BACK to Ontario Media Literacy Main Page
WIINDMILL PRESS (Canadian publisher of media literacy books and resources)
identify and describe categories of works typical of a particular medium
describe the function of different elements in magazines and newspapers
describe and explain how sound and image work together to create an effect
create a variety of media works
have students get into groups and after giving them a framework or guidelines, have them give the characterisitcs of a particular type of TV programming; some guidelines you might consider include: audience, principle people involved, setting, etc
have students choose a type of show and consider all the people who have roles on the show that we don't see when we watch an episode
have student-groups write 25 word descriptors of a type of TV programming which you assign to them; compile these on a handout and give the class a quiz
have students plan a particular type of programming and using the characteristics gathered, communicate that wihin the parameters of a given medium, difference and variety is celebrated; for example, talk shows utilize an audience, a host, include a monologue, etc--create a talk show with characteristics that match a specific target audience
take a closer look at time slot and target audience--discuss how these effect content
provide a series of shows with a brief descriptor and have students give time slots, target audience and reasons for their decisions; do this in chart form with four columns
choose specific types of magazines, newspapers, TV shows in which a particular product might be advertised (Knowledge of target audience might be helpful)
describe the relationship between sound and image in media
show a commercial in which you cover up the picture so that only the sound is heard; have students write a paragraph describing the kinds of images that might accompany this ad OR have students create the storyboard for the ad (limit them to 6-8 pictures)
give a list of musical instruments and list of emotions (happiness, sadness, sexiness) and have students match up the instrument with the sound; a third column in such a chart might include reasons why we make these associations
show the commercial without sound and after viewing the commercial several times, have students write a paragraph describing the types of sounds, music, voice-over and dialogue that might be included in the ad OR have the students write the sound script for the ad
give genres of films (comedy, horror, supsense) and have students list the kinds of sounds and music that usually accompany these types of movies (horror: lower-sounding instruments, drum-beats; comedy: higher-sounding instruments; action: orchestra); discuss the rules that exist within the making of media, rules the audience comes to expect (saxaphone music while a woman walks through a dark warehouse tells the audience a romantic encounter may occur, but if a slasher jumps out,and the music changes to "Yanky-doodle went to town," the audience feels cheated
cartoons are an excellent form of media to show the relationship between sound and action; analyze cartoons and have students do a variety of activities (picking out musical instruments, or choosing which instruments are used for "scaring," which are used to show a character is sad or laughing, etc)
publish a class newspaper in which students work in groups in different aspects of the paper
if you are reading a novel, create the newspaper in light of the novel (ie the newspaper could be in the town where the novel's story was set (lots about the paper has nothing to do with the events in the novel--sports, cartoons, etc)
record a radio drama, concentrating on the importance of sound; be sure to designate rolesof responsibility and cooperation in making something work
film a commercial, news cast or talk show, concentrating again on defined roles within the production
Click here for excellent STUDENT resources in teaching media literacy and reading
