The Final Project

The following media literacy lessons are designed for Grade 8.  Although collaboration with the classroom teacher is the best scenario, the lessons are designed to be taught in isolation by the librarian/tech integrationist.

Standards:
ALA Standard#2
The student who is information literate weighs information carefully and wisely to determine its quality. That student understands traditional and emerging principles for assessing the accuracy, validity, relevance, completeness, and impartiality of information. The student applies these principles insightfully across information sources and formats and uses logic and informed judgment to accept, reject, or replace information to meet a particular need.
Indicator 1. Determines accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness.
Indicator 2. Distinguishes among fact, point of view, and opinion.
Indicator 3. Identifies inaccurate and misleading information

NETS for students #6 Technology Operations and Concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.  Students:
A.understand and use technology systems
B. select and use applications effectively and productively.
C. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

NETS #2
Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Goal:  Students will increase their awareness of different forms of communication used by media corporations. 

Objective:  Given the following four words presented orally, medium, media and media literacy, end product placement, students will recite the correct definitions.

Objective:  With a prompt from the teacher, students will recite five mediums used by advertisement corporations.

Activities:
Pass our the worksheet "Advertising Pros and Cons" and ask students to fill in the table.  Collect worksheet.  This will be used as a guide to determine student's knowledge about advertisements.  It will be used again at the end of the unit.
1. Assign students to a partner or a group of four, depending on class location.

2.       Ask a student to distribute sticky notes and pencils to each group.

3.       Inform students they will be learning about media literacy and why this is important.

4.       Ask students if they can provide a definition of literacy and media.  Fill in gaps as needed and then explain how they are connected.

5.       Inform students that there are multiple forms of communication and that each form is considered a medium.  Mediums provide messages and tell stories. 

6.       Ask student pairs to write down any medium they can think that is a form of communication on the sticky notes.   Encourage students to find think of the most unusual example of a medium.

7.       Look a Google presentation of examples of a medium.  Ask students to share their medium.

8.       Ask students to upload photos from Flickr creative commons for an example of their medium if not found in presentation.

9.       Ask Students if they think they can turn off advertisements/ avoid them? Allow discussion.

10.   Show NO LOGO Brand Bombing @ 16:06 minutes.

11.   Pause between 17:09=18:02 and discuss how advertisers sneak in mention of their product into television shows and movies and that this action is called product placement. 

12.   Finish clip until 19:28.

13.   Ask students to post a 4-6 sentence reflection about the clip on “Brand Bombing” on the class blog.  What does "brand bombing" mean for the consumer? Try and use the term product placement or medium in your post. 

14.   Ask students to listen closely next time they are watching television or a movie and take notice of any mention of products or names on television or in movie.   Give students the option of posting a comment about what they saw on a TV show or movie.   Possible incentive provided.

15.   Provide time for thoughts or comments about additional mediums they saw in clip or other ideas.

Materials

• sticky notes and pencils
• Google Presentation 
• Copy of the film NO LOGO
• Private Classroom blog with permission settings that allow students to comment and upload
• Computer access/ all students have Netbooks 
• Advertising Pros & Cons worksheet

Knowledge/Skills Gained:
New knowledge of the omnipresence of advertisements in our culture in its various forms.  Exposure to Google Aps, Flickr Creative Commons, & Blogs.   Increased collaboration skills with classmates.  
Assessment:
Posts from the class blog will be used to evaluate students understanding of medium and product placement. Teacher will random selection will also be used to evaluate retention of definitions. Additional slides added to the Google presentation will also be used to determine student's understanding of medium.

Expectations:
My Students who do not have an opportunity to leave our rural community may be less aware of the advertisements in public spaces. All students have access to movies and television and should be able to find examples in them. Blogs have not been used with this class successfully in the past. Clear purpose and expectations and understanding of consequences will be discussed prior to the beginning of this exercise.   Students always enjoy videos.  This video was well done, sound movement keep viewer engaged.  I love the ability to use segments of it.


Google Presentation

To continue viewing additional lessons on media education please go to the following Google Docs:
http://tinyurl.com/morelessons