Teaching Media: Media Techniques Lesson Plan

Television

Level: Grades 1 to 6

Author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts

This lesson is part of USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools.

Overview

In this lesson, students learn how different media use different techniques to communicate meaning.

Learning Outcomes

Big ideas/key concepts:

Media are constructions

  • Media makers make conscious and unconscious choices when making a media work

Each medium has a unique aesthetic form

  • Different media use different techniques to draw and direct attention

Key questions:

Know: Students will learn the following essential domain knowledge:

  • Reading Media: Differences and similarities between media types; “rules of notice” used in different media to draw and direct attention

Understand: Students will explore the following big ideas/key concepts:

  • Media are constructions: Media makers make conscious and unconscious choices when making a media work
  • Each medium has a unique aesthetic form: Different media use different techniques to draw and direct attention

Do: Students will understand the differences and similarities between media forms by analyzing the similarities and differences between media forms

This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.

Lesson Kit