Karen Duffy
English 5922 Unit
11/11/98
 

"Is Our Town A Global Village?"
Developing Media Literacy In Students.

Prefatory Statement :

     Education in our modern times is different from that in previous generations due to the prevalence of electronic media. Radio and television command thousands of hours more than school does in a young adult's life. Like it or not, media is an educator of this generation. The purpose of this unit is to help students understand the media's magnetic lure and strong power in their lives.   They will learn to assess the media, to be more "media literate.”
       Television has become an electronic hearth in many homes. Children and parents often gather around "the tube" when they are together, even sharing meals in front of it. Television has also become a sort of baby-sitter to a generation, occupying youngsters while their overworked parents try to get a task done or catch a nap. Radios are turned on in the early morning for news and information, played through the day at workplaces, malls, restaurants and in the car. Media's massive influence reaches into almost all aspects of our daily lives.
      Media defines reality for most students. It affects their view of the world. If they can be taught critical thinking skills, they can be taught to reexamine this power in their lives. "According to Hobbs in her research of ninth graders, students who received media literacy integrated into language arts, social studies, health, and science were able to detect target audience, motive and economic goods differently than the students who didn't receive
training. Hobbs also noted that students' ability to recall, remember, and comprehend information was dramatically improved as a result of media literacy" ("The On-Television Project Teleconference," sponsored by Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey October 1996, as reported in the English Journal, January 1998 page 17).
      Students have thousands of viewing hours from which to draw information. Teachers have the knowledge of critical analysis skills. The two groups can come together to construct meaning, exercise thinking skills, evaluate productions and perform productions. Media literacy units may raise some eyebrows within the traditional language arts programs, but the fact is, most students are voracious media consumers. This prior knowledge can be put to good use by teaching them how to be critical thinkers. This unit combines thinking with speech. Students are able to practice oral skills that incorporate some of the same elements that they have listened to and watched for years.
      Students in this unit will utilize journal writing, which will help them to develop their insights into the media. This journal will accompany them through the unit and show them the development of their critical thinking skills. Students will also learn to share ideas in small groups. They will also make small group presentations both on an informal and a formal basis.
      The whole class will work together in participation of media analysis. There will be a "whole class" bulletin board, developed over many weeks by individual contributions that will show progress of the unit and of the skills. The progress of students from unconscious consumers to informed critics and skillful communicators .

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Class Specifications:

     This unit is designed with an early high school student in mind, such as grade 9 or 10. It is meant to address a group in a composition/communication combined course of work. It would be too simplistic for juniors and seniors. This unit is not directed at a specific socio-economic group as both radio and televisions seem to be a standard item in most homes. I think that at the
ninth and tenth grade level, students are aware of their dependence on the electronic media but may not have considered it in detail. I think that they will be able to consider the power of the media and be interested enough in this familiar setting that they can comfortably research it and then publicly perform some oral exercises that pertain to the subject.

Significant Assumptions :

1.     Students will have some knowledge of radio/TV's influence in their lives.
2.     Students will be able to comprehend critical themes from other sources regarding radio and                               television.
3.     Students realize that there is more than one way to interpret a concept.
4.     Students know how to keep a fact-based and reflective journal.
5.     Students are able to contribute to whole group discussion.
6.     Students are able to collaborate on small group projects.
7.     Students are capable of conducting research.
8.     Students have access to a radio, television, VCR, tape recorder. They know how to use these items.
9.     Students are able to organize their personal thoughts, outside research and creative energy onto a piece of paper in the form of a speech.
10.   Students are able to work from the written text of a speech in oral performance in front of    the class.
11.   Students are able to meet outside of class for small group projects.
12.   Material covered will be connected with the student's lives.
13.   Students will learn about the media's communication methods by trying out a few types for                    themselves.

