MEDIA

Dear Parents,
We are happy to inform you that Grade 6 will start inquiring into their first unit on Media around the central idea, ‘The use of the media influences the decisions and opinions of individuals and societies’, under the Transdisciplinary theme, “How we express ourselves”.
We shall focus on the following lines of inquiry:
 The different kinds of media and their roles
 Ways to make media more effective
 The impact of media in our lives
Students will explore and learn about media as powerful forces in the lives of people which have a strong influence on how we see the world. They would use the key concepts of form, perspective and reflection to inquire into the central idea. They will analyse different types of media and a variety of media texts for specific purposes and audiences and critically examine their own media habits, through various learning experiences such as interviews, surveys, books, audio visuals, provocations, guest lectures. The duration for this unit will be 6 weeks. The unit will entail a lot of exploration, research and discussion by the students which will help them to develop a better understanding of the world they live in.
This is a good time to talk to your child about different types of media that they are exposed to, impact and influence of mass media on popular culture and also about the impact of media on the decision - making of people. We welcome your involvement and participation. If you have a particular expertise (or just a special interest) in the areas described in our unit, we would love to hear from you and would like you to report any action taken by your child as an outcome of his/her learning.
Regards,
Form Tutors of Grade 6
Resource Websites for the unit:
Association for Media Literacy
AML introduces visitors to the importance of media education. You will find
information on resources and upcoming events as well as critical perspectives on
media trends and issues. http://www.aml.ca
British Film Institute
BFI offers opportunities to experience, enjoy, and discover more about film and moving image culture. www.bfi.org.uk
Cartoons in the Classroom
Follow this link to the teachers’ guide for using the Professional Cartoonists’ Index
website in your classes. The site’s lesson plans show how you can use editorial cartoons as a teaching tool at all levels. http://cagle.msnbc.com/teacher/
CBC
The site offers streaming audio and video as well as transcripts of programs, interviews,and historical archives. www.cbc.ca01
Centre for Media Literacy
The site helps visitors to access, understand, analyse, and evaluate the powerful images,words, and sounds that make up our contemporary mass media culture.
http://www.medialit.org
Concerned Children’s Advertisers
CCA campaigns include nationally televised Public Service Announcements and
curricula for children from K-8, as well as tips and tools for parents and community
workers. It also includes videos. http://cca-kids.ca
Internet Archive
This site provides a digital archive of video, audio, music, games, and texts. http://www.archive.org/
Kids’ Take on the Media
This site describes the impact of media in children’s lives and what our young people have to say about the topic.
http://www.ctf-fce.ca/bilingual/PUBS/ctfreport/kidsenglish.pdf
Library and Archives Canada-Learning Centre
This centre is a resource for students and teachers; it contains a collection of primary source documents. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/education/008-120-e.html
Media Awareness Network
The network offers practical support for media education in the home, school, and
community and provides food for thought on our rapidly evolving media culture. It
also explores ways to make media a more positive force in children’s lives.
http://www.media-awareness.ca
Media Ed
This site is designed for teachers, students, and anyone interested in media and moving image education at all levels.
www.mediaed.org.uk
National Film Board for Kids
NFBKids offers entertaining and educational activities for junior students, from
science adventures to online animation. http://www.nfbKids.ca
Newseum
This site provides a collection of front pages of newspapers from around the globe,
updated daily. www.newseum.org
Newspapers in Education: http://www.newspapersineducation.ca/
Scholastic News Online
This is a source for news and information on current events, designed especially for
students in Grades 3-6. http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/
BBC Newsround
Newsround provides news of interest to students from the U.K. and around the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/
Time for Kids
Time magazine presents news for kids. http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/
Other websites with interesting and relevant information:
http://www.mediacollege.com/journalism/news/newsworthy.html
http://mediargh.com/50-nifty-websites-for-teaching-yourself-media-skills
http://bigidea.teachitinc.com/news/why-integrate-social-media-your-website
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/scope-and-sequence
http://toponlineuniversityreviews.com/2009/25-excellent-social-media-sites-for-teachers/

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