Level: Grades 4 to 6

Author: Adapted, with permission from, Television Families: A Media Literacy Resource Unit, Grades 2 - 6. The Waterloo County Board of Education © 1992.

Overview

In this lesson, students identify the differences between TV families and real families by analyzing the conventions used by TV shows; and by comparing the problems and actions of television families to real world families. Students begin by analyzing and discussing excerpts from television shows about families (selected by the teacher). Using observation charts, students then work in groups to deconstruct programs about families.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

• an awareness of the codes and conventions used in television to portray families
• an understanding how the media construct reality
• an awareness of how they, as an audience, respond to these codes and conventions

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