Desired Outcomes :

1. Completion of Minnesota High Standards 1:1 Reading, Listening and Viewing Complex Information.  Students will be able to identify main ideas and supporting information.  They will be able to distinguish fact from fiction, and identify bias and point of view in each selection.   Students will identify relevant background information.  Finally, they will analyze and evaluate the credibility of evidence and how a particular type of communication shapes or limits information.                                                                                                                                      A. Write in the English language about a variety of topics:
             * They should determine the intent of their message.
             * They should determine the audience they are trying to reach.
             * They should select an appropriate convention of communication.
             * They should construct supporting arguments from research.                                          B. Speak in the English language about a variety of topics:
            * They should deliver speeches in a variety of styles.
            * They should use visuals, technology, or other equipment.
            * They should use effective delivery techniques.
 
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Desired Outcomes, Continued:
2.    Students will be able to view and listen to media messages in an analytical way.
3.    Students will be able to express their critical analysis of messages in the media.
4.    Students will be able to understand and explain media's place in their lives.
5.    Students will be able to understand and explain why society relies so heavily on the media.
6.    Students will be able to identify the media's persuasive styles of communication and perform these methods themselves.
7.    Students will be able to learn social skills during collaborative work.
8.    Students will be able to learn cooperative skills during small group work.
9.    Students will be able to identify bias in the media.
10. Students will be able to consider different viewer’s varied points of view.

In addition to the Minnesota's High Standards, the NCTE in January 1998 stated: "Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English affirm that media literacy courses meeting the same academic standards of other high school courses be counted as English credit for admission to colleges and universities; and that NCTE and its affiliates communicate this position to
appropriate organizations, groups, and individuals." (The English Journal, January 1998)

Possible Whole Class Activities:

*  Listening session: "old time" radio shows played in class. Discuss different styles, content, entertainment value.
*   Guest Speaker. a local radio announcer, television news reporter, or media personality (Sean Duffy, cast member of   MTV's "Real World") .
*   Discuss media influences on this generation: personal/cultural consequences. List major      points on the board:  (Fashion, language, consumer goods, morals, ethics, priorities, etc.)
*   "Jingle Jam". List media jingles, songs, and quotes. This illustrates the effectiveness of media’s influence.
*    Media bulletin board, developed over many weeks, to show class a variety
of perspectives.

Possible Small Group Activities:

       *   Collaborative project/presentation of a newscast, radio show, or sitcom/drama.
       *   Watch and analyze a show, compiling data, writing a report, and presenting the report to the class.
       *   Small group discussion on advertising effectiveness.
       *   Small group discussion on media as "gatekeeper" of information.
       *   Plot a list of activities other generations partook in before media.
       *   Commercial v. public television/radio:  What are similarities and differences?
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

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 Possible Individual Activities:

       *    Journal activities, fact-based and reflective.
       *    Individual tasks in the small-group speech project.
       *    Individual development and performance of an ad.
       *    Five paragraph essay on the effects of media in their lives.
       *    Individual contribution to whole class discussion.
       *    Individual contribution to class bulletin board.
       *    Individual oral "essay" like Paul Harvey or Andy Rooney.

 
Possible On-Going Activities:

       *    Creation of a class bulletin board with media elements.
       *    Response journals with factual and reflective comments.

 Student Resources :

       *   Access to a radio.
       *   Access to a television.
       *   Access to a video recorder and tape.
       *   Access to an audio recorder and tape.
       *   Notebook for journal writing.
       *   Access to library for research.
       *    (optional) Access to computer for Web information.
       *   Access to news magazines for research articles.
       *    Access to library for books on media topics.

Organization of the Unit :

WEEK ONE: "Global Village" Discuss the impact of the media on our society.  Encourage journal writing for individual reflection of media's role.  Organize small group activities to evaluate positive and negative effects of the media.

