Date(s): Days 3-9 of the media unit / Topic:Creating a media campaign on a water related issue
Grade Level: 8 / Time(s):6 - 40 min class plus one art class
Background information: Where does this fit in to the overall unit plan?
The Language Media unit will be done parallel to the Water unit in science and the Patterns in human geography unit in Geography. All are being done through a “Water lens” in that we are looking specifically at how water affects many of the patterns in human geography and do our media project on a water issue that comes out of either the science or geography unit.
The visual part of the campaign will be assessed for art if it is a poster campaign and the radio or video script will be assessed for Drama as part of the arts strands.
These six classes build on each other as the students plan and create a media campaign to address a social justice issue pertaining to water. One class during the creation of the campaign will be an Art/Drama class allowing them to use their full creativity on the project.
Note: In Language arts the media unit will be done alternating with a Novel study on a novel of their choice with a e theme of water – Drought, floods, river voyages etc. are all fair game
Curriculum Expectations:
3. Creating Media Texts
Over the course of this part of the unit they will be producing a media text relating to a water related issue so will be touching on almost every expectation in this strand
Purpose and Audience
3.1 explain why they have chosen the topic for a media text they plan to create (e.g., a poster advertising a class fund-raising campaign to appeal to local parent groups, businesses, or service organizations), and identify challenges they may face in engaging and/or influencing their intended audience
Teacher prompt: "What are the challenges involved in reaching each of these groups? How can you appeal to all of the groups in a single poster? If you were to develop three posters, one for each of them, how would the posters differ?"
Form
3.2 identify an appropriate form to suit the purpose and audience for a media text they plan to create (e.g., a multimedia presentation about their class or grade, to be presented to parents during graduation ceremonies) and explain why it is an appropriate choice
Teacher prompt: "What different types of media could you use for the presentation? How would they be organized and combined?"
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 (e.g., conventions in advertisements for a product to appeal to different age groups among the students: text, images, "free offer" promotional gimmicks; techniques: use of age-appropriate content in all elements of the advertisement)
Teacher prompt: "What are the important things you need to know about your audience when designing your media text?"
Visual arts
- produce two- and three-dimensional works of art (i.e., works involving media and techniques used in drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking) that communicate a range of thoughts, feelings, and experiences for specific purposes and to specific audiences
– describe, in their plan for a work of art, the main idea they wish to communicate and the artistic decisions they have made to support that message;
- identify strengths and areas for improvement in their own work and that of others, and describe possible strategies for improving their work.
Or
Drama
-select appropriate themes that deal with specific situations and that are aimed at a specific audience;
– produce work as a member of an ensemble.
– review drama and dance performances, orally or in writing, critiquing the use of elements and techniques in the particular genre of the piece;
– evaluate the overall effect of a performance in drama and dance, analyzing the key elements;
How does this address equity/Social Justice?
The media presentation explicitly addresses an area of concern about water – thus bringing the social justice aspects of water conservation and access to safe water to the attention of the school where the presentations will be shown
Assessment Strategies:
Observation/notes on group work and discussion - Formative assessment
Observation/notes on oral presentations - Formative assessment
Interviews and conferences with working groups – Formative assessment
Rubric for written responses, final project and reference lists – Summative assessment
Assessment Strategies:
X Observation
X Anecdotal Notes
Work Samples
X Interview/Conference
Checklist / X Learning Log/Journal
Self-assessment
Peer-assessment
X Rubric / Presentation/Performance
Audio/Video/
Technological Presentation
X Project
X Oral Reports
Other
Indicators:How will you know that your students have achieved the expectations? What will the achievement look like?
They will be able to identify target audience in both the ads they will view and those they create. They will critically analyze the ad using criteria. They will write using grade level writing conventions.
Accommodations and Modifications:
By working in groups this allows the students who did not fully understand the assignment to get clarification from their group mates. By allowing the final product to be in a number of different forms this allows the kids who have weaknesses in areas of written work to still accomplish the task by producing a video, sound or visual presentation. If some kids need more time these 5 classes may not be consecutive but may be alternated with other language activities allowing more time between classes to get ideas and get them together.
Resources: / Outline:
Over a number of days students will research a topic and create a media ad around a water related issue targeted at a specific audience.
Day 1
Results of the water testing science lab
Land use maps from geography unit
Background information sources for them to use to research water related issues such as:
- consumption of bottled water and tap water
- Water usage by various appliances
- Beach closure statistics
- Erosion of shoreline
- Flooding
- High water safety issues
- Ice safety issues
- groundwater
- Land use issues
- Other areas of interest they have identified
Assessment – none however they must have submitted a topic and target audience for approval
(done/not done on checklist) / Beginning – Day 1
In groups of 3-4, based on the examples of storm water ads, they are to come up with a water related topic for their ad campaign. They could choose from one of the suggested topics or come up with one of their own. Suggested topics include:
- consumption of bottled water and tap water
- Water usage by various appliances
- Beach closure statistics
- Erosion of shoreline
- Flooding
- High water safety issues
- Ice safety issues
- groundwater
- Land use issues
- Other areas of interest they have identified
With their group they are to decide upon the subject of their ad, what group they will be targeting with their ad, the format and what basic message it will convey. to start thinking of a message for their ad and a target audience. Their audience could be students, families, business people or another target group.
