SAMPLE LESSON PLANS
Messages and Meaning
How to Use "Messages and Meaning":
The information explosion is here ... It will become more important than ever for readers and viewers to be able to process media messages critically. This curriculum guide serves as an introduction to the forms and issues related to media literacy. The activities are designed for middle-school students, but may be adapted for upper elementary or secondary students.
Teacher Background Information:
Five articles provide teachers with information about media and media messages: "Some Questions about Media Literacy" defines media terms; "How Students Construct Meaning in Media" suggests a model for understanding; "Newspapers and Media Literacy" introduces five concepts; "Analysis of Messages and Meaning Activities" identifies the instructional concepts and "How Well Do You Know News Media" provides suggestions to teachers for becoming more familiar themselves with the media landscape students encounter.
Instructional Activities:
Activities are organized around four units: Accessing, Analyzing, Evaluating and Communicating Media Messages.
Sample Activity One (page 38 of the curriculum guide):
Name________________________
Date_________________________
Fun with Fonts
- When print is the medium for a message, the person doing the communication must think of more than just words. The look of the message also conveys information to the reader. One way to give your message a distinctive look is through the font, or the style of letters, you use. Look at the samples of fonts below. Select one for each of the purposes listed below. You may use any font as often as you like.
Fonts:
 
 
 
 
 
A bank _________________
A diet book _________________
A pet store _________________
A movie about vampires _________________
An invitation to a graduation _________________
A business card for a rock musician _________________
A poster for a concert of classical music _________________
A logo for a football team _________________
- Look at the fonts used on several items around your home — a cereal box, a CD cover, a frozen food, an electronic appliance. How are they different?
__________________________________________
- How do they convey the message?
__________________________________________
- Which of the above fonts do they most resemble?
A cereal box ___________________________
A CD Cover ___________________________
A frozen food ___________________________
An electronic appliance ___________________________
Sample Activity Two (page 16 of the curriculum guide):
Name________________________
Date_________________________
Functions of Newspaper Messages
News stories, feature stories, editorials, columns, ads — the different parts of the newspaper — have different purposes. They may provide information, be persuasive or entertain. Look through the newspapers to find examples of these different functions. List your findings on the chart below. Compare your findings with classmates.
Identifying Media Messages
Media messages have economic, social and aesthetic purposes. It's very important that students nowadays can identify what is or is not a media message. Which of the following are media messages? Check "yes" if you think the item is a media message, "no" if you do not.
| |
yes |
no |
| A newspaper story about the president |
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| The "Top 10 Countdown" of rock records on the radio |
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| A traffic sign |
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| A television commercial for laundry detergent |
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| A billboard promoting a local bank |
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| A photograph of a model wearing Lee's jeans in a clothing store |
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| An editorial in the newspaper |
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| An announcement of an upcoming concert on a poster at a grocery store |
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| The "EXIT" sign in a school |
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| A movie preview before the feature at a theater |
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| A T-shirt from an amusement park |
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| A class play in a high school |
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| Pictures of elves and cookies on the outside of a bag of cookies |
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| A nose ring on a teenager |
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Answer:
All of the above are media messages. Even a body decoration, such as a nose ring or a tattoo, can send a message, using the body as the medium. Go through the list again. Decide the purpose of each and check the appropriate box.
| |
Inform |
Persuade |
Advertise |
Entertain |
| A newspaper story about the president |
|
|
|
|
| The "Top 10 Countdown" of rock records on the radio |
|
|
|
|
| A traffic sign |
|
|
|
|
| A television commercial for laundry detergent |
|
|
|
|
| A billboard promoting a local bank |
|
|
|
|
| A photograph of a model wearing Lee's jeans in a clothing store |
|
|
|
|
| An editorial in the newspaper |
|
|
|
|
| An announcement of an upcoming concert on a poster at a grocery store |
|
|
|
|
| The "EXIT" sign in a school |
|
|
|
|
| A movie preview before the feature at a theater |
|
|
|
|
| A T-shirt from an amusement park |
|
|
|
|
| A class play in a high school |
|
|
|
|
| Pictures of elves and cookies on the outside of a bag of cookies |
|
|
|
|
| A nose ring on a teenager |
|
|
|
|
From "Messages and Meaning: A Guide to Understanding Media" by: Sherrye Dee Garrett, Ed.D., Newspaper in Education, Lancaster (Pa.) Newspapers Inc.; Jean Frey, M.A., Elementary Language Arts, Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools; Michael Wildasin, J.D., High School Social Studies, Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools; and Renee Hobbs, Ed.D., Harvard University, Babson College, Wellesley, Mass., and sponsored by the Newspaper Association of America Foundation; the International Reading Association; the National Council for the Social Studies, and endorsed by the Canadian Daily Newspapers Association.
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