Unit Launch: Week one, day one (50 minute lesson)

Objective:   Students will begin to consider the role media plays in their lives and analyze the images they experience through  the media.  Students will begin to identify bias in the media.  They will evaluate how the type of communication they experience shapes the information that they receive.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Methods:
 1.   Teacher will hand out a worksheet with a list of 10 names. Five names on the list pertain to           science,  government, or literature.   Five names pertain to TV, music, or media celebrities. Students are  asked to identify their accomplishments. (10 minutes)
2.    Teacher will put the names on the board. Students will be asked to share their answers with the class. (10 minutes)
3.    Whole group discussion: Why did we know the media personalities and not the scientists? (20 minutes)
4.    Journal write about the following questions: When do you listen to the radio? How many hours of television do you watch per day? How great is the media affect on your life? (10 minutes)

Homework:    Try not to listen to a radio or television tonight. Go to the library instead and find out when radio and television were invented. Write in your journal about your media-free
evening. Be prepared to share your experience with the class. Use these journal ideas to begin to form a five paragraph essay about media's role in your life.

 Assessment:    I will know the students are learning if :
1.    They report to the class about their no-media evening.
2.    They can identify if the assignment affected their lives.
3.    Their journals have insightful entries about media's influence.
4.    They participate in class discussions about the information they receive via the media.
 

 Week  One, Day Two :
      Students will discuss their no-media evening with the class. They will  engage in whole class discussion about why we rely on the media--is it  entertainment, information, or habit? Are we affected by media without even  realizing it? There will be a class debate:  Half the class will argue that the media is a positive influence and informer in our lives.  The other half of the class will argue that media has corrupted this generation of youth and serves only to entertain a passive audience.   Homework assignment: journal write about what the media means  to you and what memorable occasions you have experienced through it (O.J. Simpson chase, Princess Diana's funeral, Hurricane Georges).

 Day Three :
      In 1962 Marshall McLuhan coined the term "Global Village" to describe the exploding power, proliferation, and interdependence of the electronic media. Discuss what instant knowledge of events means as both a positive and negative in small groups. Choose a spokesperson for the group to share ideas with the class. Homework assignment: Work on a five paragraph essay on media's influence in our lives. Revisit journal entries and prepare a final draft for day five.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Day Four.
      Teacher will describe an informal class bulletin board project: students are invited to bring in mementos of the media's influence of them.  This could include magazine pictures of stars, newspaper articles regarding shows, bumper stickers of their favorite radio station, packaging from a product sold to them in a creative ad, or notecards with quotes from their favorite programs, to give a few examples.   A guest speaker will talk for twenty minutes about their job in the media.  They will discuss whether their role in the media includes influencing audience or shaping information.  How do they see their role, as an informer or entertainer?  (Guest speaker could include a local radio personality, television reporter, or other media agent.)  Homework:  Journal write on how you are affected by people that you experience through the media.  Do you consider them “experts” on topics or “role models”?  Define these terms.

Day Five:
      Five paragraph essay due.  Time-travel day:   students will journal write about what people in the "old days" did with their time before radio and television.   Students should read passages from a piece of literature such as “Huck Finn” to gain inspiration for those times. Small groups will plot a list of activities that these people might have done. How did these people function without radio and television?  Are we better off today in our "global village"? Share lists with the whole class.  Would anyone like to live in Huck’s time instead?
 

WEEK TWO:     "Gotta Have It"   Students turn their attention to advertising and analyze their buying behaviors and what influences those behaviors.

Week Two Day One:   Advertising Kick-off.

Objectives:
     Students will consider the fact that by the time they graduate, they will have seen roughly    500,000 television commercials and have heard perhaps as many radio ads.  (The English Journal, January 1998 page 43) Discussion about what advertising's role is and consideration of manipulation of our buying habits. Teacher tries to  develop students as "adbusters"--those who engage in critical evaluations of the content of ads.  Students will try to distinguish fact (information) from fiction (enticing elements) in an ad.  They will identify the bias in each ad, and identify the advertiser’s point of view (they are trying to sell a product).  They will analyze ads and use their critical thinking skills to  determine the persuasive elements that affect their decision to buy a product.

