Chapter 1: Defining Media

Chapter 2: Living in a Media Filled World

Chapter 3: Functions of the Media

Chapter 4: Media Messages: Real or fake?

Chapter 5: Hidden Messages: How do we find them?

Chapter 6: Media Advertisements

Chapter 7: Media Influences

Chapter 8: Choosing Media Messages

Chapter 9: Time: How much is too much?

Chapter 10: Masters of the Media

1
 DEFINING THE MEDIA

Good afternoon, boys and girls. My name is Media Man. I have come

to teach you about a very important subject: The media. Before I can teach

you about the media, I must tell you what the media is. The media is “a

system of communication, information, or entertainment.” The media

includes, but is not limited to, television, movies, magazines, newspapers,

radio broadcasts, computers, and even books.

MEGA MEDIA WORD SCRAMBLE

televisions newspapers radiobroadcasts computers

movie magazine books

Unscramble the following letters to make the words listed above.

1. sobok 4. gzamsanei 7. doorsadbatsci

2. evsostliine 5. oemiv

3. aewnsppse 6. tpomcrseu

2
 LIVING IN A MEDIA FILLED WORLD

Our country is full of media. Everywhere we go we can see and hear

media messages. The media can be found in our homes, schools, churches,

grocery stores, and streets. It is not like this everywhere. There are some

places where they do not have televisions, radios, and computers. Here in the

United States we have access to media everyday of our lives.

Answer the following questions.

1. Name some types of media that can be found in your:

Home________________________________________________

School________________________________________________

Grocery store___________________________________________

Car___________________________________________________

2. T/F The United States uses very little media.

3. T/F Everyone in the world has a television.

3
FUNCTIONS OF THE MEDIA: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

The media does many jobs for us. These jobs are called media

functions. The media can perform positive (good) or negative (bad)

functions. Let us look at four positive functions of the media.

• First, the media can inform us or tell us about something. For

example, the news can tell us about what is happening in our world.

• Secondly, the media can entertain or amuse us. Video games are one

form of media entertainment.

• Thirdly, the media can persuade us or convince us to do or think

something. Commercials can persuade us to buy a certain toy or to

want to taste a new kind of candy.

• Finally, the media can also socialize us by helping us to feel less

lonely. We might listen to the radio so that we do not feel lonely.

4
Use the following words to fill in the blanks below.

Entertain
Socialize
Persuade
Inform

1. If I turn on my stereo and listen to the Backstreet Boys I am allowing

the media to ____________ me.

2. If I see a bulletin board advertising Abercrombie and Fitch and I

decide to ask for an Abercrombie T-shirt for my birthday, I am allowing

the media to _________________.

4. If I watch Bill Nigh the Science Guy to learn about photosynthesis, I

am allowing the media to ________________ me.

5. If it is Saturday afternoon and none of my friends can come over, I

might decide to read a Harry Potter book and allow the media to

____________ me.

5
FUNCTIONS OF THE MEDIA: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

The media can also perform negative functions. The media can tell us

things that are not true. The media can take us away from other important

activities. The media can encourage us to make bad choices. The media can

also cause us to spend less time with our family and friends and more time

with technology.

ACTIVITY: Write one paragraph about a time when the media gave

you false information.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6
 MEDIA MESSAGES: REAL OR FAKE?

The media is a wonderful tool. It has the ability to perform many

awesome functions. With the new technology being created every day, the

powers of the media continue to grow. One of the most amazing powers of

the media is its ability to make its messages seem real.

It is very easy to forget that many of the images we see, the sounds we

hear, and the events we participate in through the media are fake. Media

producers have created them. They are the product of someone’s

imagination. Many of these images, sounds, and events do not occur in real

life.

Some of these fake, or created messages, can be easily identified. We

know when we watch Jurassic Park that the dinosaurs in the

movie are not real. Dinosaurs do not exist today; therefore, the

dinosaurs on the movie are not real. We recognize that

Jurassic Park presents a created reality. A created reality is an event that

is made to appear, or seem, real even though it is not real.

Yet, not all fake media messages are easy to identify. It is sometimes

difficult to know if the movie we are watching or the book we are reading is

based on real or fake events. We must look carefully at the information

being presented to us and decide if it is a created reality.

7
 With the use of special photography and computer technology, media

producers can make animals talk (Babe), people fly (Mary Poppins), and

children shrink (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids). They can make short people

look tall and fat people look thin. They can make people travel to the moon

(Apollo 13), fight in a war (Saving Private Ryan), or sink on a ship (Titanic).

Media producers have great imaginations. We enjoy being entertained

by their created realities. Yet, we must always remember that much of what

we see and hear in the media is created, not real.

Fill in the blank.

1. With the new _______________ being created every day, the powers

of the media continue to ______________.

2. One of the most amazing powers of the media is its ability to

______________________.

3. T / F Many of the images we see and many of the sounds we hear

from the media are fake. ____________

4. T / F Jurassic Park is an example of a created reality. _____________

5. T / F All fake media messages are easy to identify. _____________

8
6. With the use of special ______________ and __________________,

media producers can make animals __________________, people

_________________ , and children _________________.

7. While it is fun to be entertained by the media, we must always

remember that much of what we see and hear is

__________________.

9
 HIDDEN MESSAGES

Not all of the messages the media sends us are easy to recognize.

