Media StudiesGrade 7

Mrs. Raichek D-105 Phone: 610-627-6734

Media Studies meets three times during the 6-day cycle for one marking period during periods 8 & 9.

Goals of the class:

Work on developing students’ digital and media literacy skills so they can become more critical consumers and producers of media. The course will study different types of media (digital and print) and give students practice in asking key questions about the messages they watch and listen to so they may better understand them. These key questions focus on:

  • Authorship (who created the message and why?)
  • Format (What creative techniques grab/keep attention, and how do these techniques affect what the message means?)
  • Audience (Why do people interpret the same message differently? Why aren’t all messages, like ads, the same?)
  • Purpose (to entertain? Inform? Persuade? How do different purposes affect what a message means?)
  • Content (What values, lifestyles, points of view does the message include? How do you think you should interpret the message?)

Using this framework, students develop a “toolbox” they can use to study, work with and interpret the diverse and numerous messages they receive through media at school and – more importantly – OUTSIDE of school, in life.

Topics of Study:

  • Media Literacy – Continue learning about what it means to be “media literate,” and the 5 key questions to ask when looking at ANY media message.
  • News/Current Events – What’s going on in the world? How can you determine if news, and other sources of information, you see in the media is accurate?
  • Gender Stereotypes in the Media: What is a gender stereotype? How do the media portray males and females? What are some of the more popular gender stereotypes media portray? How accurate/inaccurate are these stereotypes?
  • Social Media: How can you be safe online or using social media?What is a “digital footprint?” Why is “Public and Permanent” an important concept? What responsibilities do you have as a user of social media?

Class Materials:

  1. The Philadelphia Inquirer (hard copy and digital versions)
  2. The Internet – YouTube, TV (news and segments of other shows), TV commercials, movie trailers, other web sites
  3. Various magazines – including print advertisements
  4. Materials/lesson plans from a variety of sources involved with the study of the media and media/digital literacy.
  5. NOTE: AS STUDENTS OF MEDIA, YOUR CHILD WILL SOMETIMES BE ASKED TO WATCH TV FOR HOMEWORK! PLEASE ADVISE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

Homework/Grading

Grades will be determined by evaluating student performance on several assignments completed MOSTLY in class. Each assignment will have a specific point value and the grade will be based on the number of points earned for the marking period.

Homework and assignments will be posted in class, on the class website AND on the students’ Google Classroom web page. Students should bring assignment books to class AND check their Google Classroom page regularly!

Students who are absent are responsible for making up missed work. Absent students are responsible for checking the class website or with classmates/teacher. Students are encouraged to have a “homework buddy.”

I AM ONE OF THE HOMEWORK CLUB ADVISORS, SO I AM AVAILABLE AFTER SCHOOL ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM 3 – 4 PM, AND ON MOST OTHER DAYS, BY REQUEST, AS WELL. TELL YOUR CHILD TO COME SEE ME FOR EXTRA HELP IF NEEDED!

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