Waite
Ben Beierwaltes
Randy Hobbs
VIDEOTAPE PRODUCTION
STAFF
Videographers - Elliot Klayman, Chirs O’Hare
Field Audio - Charles Colias, Robert Evans,
Ken Fraser,
Grip - Zip Bradwell
Sound Design - Jay Rose, The Digital
Playroom
Narrators - Renee Hobbs, John Lisanti, Rob
Stegman
PERFORMERS FOR VIDEO
SEQUENCES
The Art of Slapstick
Edward Eaton, Evan Zes, Amy Roeder
Kenan’s World and J.T.’s World
Linda Patton and Genie Mantalvo
EDUCATOR ADVISORY PANEL
Susan Michal
Forest Knolls Elementary
Christine Burrows
K-12 Freelance Educator
Alisa Schams
Tilden Middle School
Tish Raff
Sequoyah Elementary School
Judy Jadkolski
Tilden Middle School
Barbara Banks
Forest Knolls Elementary
Lisa Lowenfeld
North Bethesda Middle School
LaTanya Bailey Jones
Coalition for Positive Media
Kathryn Daley
Norrback Elementary School
Ben Walker
Snowden International High School
187
Elisa Beildeck
Taft Middle School
Roger Goldsmith
Locke Middle School
Nick Ines
Marshall Middle School
Mary Ellen Ackerman
Dennis Yarmounth High School
Robert Cowan
Concord High School
Don Staveley
Billerica High School
Maria Schupp, Principal
Norrback Elementary School
Special thanks to:
Kevin Buchanan, Maria Facey, Robin Booker
Fox, Iris Roman
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE
FOLLOWING TEACHERS AND
THEIR STUDENTS
Clio Spriggs
Towson High School
James Harrington
Marblehead High School
James Modena
Needham High School
Students:
Teal Van Saun, Jason Walsh, Larry Trundel,
Matt Mitchell, Allison McGonagle, adrew
Kilgore, Brian Vicente, Carol Medina, Chad
Baker, Christinna Durham, Ian Matthews,
Joani Torres, Joseph Shaughnessy, Juan
Segarra, Karen Ruiz, Kim Lam, Laneka
Altson, Laquiesha Rainey, Myliesa Oiveras,
Nita Holder, William Onuoha, Ashley Dimling,j
Carrie Constantini, Heath Chavis, Jessica
Cohen, Katherine Horsled, Jocelyn Paul,
Maureen Hohn, Katy Soine, Leslie Herman,
Kaneal Oliver, Joe Granger, Jennifer Sherman,
Daniel Calloway, Brian Bass, Haley Mershon,
Brenna Lemieux, Ashley Weaver.
188
About the Sponsors
Texas Education Agency
The mission of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is to build the capacity for excellence in the Texas
public education system and hold the system accountable for providing all students with a quality
education that enables them to achieve their full potential. The agency’s primary responsibilities
include: the state’s education assessment and accountability system, support for all public and
charter schools, student access to adequate resources and educational programs, and equitable
access to instructional materials and technologies supporting the foundation and enrichment
curriculum.
Media Literacy Project
The Media Literacy Project provides curriculum development, staff development and evaluation
services to K-12 educators interested in integrating media literacy into the curriculum.
Resources online at http://www.babson.edu/medialiteracyproject.
Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI)
Discovery Communications, Inc. is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company.
DCI has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in
1985, to current global operations in more than 155 countries and territories with over 830
million cumulative subscribers. DCI’s 33 networks of distinctive programming represent 14
entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel,
Discovery Kids, Discovery Civilization Channel, The Science Channel, Discovery Wings Channel,
Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery en Español and HD Theater. DCI’s other properties
consist of Discovery.com and 167 Discovery Channel retail stores. DCI also distributes BBC America
in the United States. DCI’s ownership consists of four shareholders: Liberty Media Corporation
(NYSE: L), Cox Communications, Inc. (NYSE: COX), Advance/Newhouse Communications and
John S. Hendricks, the Company’s Founder, Chairman and CEO.
The Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association (TCTA)
represents the interests of the cable industry in the state. Membership is comprised of 39
system members (companies serving approximately 3.6 million Texas homes and businesses) and
230 associate members (individuals, firms and corporations engaged in providing goods and
services used by cable television companies).
TCTA serves as industry advocate, spokesperson and resource for state level educators, educational
organizations, public relations and industry forums, projects and task forces.
They inform and activate members to become involved in the political process to achieve industry
goals and conduct seminars and workshops to keep members informed of the marketplace,
industry issues, activities and educational opportunities.
189
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