100 Family Media Literacy Activities, Ages Pre-School through Teen Years

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Teaching Children Gratefulness

100 Family Media Literacy Activities

16.       Winning and losing.
Tell your child to watch a sports program and list all the words that are used to describe winning and losing. Encourage a long list. You can make this into a friendly competition, if you like, with two or more children collecting words from several sports programs and then reading them aloud.

17.       TV and radio.
While watching TV coverage of a sports game, turn off the TV sound and have your child simultaneously listen to radio coverage. What does your child think about the radio coverage? About the TV coverage? What are the strengths of each? The weaknesses?

18.       Quiz show comparison.
Compare and contrast the wide variety of game and quiz shows with your child. You'll see shows that test knowledge, shows that are based on pure luck, and shows that are aimed specifically at children. Which are your child's favorites? Why?

19.       TV lists.
Assist your child in making lists of all television programs that involve hospitals, police stations, schools, and farms, and all television programs that contain imaginative elements, such as science fiction shows or cartoons.

20.       Television vocabulary.
Challenge your child to find out what the following TV terms mean, and report back to the family:
channel                                   serial
station                                      first of a two-parter
network                                    network affiliates
reality TV                                 spin-off
rerun                                        show host
repeat                                       anchorwoman or anchorman
special  newscaster                   cross-marketing
format  sponsor                        corporate sponsor
audience participation               sold separately at participating dealers only
assembly required
                       
21.       Critical viewing survey.
Ask your child to watch one of his favorite programs with you. Afterwards, you will both fill out the following survey. Then compare your answers. Are they different? Why? Are there right or wrong answers, or is much of what was recorded open to individual interpretation?

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