Media Literacy is a strand in the English Language Curriculum and has become a focus for educators. Prior to computers and cellphones, children were exposed to advertisements on television and magazines. Now, however, youth are surrounded by consumerism, in between YouTube videos, and now even on social media websites and apps such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. For this reason, it is now more important than ever for students to be able to critically analyze the messages that are surrounding them. During my practicum I conducted a great lesson with my Grade 6 class that I have included below.
Subject: English
Strand: Media Literacy
Grade: 6
Time: 90 minutes
Lesson Description: In this lesson, the students will critically analyze the message and meaning intended by a variety of magazine advertisements
Big Ideas/Essential Question: What idea are we being sold by large businesses and corporations?
Overall Expectation: 1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
Specific Expectations: 1.1 explain how a variety of media texts address their intended purpose and audience, 1.2 interpret media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations, 1.6 identify who produces various media texts, the reason for their production, how they are produced, and how they are funded
Student Groupings: Students will work in small groups of 2 or 3 classmates
Instructional strategies: Teacher directed and modelled, student directed, observation during group preparation and presentation
Materials: A collection of magazine ads
Lesson Overview:
The teacher will show students a magazine ad on the SMARTBoard.
The teacher will then ask students what they thought this add meant and conduct a very brief discussion taking notes on the SMARTBoard. The teacher will then discuss the the following steps for critically analyzing advertisements by answering the following questions based on answers provided by students and expanded on by the teacher:
1. What is this ad about? (3-4 sentences min)
This was a very successful and engaging lesson which helped students rethink some of the commercials and ads they had been seeing without understanding the meaning behind. It seemed to be just another thing that the students in my class were being exposed to without really giving any second thought to. In the few weeks after the lesson I spent in the class some of the students came to me telling me about ads they had seen on television or in their magazine which presented a bias or a false perception. As an extension to this lesson, I asked the teacher to use one of the art periods having students sorting through magazines to find ads with problematic messages or illustrations. They recreated these ads in a positive way.
Subject: English
Strand: Media Literacy
Grade: 6
Time: 90 minutes
Lesson Description: In this lesson, the students will critically analyze the message and meaning intended by a variety of magazine advertisements
Big Ideas/Essential Question: What idea are we being sold by large businesses and corporations?
Overall Expectation: 1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts;
Specific Expectations: 1.1 explain how a variety of media texts address their intended purpose and audience, 1.2 interpret media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations, 1.6 identify who produces various media texts, the reason for their production, how they are produced, and how they are funded
Student Groupings: Students will work in small groups of 2 or 3 classmates
Instructional strategies: Teacher directed and modelled, student directed, observation during group preparation and presentation
Materials: A collection of magazine ads
Lesson Overview:
The teacher will show students a magazine ad on the SMARTBoard.
The teacher will then ask students what they thought this add meant and conduct a very brief discussion taking notes on the SMARTBoard. The teacher will then discuss the the following steps for critically analyzing advertisements by answering the following questions based on answers provided by students and expanded on by the teacher:
1. What is this ad about? (3-4 sentences min)
- Describe the product/ idea that is being sold
- What is happening in the commercial
- Who is the target audience of this ad (demographic, age group, sex) be specific
- Is this ad trying to imply something about the product or image
- Do you think this is a fair/accurate/positive message
- Are there bias/stereotypes that can be altered
- How would you make this ad better
This was a very successful and engaging lesson which helped students rethink some of the commercials and ads they had been seeing without understanding the meaning behind. It seemed to be just another thing that the students in my class were being exposed to without really giving any second thought to. In the few weeks after the lesson I spent in the class some of the students came to me telling me about ads they had seen on television or in their magazine which presented a bias or a false perception. As an extension to this lesson, I asked the teacher to use one of the art periods having students sorting through magazines to find ads with problematic messages or illustrations. They recreated these ads in a positive way.