Media+Literacy+Unit

GRADE 6 Unit on MEDIA LITERACY

Media literacy is a strand in the Language subject area. It could easily be integrated throughout the language curriculum or stand as its own unit. I may develop learning activities which focus on advertising to help meet the expectations. Here are the overall expectations and clusters of specific expectations. I would plan about three periods for examining conventions of advertising and the impact of advertising and three periods for the creation of a media text and reflection.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

1. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts; 2. identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning; 3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques; 4. reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

1. Understanding Media Texts

By the end of Grade 6, students will:

Purpose and Audience

1.1 explain how a variety of media texts address their intended purpose and audience

Making Inferences/Interpreting Messages

1.2 interpret media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations

Point of View

1.5 identify whose point of view is presented in a media text, identify missing or alternative points of view, and, where appropriate, determine whether the chosen view achieves a particular goal

Production Perspectives

1.6 identify who produces various media texts, the reason for their production, how they are produced, and how they are funded

2. Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques

Form

2.1 describe in detail the main elements of some media forms

Conventions and Techniques

2.2 identify the conventions and techniques used in some familiar media forms and explain how they help convey meaning and influence or engage the audience

3. Creating Media Texts

Purpose and Audience

3.1 describe in specific detail the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to create, and identify challenges they may face in achieving their purpose

Conventions and Techniques

3.3 identify conventions and techniques appropriate to the form chosen for a media text they plan to create, and explain how they will use the conventions and techniques to help communicate their message

Producing Media Texts

3.4 produce a variety of media texts for specific purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques

4. Reflecting on Media Literacy

Metacognition

4.1 identify what strategies they found most helpful in making sense of and creating media texts, and explain how these and other strategies can help them improve as media viewers/listeners/producers

Interconnected Skills

4.2 explain how their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing help them to make sense of and produce media texts Teacher prompt: "Which reading and listening comprehension strategies help you most in developing interpretations of media texts such as movies and advertisements?"