Methods:
 1.  Teacher will play an audio tape of a radio ad (.60).
             Teacher will play a video tape of a TV ad (.60). (5 minutes)
 
 
 
 
 

                                                                                                                              Duffy Page 7       2.Teacher will lead a class discussion regarding the ads. (15 min)
           * Students should describe the ads.
           * Students should list reactions to the ads.
           * Students should determine who is the target audience to buy this product.
           * Students should evaluate the message of the ad.
           * Students should ask themselves why someone would want to buy the product.               3.   Students will journal write. They will list their favorite  soda, jeans, and cereal. Discuss the   role of advertising on  those choices. (10 minutes)
4.    Small group discussion about what makes an ad effective. Groups  will share ideas with the class. (10 minutes)
5.    Teacher will introduce first speech assignment. Students will  prepare a one-minute ad that tries to persuade the audience to  "buy" a product or idea. (Worksheet follows lesson plan.) (10 min)

Homework:    Journal write about possible topics to perform. Begin to work  on your ad which will be due Week Two Day Four and Five.

 Assessment:     I will know the students are learning if :
 1. They can explain the persuasive elements in an advertisement.
 2. They can recognize and explain that ads sell products as well as  "entertain”,  identifying advertiser’s point of view.
 3. They can provide examples of items they own because of advertising.  They should identify what persuasive elements enticed them to buy.
4. They can articulate the facts (information) from the fiction (persuasive elements).
5. They can identify the advertiser’s target audience.
 
 

"Design an Ad" Worksheet

      ****Your objective is to manipulate an audience to act. Use the experience you have gained as a consumer. Ask YOURSELF "what would influence me to act?"

 1.     Choose an idea for an ad, either radio or television.
        *Sell a product, either real or fictitious.
                Ideas include shoes, food, beverage, etc.
        *Sell a parody of a product (idea borrowed from the English Journal 1/98)
               Consider altering an existing product: "Calvin Swine" perfume.
        *Public Service Announcement.
              Ideas include an anti-drug message, fitness message, etc.                                                 2.   Carefully craft your words. You have only one minute to influence us.
      Write out your speech in a neat fashion to be handed in.
3.   Consider using one of the following:
        *catchy jingle *prop of the product *visual aid or sound effect
        *act as if you were a celebrity endorser
4.   You may use a notecard during your speech delivery.
5.   Be prepared to give a polished performance. The ads will be videotaped.
 

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WEEK TWO CONTINUED:

 *     Class Activity "Jingle Jam" (idea borrowed from the English Journal 1/98)  Small groups will list songs, jingles or phrases from commercials. Who  will know the most? Whole class compiles a list.

 *     Homework  assignment: consider some ads on radio or TV tonight and tomorrow night. Keep a two day "ad log". On day two and three there will be a discussion about who certain ads are intended for and how effective they are. Does the student feel manipulated?

*    Advertising puts programs on the airwaves by buying popular programs to reach more viewers. Unpopular programs have trouble finding advertisers.  Small groups will consider the question, "do ads reflect society or influence it?"  Do ads affect the programming on networks?
 

*    Add advertising elements to the bulletin board.

WEEK THREE:

"We Interrupt this program..." Students are asked to consider news programs in the media.

*      Class discussion on the role of newscasts: What is their function?  (Most people consider       newscasts to be fact-based/neutral/informational. Explain that facts are delivered in a way to  influence interpretation.)

*    Short lecture on how to critically view a newscast:
          1.   Who is delivering the news and in what style?
          2.   Turn off the television. What do the accompanying  video images lead us to think?
          3.   How many women and minorities are on the news?
                (Anchor /reporter/ expert/victim/perpetrator )
          4.    Keep an ad log during the broadcast. Who are the advertisers trying  to reach?
          5.    Consider the violence, sex, and diversity issues in a newscast?

* Play a newscast from 1978.   This may be obtained at some libraries or a a local TV news station’s archives.  Consider the attached political cartoon.  What is the difference between a newscast in 1978 versus 1998? Homework assignment:  write a short response paper.

