1. Media Literacy

2. What is media?
In your table groups discuss what could be a good definition of media. Work together and create a shared definition.
“Media” refers to the means of communication used to share information and ideas with large numbers of people.

3. Brainstorm Activity: What do you do during your typical weekend?
What I do
Media we experienced
Discuss: Does anything surprise you when you look at your interactions with media? How do you feel about your exposure to media? Id it too much, too little, just right? Explain.

4. Huh
By the time the average young person completes grade 12, they will have spent 3000 to 4000 more hours watching TV than hours spent in the classroom.
What do you think of that statistic?
What does this mean for you?

5. Various kinds of media influence people’s perception of current events, commercial products, other people, and even themselves.
Media plays a prominent role in day-to-day activities of individuals, especially teens.

6. Media Influence

7. Popular Media
What are the different types popular media that you would come in contact on a daily basis?
How often are you exposed to various media types?
Magazines, newspapers, tv, movies, ads, internet(popup, FB ads, spam, twitter…) think about walking through the mall or downtown
Ask: When does a cell phone become an instrument of mass media? Which parts of internet chat rooms are person communication and which parts are mass media?

8. Activity -
In your notebook, make a list of different types of popular media and how it affects your daily lives. Be thorough and specific with your writing.
While creating your list check to see if your examples of media can be grouped together.
Three main media groups: print, screen, audio
Ask: Can you think of any other typed of media that can be added to your list?
Which type of media is most prominent in your experience? Which is least prominent? Which do you enjoy? Why?

9. How do these Examples influence individuals?

10. How are these advertisements similar? Different?
These ads are targeted to a specific age group. Can you think of other media communications targeted to audiences by other means besides age? Age, gender, interests like sports fans or techies, cultural or ethnic group…

12. Why we buy
1/3 of Auckland, New Zealand, viewed this advertising campaign and many contacted the ad company looking to buy this fictional product, they knew the brand but not the product. Are their any situations where you may “buy in” to a product without realizing it? (Axe body spray, following someone on Twitter, FB or Instagram because they have a lot of followers.

13. All Messages are ‘constructed.’
One of the important Key Questions to consider when we view various types of media is Who Created This Message?
All Messages are ‘constructed.’
When we say that all media messages are constructed, we mean that all media messages have been assembled by someone.
Mad Men
That “someone” could be a single person, or it could be a large organization. The messages and values embedded in this particular piece of media are those of the people who created it.

14. Whether we are watching news or a movie, passing a billboard on the side of a bus, or reading a magazine, the media message that we experience was created by very smart and talented people whose job it is to make us feel something.

15. Written Activity
Look through the available magazines and pay attention to the advertisements. Pick 2 that speaks to you and describe the feelings it bring up and whether you felt that it was effective or not. Describe in detail the colours, images and effectiveness of the ad.

16. Thoughts on Activity Did you find ads targeted at you? What were they?
How does it feel to be “targeted?” Is it a bad thing? Is it fair?