Language Arts
Grade 8: Media Literacy |
Planning: Term # Tracking: Ach. Level |
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Overall Expectations |
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1.demonstrate
an understanding of a variety of media texts; |
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2.
identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques
associated with them are used to create meaning; |
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3.
create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using
appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques; |
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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. |
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Specific Expectations
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1.
Understanding Media Texts |
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Purpose
and Audience: 1.1 explain how a variety of media texts address their intended
purpose and audience (e.g., this stage production based on a popular novel
uses music and lighting to enhance the original and appeal to its fans; this
commercial for a sports car uses fast-paced editing and rock music to appeal
to the target audience - young, single men and women). Teacher prompts:
"Why might a producer think that yet another version of this well-known
story would attract a wide audience?" "What kind of driver is this
car advertisement designed to appeal to?" |
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Making
Inferences/Interpreting Messages: 1.2 interpret increasingly complex or
difficult media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their
interpretations (e.g., compare the coverage of a lead story in a morning
newspaper to the coverage of that story on the evening news; compare the
order in which news stories are reported on two different television channels
and suggest reasons for the differences; compare the treatment of a
historical figure in a movie to his or her treatment in a print biography). Teacher
prompts: "Did the newspaper and the television news program use the same
lead story? Why or why not? Did the different news sources provide different
information on the same topic? Did they take a different position?"
"Which historical portrait is more convincing? More accurate? More
interesting? Why?" |
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Responding
to and Evaluating Texts: 1.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the presentation
and treatment of ideas, information, themes, opinions, issues, and/or
experiences in media texts (e.g., explain how a series of newspaper stories
on a controversial issue captured and maintained their interest; explain the
similarities and differences in the treatment of a particular topic or theme
in different media texts and evaluate the relative effectiveness of the
treatments; as a class, evaluate the media's coverage of a social or
environmental issue over a two-week period) |
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Audience
Responses: 1.4 explain why different audiences (e.g., with respect to gender,
age, culture, race, income level) might have different responses to a variety
of media texts (e.g., predict how a member of a particular
age/gender/ethnocultural/socio-economic group might react to a controversial
article in a print or online news magazine and give reasons for their
prediction). Teacher prompt: "Do you think all members of a particular
group would react the same way to this issue? Could an older person react the
same way as a teenager? Why, or why not?" |
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Point
of View: 1.5 demonstrate understanding that different media texts reflect
different points of view and that some texts reflect multiple points of view
(e.g., a television broadcast of a sports game presents the views of fans,
the announcers, the sponsors, and the television network; different media
texts represent people of different age, gender, income level, or
ethnocultural background differently, communicating obvious or subtle
messages that might indicate bias or stereotyping; different points of view
are often presented in a news report of a conflict). Teacher prompts:
"What different groups are represented in the text? Are the different
groups treated differently? If so, how?" "In this news report about
a conflict between two countries, does the reporter appear to favour one side
over the other? Give evidence for your view." |
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Production
Perspectives: 1.6 identify who produces various media texts and determine the
commercial, ideological, political, cultural, and/or artistic interests or
perspectives that the texts may involve (e.g., a music company's interest in
a recording may be different from that of the artist; the company that
produces a video game and the game's creator may have different views on how
the game should be promoted). Teacher prompt: "How are commercial and
artistic interests reflected in the contents and presentation of this CD by
your favourite group?" "Explain how a more ideological approach
might affect the appeal of this magazine for its current broad range of
readers." |
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2.
Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques |
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Form:
2.1 explain how individual elements of various media forms combine to create,
reinforce, and/or enhance meaning (e.g., print advertisements use text,
images, colour, different fonts, and different camera angles in a seamless combination
to create an effect). Teacher prompt: "Why do you think each of these
elements is included? How are the elements combined to create a coherent
message?" |
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Conventions
and Techniques: 2.2 identify the conventions and techniques used in a variety
of media forms and explain how they help convey meaning and influence or
engage the audience (e.g., website conventions: home pages provide users with
a convenient preview of the types of information available; website
techniques: "sidebars" with inviting audio/video elements entice
viewers to browse and explore new topics that might not have been their first
priority) |
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3.
Creating Media Texts |
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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?" |
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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?" |
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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?" |
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Producing
Media Texts: 3.4 produce a
variety of media texts of some technical complexity for specific purposes and
audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques (e.g., •
a multimedia presentation examining two or more elements of a narrative, such
as theme, plot, setting, or character •
a one-minute video advertising a class fund-raising project •
a website based on the content of a unit of study •
a report on school sports events to be presented during morning announcements
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magazine advertisements for a particular product, aimed at different age
groups among the students in the school •
an interview with a family member about his or her cultural heritage for
publication in a school or community magazine/newspaper •
a public-service announcement on a current issue that is relevant to their
fellow students, such as daily physical activity, literacy, or bullying •
a storyboard for a video of a favourite song that is not available as a video) |
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4.
Reflecting on Media Literacy |
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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. Teacher prompt: "Why
was it helpful to think about your audience's needs or wants before creating
your advertisement?" |
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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:
"How could reading about food and health help you when you are trying to
create an advertisement for a 'healthy eating' ad campaign?" |
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Expectations: Copyright The Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2006. Format: Copyright B.Phillips, 1998.