* Small group discussion about the 1947 quote by Kurt  Lewin: "Media is a  gatekeeper--news must travel through a series of checkpoints (gates) before  it reaches the public." What does this mean? Is our news "censored" by  the media companies?
 
 
 
 
 

 
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*   Journal activity. A newscast shows the war in Bosnia, with tanks, bombs,  armies, wounded people, and death. The news then breaks to a commercial message about bad breath that ominously predicts how your life is ruined if you don't use mouthwash. How do people view and process these two items (war and bad breath) in the same two minutes? What are Americans more concerned about?  Draw comparisons about the two crisis.
 
 

 WEEK  FOUR: '' And   Heeere's Rosie ! “Students will consider the talk show genre
in media.  Does it have a function for society or is it just sleaze?

*    Class discussions: What is the function of a talk show? To inform, entertain?

*    Lecture on talk show analysis: Students will learn how to analyze the credibility of a host,   any political slant or hidden agenda. Radio can be used as an example: bit of Rush Limbaugh, sports talk, Dr. Laura, NPR for example. Students can analyze the different styles
 and functions. They can journal write about their impressions.

*    Television talk shows can also be used as examples: Rosie, Roseanne, Sports Talk, Siskel and Ebert, for example. Students can discuss or journal write about such issues as host conduct, guest behavior, video clips (close-ups, repetition). What meaning do they derive from these
areas?

? Small Group Project: Each group will pick a talk show to analyze in groups.  They will determine a hypothesis about the show (such as sports shows advance the celebrity of players, talk shows panels encourage bad behavior, call-ins don’t “help” people, the home teams is preferred.)
           TV shows:       Students will analyze the show content, assemble data
                 OR             about the extra video clips, check the host’s guiding
                                    of guests, and compare their data to the hypothesis.
            Radio:             Students will analyze the show content, assemble data
                                    about host and callers, any audio highlights, host
                                    guidance of callers. Compare data to hypothesis.

? Students should bring in the video or audio tape of the show.
*    Students should each write an analysis of their impressions.
*    Students should write a report about the findings.
*    Students groups should presents findings in a scientific way, as
      if presenting to a professional media study center.
 

*     Students should feel free to add newscast items or talk show items to the class bulletin board. Teachers should encourage contributions as well as enjoyment of this board.
 
 

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WEEK  FIVE: “Martians Have Landed! “I Students will consider radio and ask themselves questions about its power: is it strong or diminished?

Day One:    (One full hour is needed) Students will listen to a 1938 broadcast
                    of ‘War of the Worlds" . For homework, students should journal about
                    the broadcast. Was it believable or entertaining? It is difficult
                    for people of modern times to listen to a broadcast and "see" a
                    picture in the mind?

Day Two:        Teacher will explain the history of “War of the Worlds".   (Information from        Mass Media Mass Cultures page 219) On Halloween Eve, 1938, Orson Welles, a radio producer and actor aired the broadcast under the pretense of a break in the regular program.  His intent was to make the entertainment program more “believable” like a newscast. As many as six million people tuned in to the broadcast of martians landing in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. Even
though four announcements explained that “War of the Worlds" was a dramatization, pandemonium ensued. One million people believed the broadcast was real. Use lesson time to lead a discussion about how today's students view a radio program. Can they "see" it in their minds? Describe that view. Consider if someone broadcast such a program on radio or TV today.

 Day Three:      Students will listen to another old radio program a “Mystery  Theater" or sitcom like “Burns and Allen '' or “ Amos and Andy".  Small groups can discuss how women and minorities are portrayed.  Small groups can discuss the entertainment value of these programs.
Small groups can decide if these shows would work today on TV.

Day Four:      Students are asked to consider the demise of radio's popularity.   They will write in their journals and prepare a short response for  tomorrow's class. Encourage them to research this topic.

Day Five:      Students will respond to their journal work and discuss their
 views on radio's popularity.  A video of Garrison Keillor performing his radio show could give students a glimpse into the world of the modern day radio program.

*       Add radio items to the bulletin board.

