Designed by
This unit allows students to investigate media from an objective point of view. It encourages students to assess their attitudes and behaviors and see how they are affected by media influences.
Science Content and Performance Standards Addressed
Social Studies Standards Addressed
Language Arts Standards Addressed
Mathematics Standards Addressed
(H) - Humanities
(S) - Science
(M) - Mathematics
Day 11/12 - Humanties: The students will investigate who owns the media networks/outlets and how they can influence our decisions and choices.
Introduction
This unit was developed at San Diego State University in EDTEC 596, Interdisciplinary Teaching with Technology, Bernie Dodge, Instructor.
Content Areas and Grades
Mathematics, Science, and Humanities subject areas combine to stimulate seventh and eighth grade students with interactive or stand alone lessons. This unit could be adjusted to a difficulty level appropriate for almost any grade level.
Curriculum Standards
Organizing Theme and Guiding Questions
Our guiding questions address the issue that we are living in a mediated world. Our unit hopes to create questions that will make our students reflect on the world around them.
Guiding Question
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
How does the media influence what we do?
TV logs (H)
Survey Coke/Pepsi (M)
Analyze media coverage of HIV research(S)
Who controls the media?
Research who owns the media outlets (H)
Health influences in society (S)
Was life different before mass media?
Explore lifestyles & buying patterns before mass media (H)
Compare time in front of TV with other activities (M)
How does media (commercials) affect our daily life?
Nutrition information (S)
Review what we buy & why (H)
Find the ratio of shows to commercials (M)
Create a personal food log (S)
Write an alien's perspective on a new colonization of Earth (H)
Why do we watch what we watch on TV?
Take internet VALS categorization for self evaluation (M)
Sex Ed., HIV, AIDS -How much is correctly reported? (S)
Using VALS information to see how statistics are used by the media (M)
Stage a debate on the censorship of TV violence (H)
Implementation Overview
Our unit is multidisciplinary, where the three subject areas are independent and there is no integration among the individual disciplines. Each subject area has its own time frame, but the entire unit takes approximately two to three weeks. The lessons are taught in each core class period, everyday, during the implementation of the unit.
Material Resources Needed
Human Resources Needed
There are three teachers needed to implement this unit, however, one teacher can implement this unit in their given subject area. A fieldtrip to a retirement home is suggested for the Humanities block.
Entry Level Skills and Knowledge
Outline of Activities
Humanities Science Math
Day 1 - Humanities: Students are asked to pretend they are aliens who have just landed on Earth. They have the task of looking at T.V., as an artifact, and reporting back to their planet about the culture of America.
Day 1/2 - Science: This lesson allows the students to design and conduct an experiment based on their own definition of "Best Ketchup". Online information about designing a Ketchup experiment and Ketchup food labels is available for experimental research if needed. The students then present their results and reflect on their own values. Lead into a discussion/journal write on nutritional value.
Day 1/2/3 - Math: This is a three day lesson. The students will take a Coke vs. Pepsi taste test. They will analyze the statistics from the data gathered.
Day 2/3/4/5 - Humanities: Students will be researching violence on t.v. They will be looking at the effects violence has on society. They will have to decide if violence on t.v. should be eliminated or not, then they will write a persuasive paper in support of their decision.
Day 3/4/5 - Science: Students will keep a 3 day food pyramid log, learn to read food labels and complete a online food label scavenger hunt. A reflection on the food log will lead into establishing goals to improve eating habits. Students will also investigate the food pyramid requirements and create an informational poster on the food pyramid using magazine pictures.
Day 4/5/6 - Math: Students will be asked to write down everything they do in a twenty-four hour period. Students will be asked to compare the time they spent in front of the T.V. to the time they spent with hobbies, homework, and other activities that they did during the twenty-four hour period.
Day 6/7/8 - Humanties: Students will be asked to compare their buying patterns to the buying patterns of the 1920's and 1930's.
Day 6/7 - Science: A reflection on the food log will lead into establishing goals to improve eating habits. Students will also investigate the food pyramid requirements and create an informational poster on the food pyramid using magazine pictures.
Day 7/8 - Math: The evening before, students will have to watch a TV show of their choice and time it from beginnning to end. Also, they need to count the number of commercials and time each commercial within the TV show they watched.
Day 9/10 - Humanties:In groups of 4 the students will create a commercial for a worthless product.
Day8/9/10 - Science: In groups, students will use STD pamphlets to create a poster for the different diseases, then find three sources on the internet to verify the information in the pamplets. Can they find scientific research to support statements in the pamplets? On the last day the students will simulate the spread of HIV using test tubes of "simulated body fluids" with one unknown infected test tube. Students then write conclusions on how quickly the "virus" spread and on an infected person's responsibilities.
Day 8/9/10 - Math: Each student will take the VALS self evaluation survey on the internet. After all of the students are finished with the survey, they will look at the data on VALS2 and write about how the statistics from this survey are used by the media.
Evaluation
This unit will be successful if the students' products reflect the standards afore mentioned. This will occur if the quality shows a personal investment and original thought. As well, the group responsibilities and participation is an underlying issue in assessment.
Conclusion
The worthiness of this unit resides in the fact that media has such a powerful influence on modern life. The outcome of this unit is teaching students the process of making personal choices. One important element of this process is doing the necessary research needed to make educated choices. Giving students these tools to reflect on the media will give them the power to make their own decisions.