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100 Family Media Literacy Activities
Critical Viewing Survey
Program watched:
Characters (List three to five and describe briefly):
Setting (Time and place):
Problems/Conflicts:
Plot (List three to five events in order of occurrence):
Story theme:
Solution:
Logic (Did the story make sense? Would this have happened in real life?):
Rating of the show (from one to ten, with ten being the highest): |
22. Body language.
Observe body language in commercials and/or TV shows and films. Notice head position, hand gestures, and eye movement. How does body language affect how you feel about the intended visual or verbal message? Children could cut out postures and expressions from print advertisements (magazines and newspapers) and see if they can find those postures and expressions on TV or in movies. How important is body language to convey persuasive visual messages?
23. Variations on a story.
Look at how a particular story is handled differently by different channels. Use videotaped shows to compare. What are the differences? What are the similarities?
24. Quick problem solving.
Point out to your child how quickly problems are solved on many TV shows. Discuss the differences in dealing effectively with challenges in real life. You may want to include in your discussion what processes you go through to identify, confront, and resolve problems.
25. Put words in their mouth.
As a family watch a favorite program with the sound off. Try to figure out what each of the characters in the show is saying. Discuss why you believe that based on past knowledge of the program and how the characters are behaving. Encourage your child to think about how he or she would write the script for each of the characters. What are the important things that they say? Why are these considered important?
26. Make your own family TV Guide.
Gather your child/ren and ask them to make a family TV Guide for the upcoming week. What programs would they include? What programs would they make sure not to include? Ask them to give reasons for their choices.
27. Thinking ahead to predict what might happen.
This is a great activity for school-age children who may need guidance in watching their favorite programs while you can’t be there with them. Give your child a written list of 3-5 general questions that they can read before they watch a TV show. Consider such questions as: “What do you think this program will be about? What do you anticipate the main character’s troubles will be? How will he/she resolve them? Why are you watching this show and not doing something else?” Instruct your child to think about the questions while viewing—no need to write anything down—just think. As your child watches, he/she won’t be able to stop thinking about these questions—it’s just how the brain works. Intermittently, ask your child to discuss the TV program with you, along with how this activity helps to think about the program!
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Copyright © Gloria DeGaetano, 2009. All rights reserved. No reprinting rights granted without the author’s permission.
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