WEEK SIX: "Fire Is Cool!”  Students analyze the huge influence that television has on society.  They will focus on a particular case and draw conclusions from it.

Week Six Day One: MTV Reaches an Audience

           Objectives :  Students will consider television programs to determine
                                the   program's role in society. Is it entertainment or
                                information? Can people be encouraged to act by what
                                they see or hear on television?  Students will learn to distinguish fact from
                                fiction and consider how a young child’s point of view may differ from an
                                adult’s.  They will try to identify the author’s intent.  Was it to entertain or
                                influence an audience?  They will consider how the type of communication
                                (cartoon) shaped a viewer’s perspective.
 

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 Methods:
1.    Students are shown part of a controversial “Beavis and Butthead" show where they state, "Fire is cool!" (Teacher may consider parental permission forms.) (10 minutes)

2.     Teacher explains that in 1993 a fatal blaze was set by a five-year old. He had watched their show and concluded that fire was cool. His two year old sister was killed in the blaze. The class will discuss if this death was MTV's fault for airing the show?  Why or why not? (20 minutes)

3.     As a result of criticism, MTV moved the series from a 7pm slot to a 10:30 pm and promised not to run the fires episode again.  Class discussion about why MTV acted in this manner. (10 minutes)

4.     Would you categorize television as an entertainer or an influencer?  Journal write on this topic.(10 minutes)

Homework: Journal about how television prompts students to act or not act a certain way. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

Assessment: I will know students are learning if:
1.      Students can explain the media's power over viewers.
2.      Students can discuss time slots and children's viewing habits.
3.      Students can analyze how programs have influenced their actions.
4.      Students can articulate TV's influence on themselves and the world.
5.      Students can evaluate the type of program (cartoon) and how it is perceived by a variety of people.
6……Students can determine how different audiences (adult v. child) view a program differently.
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WEEK SIX: Project
*          Continue to add items to the class bulletin board regarding the media.

*          Students are introduced to a major project to be accomplished in groups.  Their task is to construct either a radio or television program to be performed in front of the class and videotaped. They will spend several days on preparation of this project. Student groups will choose one of the following three options.

     1.    RADIO PROGRAM: (minimum 20 minutes)
           *     Students will prepare an original script of an "old time" style
                  radio program. Students will then act this script that they have
                  written. Students should consider character, plot, setting, or props.
           *     Students will use sound effects.
           *     Students will prepare and perform one “old time" ad within the
                  course of the program. Remember to consider the audience type.
           *     Students will turn in their scripts.
           *     This performance will be videotaped and audiotaped.

     2.    TELEVISION SITCOM/DRAMA: (minimum 20 minutes)
           *     Students will prepare an original script of a modern-style
                  sitcom or drama. (No explicit sex or violence, of course.)
           *     Students will consider character, plot, setting, and props.
           *     Students should consider action or conversation to tell the
                  story and wear appropriate costumes.
           *     Students will have one ad to prepare and perform within this
                  show. Consider your audience.
           *     Students will turn in their scripts.
           *     This performance will be videotaped.

     3.      TELEVISION NEWS PROGRAM: (minimum 20 minutes)
              *     Students will write original news stories for a magazine-style show. This can be a
                     show.  This can be a collection of unrelated stories, like
                     "20/20", or one theme with many stories relating to it, like
                    "48 hours".
              *     Students should dress appropriately like reporters.
              *     Students should have some visual aids, such as pictures, props,
                     or maps.
              *     Students will prepare and perform one appropriate ad to perform
                     in the show. Consider your audience.
              *     Students will turn in scripts of this show.
              *     This performance will be videotaped.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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MEDIA UNIT ASSESSMENT PACKAGE;

1.     Media Portfolio:
                * Journal entries (logs, reflections, free writing).
                * Audio tapes of presentations.
                * Videotapes of presentations.
                * Written work: 1.    Five paragraph essay on media's influences.
                                           2.   Advertising project script.
                                           3.   Response paper on newscasts.
                                           4.   Small-group analysis of talk shows.
                                           5.   Group project scripts.
               * Photo of media bulletin board.
               * Essay test.

