Media Literacy Discussion Guide

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Students will gain an understanding of media literacy through lessons and activities that teach critical thinking/viewing skills, visual media analysis, and discussion and debate.

In today's world, we are able to communicate news as events unfold moment to moment. Through online, print, and visual media, we can experience history as it occurs. With so many types of media (television broadcasts, radio, Internet, online blogs, pod casts, newspapers/magazines/books, and movies/films) there are a plethora of messages to take in, process, and evaluate.

Scholastic has developed this Media Literacy Discussion Guide to support teachers and help students hone their critical thinking and viewing skills as they learn to interpret visual media messages. The suggested lessons and activities may be used in conjunction with The Path to 9/11 miniseries but are also adaptable to other presentations you may select as examples.

Encourage your students to discuss the historical events that shape our world through open discussion and debate in the classroom.

OBJECTIVE

Students will:

1. Define different types of visual media.
2. Analyze media messages through a critical lens.
   
3. Identify the purpose of media messages. (i.e. inform, entertain, persuade)
4. Consider how the media may be affected by social, economic, political, and other factors.
5. Engage in peer-to-peer discussion and debate.Use primary sources.

LESSONS FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: One Event: Different Perspectives
Lesson 2: Through Many Lenses: How Are Countries Depicted By the Media
Lesson 3: How are People Portrayed by Different Media?

CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Share the definitions on the Understanding Visual Media worksheet with students before beginning lessons 1, 2, and 3.

• Understanding Visual Media (PDF)
  
  A. Discussion: Watch the local evening news and select one news event to report on in class. The goal is to present a report that is factually based, avoiding personal values or opinions. The class will then critically view the report, identify any evident personal values or opinions and give feedback.
  
  B. Essay Writing: After viewing The Path to 9/11, write an essay in response to the question: What is it about The Path to 9/11 program that characterizes the miniseries as a docudrama as compared to a documentary, news report, or other form of visual media?
  
  C. Debate: Is one type of visual medium better than others to portray a real-life historic event? Engage in a classroom discussion and have students outline the pros and cons for each example
  
  D. Analytical Writing:
  Compare and contrast reviews of The Path to 9/11 from various media sources, such as CNN, Fox News, National Public Radio (NPR), New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Parade Magazine, TV Guide, or your local newspaper. 

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