They are to get verbal approval of their topic and target audience from the instructor before proceeding
They are then to start planning their ad and come up with a story board for a media campaign to get their target audience to change their behavior. This will involve a script, identifying the audience, planning the ad and reflecting on WHY they feel this ad would be effective at promoting the desired behavioral change.
The ad can be a radio ad (script) a television/u-tube ad (story board or power point style story board), a skit that could be filmed (script) – (video can be done but is not required) or a poster campaign of at least 3 different posters (could be on power point on the theme) – one for transit, one for print, one for billboards
If a radio or television ad format is chosen it will also be evaluated as a DRAMA project
If a poster campaign is chosen it will be evaluated as a VISUAL ARTS project
End – Day 1
Have them decide what information they need to gather to design their ad and be ready to bring that wish list in for next class.
Day 2 and 3
Examples of how to reference materials
Some computer resource time (one period)
Library research time (one period)
Assessment – Diagnostic of the referencing information submitted
To inform future instruction
(done/not done on checklist) / Day 2
Beginning
Review how to reference various sources of material for a bibliography – Books, articles, websites etc. At the end of each research day they will need to individually turn in a list of materials searched and a one or two line description of what they found out.
Middle
One library day and one computer lab day to research and do creative work on their ad
End
An individual summery of resources found (books, articles, websites etc.) and a minimum one line description of each reference they used and what they found out on each to be turned in at the end of each of these classes to help keep them on task. (teaching referencing and bibliography skills) This will also be revised and attached for the evaluation at the end.
This will not be marked at this point but will be used as a diagnostic assessment as to the referencing skills of the class and inform teaching for the next research day
Day 2 and 3
Examples of how to reference materials
Some computer resource time (one period)
Library research time (one period)
Assessment – submission of reference list – formative – to see if any audience for approval
(done/not done on checklist) / Day 3
Beginning
Correct any overall problems with referencing materials with examples.
Middle
Same pattern for research as day 2 with the same reference requirement at the end of the day. This day will be the opposite of day 2 – Library or computer lab depending on availability
End
Collect reference list at end of class
Day 4
Paper, markers, paint etc for making posters or story boards for media ads
Assessment- Notes on group conferences and observations / Day 4
All reference lists returned
Start/continue working on the creative part of their media presentation - On all three work days try to check in with all of the groups to ask questions and make notes as to how the process is going and scaffold areas that are not progressing as desired. Clear up any misunderstandings and areas of confusion for the whole class and take the opportunity to conference with each group to see what they are thinking. A rough outline of the campaign (storyboard or rough script or rough concept drawings for poster campaign) identifying target audience, message and method to reach them as well as an outline of the content of the campaign is to be handed in at the end of this class.
End
This is also when they must request any equipment for the final presentations so that it can be available for the presentation day.
Day 5
Same as day 4
Assessment- Notes on group conferences and observations / Day 5 – Art class – see detailed art lesson
Concentrated creative work on presentations – On all three work days check in with the groups and ask questions and make notes as to how the process is going and scaffold areas that are not progressing as desired.
Ongoing assessment on all three work days with group conferences, Observation and Anecdotal Notes
Day 6
Same as days 4 and 5
Writing journals
Assessment- Notes on group conferences and observations / Day 6
Beginning
Final creative work on presentations
End – for last 20 minutes of class have the students reflect individually in a journal on the effectiveness of their ad, how well their ad reached its target audience and how well it communicated its point. How the artistic elements came together and how it functioned as a piece of drama or visual art. What conventions of media campaigns they used and what they feel the strengths and weaknesses of their ad are and how it could have been improved. This reflection will be turned in for marking at the end of the final class
Day 7
Projector and laptop for the final day to show power point presentations
TV and video Player to view video produces media ads for final presentations
Writing journals
Assessment - Notes on presentations
Rubric for actual media campaign
Rubric for reference list
Rubric on journal reflection / Day 7
Beginning
Presentation of media campaigns to the class by each group. (5 min presentations – Each group member must participate)
Middle
After all have been presented have an overall class discussion about what the successful aspects of the ads were. Moderate this discussion closely to keep in focused on what worked and not allow trashing of the work.
End
After the discussion have the students individually add to their reflections about how they thought their ad went over to the class and what they might change given the opportunity. They are to assess there work both as a media campaign and on its merit as a piece of artistic work. This reflection will be turned in for marking at the end of the class along with the bibliography/reference list
Final campaigns, reflections and reference lists will be marked with a rubric.
Follow Up:
Post graphic media campaigns on school bulletin boards
Play audio campaigns at announcement time