2. Unit Test:
                This essay test will detail how student's critical analysis skills have developed. Students will describe the process of developing these skills and explain what their perception of their skills is today.
              A. Discuss what effects advertising had in your life prior to
                   this unit. How do you view advertisements differently today?
              B. Describe your radio listening habits before this unit. How has
                   the role of radio changed since its invention until today?
             C. Have your television viewing habits changed due to this unit?
                 Talk about what it takes to produce a quality television show
3. Grading Contract
C contract:  *Participation in media- free evening with insightful journal entry.
                    *Five paragraph essay.
                    *One minute ad and script.
                    *Response paper regarding newscasts.
                    *Participation in group analysis of talk show with report.
                    *Two journal entries per week.
                    *Two contributions to media bulletin board.
                    *Participation in group project and script of performance.
                    *Full-bodied, thoughtful answers on essay test.
B contract:   *Completion of C contract work.
                     *Three journal entries per week.
                     *Participation in classroom discussions.
                     *Three contributions to media bulletin board.
 A contract:  *Completion of B contract work.
                     *Leadership role in group project.
                     *Four journal entries per week.
                     *Four contributions to media bulletin board.
 
 
 
 
 

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TEACHER RESOURCES:

*     Students without access to a radio or television may need additional aids.
 

Audio tapes:
         *   Radio programs (found in libraries, ordered from networks, or taped from radio)
                    Advertisements: (recommend fast food, lottery, car ads)
                    Drama: (“War of the Worlds”)
                    Sitcom: ("Amos and Andy", “Jack Benny", “Abbott and Costello")
                    Talk Show. (“Rush Limbaugh", "Dr. Laura,  sports talk)

Video tapes: (found in libraries, local or network station archives, taped from TV)
         * TV  newscast: (Major network show)
         * TV advertising: (recommend soft drink, fast food, car ads)
         * TV  programs: (“'Beavis and  Butthead”, sitcom or drama)
         * TV talk show: ("Montel", “Rosie”, "Monday Night Football”)

Brooks, James. "Teenagers Evaluating Modern Media". English Journal 1998 87:1
                                                                                               pages 21-24.
Curry-Tash, M.W. "The Politics of Teleliteracy And Adbusting in the Classroom”  English
                                                                       Journal 1998 87:1 pages 43-48.                          Gere, Anne Ruggles et al. Language And Reflection.  Upper Saddle River:  Prentice-Hall, 1992.
                                                                                                                                                 Krueger, Ellen. “Media Literacy Does Work, Trust Me.” English Journal 1998
                                                                                             87:1 pages 17-20.
Madsen, Axel. 60 Minutes: The Power And The Politics. Dodd, Mead and
                                                                                            Company, 1984.
Mair, George. Rosie O'Donnell: Her True Story. Birch Lane Press Book, 1997.                  Morris, Barbra. "Toward Creating A TV Research Community In Your Classroom."
                             English Journal 1998 87:1 pages 38-42.
Orfanella, Lou. “Radio: The Intimate Medium." English Journal 1998 87:1
                                                                                           pages 53-55.
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                             English Journal 1989 78:8 pages 42-46.
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                                 English Journal 1988 77:7 pages 96-97.
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Performance Package
Minnesota Profile of Learning

 Content Standard: Read, Listen and View in the English Language: Reading
                                  Listening and Viewing Complex Information
Level:                        High School
Title of Package:      Listening and Viewing Complex Information

Summary Statement of Content Standard:

A student shall demonstrate the ability to comprehend and evaluate complex information. In varied non-fiction situations, they will read, listen to, and view varied English Language selections containing complex information. They will identify any bias or intent or points of view. They will consider how presentation affects the flow of information.

Description of Student Performances:

Task 1: Prepare and perform a one-minute radio or TV ad.

