Level: Grade K to 3
About the author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts
Duration: 10-15 minutes per activity
This lesson is part of USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools.
Overview
Strands in the Technological Education curriculum
The overall and specific expectations for each course in the technological education curriculum are typically organized in four distinct but related strands. The strands are Fundamentals; Skills; Technology, the Environment, and Society; and Professional Practice and Career Opportunities.
The Grade Nine and Ten curriculum document Technological Education includes information on how media literacy is relevant to the content of these courses:
Thanks to the networked nature of the internet, in which information is always flowing both ways, there's no shortage of ways for apps, devices and websites to collect information about us.
In the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Framework, media literacy outcomes are included under the broader categories of Citizenship, Power and Governance; Groups and Institutions; Culture and Cultural Diversity; Individual Development and Identity; Global Connections; Individuals, Societies and Economic Choices; Participating in Social Studies; and People, Science and Technology.
In the Atlantic Canada Social Studies Framework, media literacy outcomes are included under the broader categories of Citizenship, Power and Governance; Groups and Institutions; Culture and Cultural Diversity; Individual Development and Identity; Global Connections; Individuals, Societies and Economic Choices; Participating in Social Studies; and People, Science and Technology.
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This printable activity sheet introduces basic media literacy skills and concepts and is suitable for use in homes, schools and libraries. It can be completed independently, but children will learn more if you discuss the activity with them. Younger children may need help reading the instructions and completing the activity.
According to the 2023 Elementary English Language Arts and Literature curriculum, “Language is a uniquely structured system that forms the basis for thinking, communicating, and learning.” The curriculum is built around the six strands of language learning: reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and representing, with each strand touching on aspects of digital media literacy. The K-6 curriculum notes that English Language Arts and Literature “[helps] students develop deep understandings of others and themselves, build and strengthen interpersonal relationships, and engage in responsible citizenship,” integrating digital citizenship within citizenship education. To that end, digital media literacy education is integrated into elements of ethical citizenship, critical analysis of literature, differentiation of fact from opinion, access of information, and citation of sources.
The Nova Scotia social studies curriculum includes expectations that incorporate media education themes. The curriculum document Foundation for the Atlantic Canada English Language Arts Curriculum: Social Studies (1999) includes a section that demonstrates the complementary relationship between media literacy and arts education: