Media Smarts
The Broadcast Project
As part of a unit on media studies, kids are asked to chart their viewing habits, observe the advertising that sponsors their favorite shows, and then to imagine what they would broadcast if given a block of airtime.
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Diversity in Media: Looking Critically at What We See
This learning experience fosters awareness of representations we see, and don't see, in the media. Learners list TV programs, games, and films they enjoy, identify characters' ethnic, religious, (dis)ability, and sexual orientation...
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Family Newscast
Students report on family trends, functions of the family and various ways of selecting marriage partners. For this family lesson plan, students act as editors, commercial skits, and writers for a newscast about families.
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Ancient Cultures News Broadcast
How does geography influence daily life? Guided by an essential question, class groups select and then research an ancient culture, and develop a news broadcast about the geographical setting and its impact on the culture. Teams select...
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"War of the Worlds": A Broadcast Re-Creation
Why did Orson Welles' 1938 Broadcast of a adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds cause such a panic? To answer this question, class members listen to the original broadcast and research the panic that resulted. They then engage...
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Newscast From An Ancient City
Seventh graders produce a newscast from an Ancient Roman city. In this journalism and history lesson, 7th graders work in groups to dramatize a historical event from the Roman Empire. students sequence the events, role-play, and create...
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Breaking News English: TV News about Russia
In this TV News about Russia learning exercise, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion...
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News
How does broadcast news differ from accounts reported in newspapers? On the radio? Through the Internet? Middle schoolers discuss the news and speak about the differences between news in print and broadcast news. Given a list of six...
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History of Television
Students investigate the history of Television by using the Internet. In this timeline activity, students discuss and take notes on the 10 main events in Television history and create a timeline through education software. Students...
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Using News Broadcasts in Japan and the U.S as Cultural Lenses
Students view archives of news broadcasts in order to create a context of cultural understanding. They compare and contrast the news broadcasts in Japan and the United States.
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TV Viewing
Pupils test a hypothesis to see if there is a direct correlation between number of hours of TV viewing and academic grade. They collect and compile data to enter on a spreadsheet and create a word processing document supporting their...
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Challenger Explosion Photograph Analysis
Young historians turn into detectives in a thought-provoking activity on the Challenger Explosion. The activity uses an image of President Reagan watching the Challenger explode on live TV to help academics practice historical analysis....
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Americas Idols
Students engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the concept of American Idol and the controversy that surrounds the broadcast. They conduct research using a variety of resources and write paragraphs that state opinions...
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Radio Broadcasting Before Television
Students compare the radio to other forms of mass communication. In this Radio Broadcasting Before Television lesson, students learn the different types of radio shows in the 1920s and 30s. Students write and perform radio scripts...
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World War II Multimedia Newscast: History, Technology, Journalism
High schoolers compose a multi-media newscast on various subjects relating to WWII to demonstrate their knowledge and ability to research.
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Power and Impact of Radio as a Broadcast Medium
Learners compare radio coverage of news events with coverage of 21st century new stories. They analyze various forms of media as they relate to news coverage. They write an essay comparing the impact of radio versus that of television
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The First Televised War
Young scholars view a film about the role of the media in the Vietnam War. They discuss the risks journalists face when covering a war and how the television changed how people at home saw the war. They answer questions to complete the...
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Really Shocking
Students examine statistics about kidney transplants. In this current events lesson, students discuss the premise of the reality television show, "Big Donor Show." Students also discover the functions of the kidneys as well as the kidney...
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World War One Newscast
Students complete research on the causes, battles, weapons, leaders and results of World War One and use the information to create Newscasts of the topics. These newscasts are then presented to the class.
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Breaking News English: Russia Bans America's ABC TV News Team
In this English instructional activity, students read "Russia Bans America's ABC TV News Team," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
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You Are There: Television News Reports on Apartheid
Learners, in groups, research apartheid and its effects on South Africa. They present their information to the class.
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Reporting on the 1920s
Use this roaring 1920s history lesson to have young writers research primary and secondary sources. They use their research to examine the events or famous public figures of the time period. Next, they imagine they're in the 1920s and...
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To Be or Not to Be
Students gather information about setting goals through a variety of activities. In this setting goals instructional activity, students view a PowerPoint that explains the outcomes of the project, take notes, interview a local business...
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Comparing the Satellite and Broadcast Radio Landscapes
High schoolers research the development of satellite technology over the last 50 years students explain how the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed the rules for corporate ownership of multiple media outlets.