Task 2: Individually analyze a talk show and orally as a group report to the
 class their findings.

Task 3: Critically determine radio's popularity and share opinion with class.

Task 4. Group presentation of an original script, which includes one ad.

Final  Achievement: Use the following scoring criteria when evaluating
 student performance.

Scoring Criteria:
4--Performance on this standard achieves and exceeds expectations of high
 standard work.
3--Performance on this standard meets the expectations of high standard work.
2--Work on this standard has been completed, but performance is substantially
 below high standard level.
1--Work on this standard has been completed, but performance is substantially
 below high standard level.
No package score is recorded until ALL parts of the package have been
completed.
 

 
PERFORMANCE PACKAGE TASK 1
Listening and Viewing Complex Information

Content Standard: Reading, Listening, Viewing       Level: High School
                                 In English Language:  RLV
                                 Complex Information

Specific Statements from the Standard:
What students should know: Students should be able to identify various
 elements of an advertisement. They should be able to identify
 bias and points of view in an ad. They should be able to
 recognize what makes an ad successful. They should analyze the
 style of communication that appeals to a given audience and helps
 to shape the information sent.
 

What students should do: Students should consider items that have been
 advertised to them. They should determine the author/advertiser's
 intent. They should then choose a product or idea that they could
 "sell" to an audience, using a type of communication that will
 shape the intent of their information.

Product:     Students will prepare a text of an ad.
                  Students will perform the text of an ad.

Task Description: Prepare and perform a one minute radio or TV ad.

Special Notes: Consult existing radio and TV ads.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                 Performance Package Task 1
Listening and Viewing Complex Information
FEEDBACK CHECKLIST FOR TASK 1

The purpose of the checklist is to provide feedback to the student about his/her work relative to the content standard.  Have the standard available for reference.
Y=Yes
N=Needs Improvement

Student                                                                                                            Peer           Teacher

_______     The credibility of the ad's source is considered.                       _________     _______
_______     The author's intent and purpose of the ad is                             _________     _______
                    clearly identified.
_______     Visual/audible aids are effectively used to                               _________     _______
                    enhance message and shape the information.
_______      Message is well-delivered through volume, voice                  __________    _______
                    control, and pacing: the mode of communication
                    is considered.
________    Language is clear and appropriate to message.                       _________      _______
________    Presentation is evaluated based on how the type                    _________      _______
                     of communication shaped the flow of the info.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Performance Package Task 2
Listening and Viewing Complex Information

Content Standard: Reading, Listening, Viewing                                       Level: High School
English  Language: RLV Complex Information

Specific Statements From The Standard:

What students should know: Students should be able to evaluate a talk show,
 and be able to distinguish fact from fiction. They should
 clearly identify bias and points of view. They should analyze
 how the type of communication in the show shapes or limits
 information.

What students should do: Each student should watch or listen to a talk show.
 They should identify the main ideas shared. They should write a
 report on their findings of host bias, point of view, and intent.
 They should analyze and evaluate the credibility of the show.

Products:
          Students will prepare a written analysis of a talk show.
          Students will each be a part of a group oral report on their findings.

Task Description: Individually analyze a talk show and orally report as a
 group on their findings.

Special Notes: Refer to existing radio and TV talk shows.

 
Performance Package Task 2
Listening and Viewing Complex Information
FEEDBACK CHECKLIST FOR TASK 2

The purpose of the checklist is to provide feedback to the student about his/her work relative to the content standard.  Have the standard available for reference.
Y=Yes
N=Needs Improvement

Student                                                                                            Peer             Teacher

_______ Identification of host bias in written report.                   _______     _______
_______ Identification of host intent in a written                         _______     _______
               report (entertainment or information) .
_______ Speech as part of a group oral report on                        _______     ________
               evaluation of  program: clear and concise.
_______ Identification of show communication styles and          _______    ________
               how this affects informational delivery.
_______Written evaluation of credibility of source/host.             _______   _________
_______ Individual oral analysis of host point of view.                _______   ________