Some messages are hidden. They must be decoded in the same way that we

decode a secret message. The media sends us secret messages all the time.

We must realize this and always be ready to find and decode these messages.

For example, when we watch a televised basketball game

and all of the players are wearing Nike shoes, we get a secret

message that says, “If you want to be cool and play bassketball well, you

will wear Nike shoes.” Now, none of the players actually stand out on the

court and say those words, but we still get the message. How is this?

Nike advertisers know that people look up to professional ball players

such as Michael Jordan, and they want to be like them. They may

even want to dress the same way and wear the same shoes. So,

the advertisers have all the players wear their shoes so that we

will want to wear them too. Does that sound sneaky? Of course it is, because

it is a secret message!

10
Circle the correct answer.

1. T / F All of the messages in the media are easy to read.

2. T / F Some of the messages in the media must be decoded in the same

way we decode a secret message.

3. T / F Professional basketball players may wear certain shoes so that

we will want to buy them.

11
 HIDDEN MESSAGES: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

Hidden messages are not found only in media advertisements. They

can be found in movies, books, computer programs, and even video games.

Think for a minute about the video games sold today. These games send us

many secret messages. Many “action” games tells us that

violence is exciting and fun. These encourage us to think that

winning is the most important thing; and we should do

whatever it takes to win, even if it means hurting another human being.

Think about the secret messages sent by many of

the fashion magazines sold today. These magazines tell

us that girls must wear a lot of make-up and trendy

clothes to be considered beautiful. They may make us

think that it is fun and “cool” to do the things that our parents and teachers

tell us not to do.

The secret messages sent by such video games and fashion magazines

are not true. Violence causes pain and suffering, not excitement. Winning is

not more important than respecting others and doing the right thing. A girl is

beautiful because of who she is on the inside, not because she wears make-

up or trendy clothing. Breaking the rules brings consequences that are

anything but fun.

12
 The secret messages sent by these media sources are negative. Yet,

not all hidden media messages are negative; many of the messages are

positive.

Fill in the blank.

1. Hidden media messages are found in ___________,

____________________, ____________________, and even

________________ .

2. Is the secret message “Violence is exciting” a positive or negative

message? __________________

3. A positive message about violence tells us that it causes

___________ and _________________.

4. T / F Beauty comes from wearing a lot of make-up and trendy

clothes. _____________

5. A positive message about beauty tells us that it comes from

__________________________________________________.

13
 MEDIA ADVERTISEMENTS

Media advertisements tell us about

different products and services and then try to

persuade us to buy them. There are

advertisements for everything from toys to cereal

to clothing. Advertisements can be found in many

places. We see commercials on television. There are billboards on the

highway, flyers in our mailboxes, web sites on the Internet, articles in the

newspapers, and even bumper stickers on cars.

We must be able to recognize an advertisement when we see one. We

must also be able to decide what is being advertised and if the product is

being accurately portrayed.

Advertisements always tell us about all of the good qualities of a

product. They tell us how good Tootsie Roll Pops taste and how far a Super

soaker can shoot. Advertisements do not usually tell us about the bad

qualities of a product. They do not tell us how sticky Tootsie Roll Pops are

or how easily Super soakers can break.

14
“Advertisements all around!” Fill in the blank.

1. We see _____________________ on the highway.

2. We find ______________________ in our mailbox.

3. We watch ______________________ on TV.

4. We hear ______________________________ on the radio.

5. We see _______________________________ on cars.

6. We read _____________________________ in the newspaper.

Tell me about a time when you bought something or asked your

parents to buy you something because you saw the advertisement for
the product. What did the advertisement say or do to make you want
to buy the product. Was the product as good as the advertisement
made it seem? Why or why not?
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

15
Design your own bulletin board to advertise one of your favorite
products (a toy, food item, brand name clothing, etc.). What good things
will you tell consumers about your product to persuade them to buy it?
What bad things will you avoid telling them? Think about the size of the
letters you use to write your advertisements, the colors you choose, and
the pictures you include. All of these things can be used to attract
attention to your bulletin board and your product.

16
 MEDIA INFLUENCES

Have you ever wondered why your parents and teachers are so

concerned about what you watch on television and listen to on the radio?

Why do they say “No!” when you ask to go see a horror movie or when you

want to buy a particular rock group’s new C.D.? Are they just being old

fashioned and overprotective? The answer is no!

Your parents and teachers recognize the power the

media has to influence your thoughts and actions. They

know that what you see and hear affects what you

think about and do. For example, if you go to see a

horror movie, you will probably think about

its scary scenes and characters as you drive

home. You may even dream about the

movie that night as you sleep. You will

remember that horror movie long after you leave the movie theatre.

Your parents and teachers also know that your thoughts affect your

actions. Do you boys remember watching Superman on television? After

watching that show, did you want to tie a cape around your neck and

pretended to fly around the house? How many of you girls watched a

ballerina or gymnast perform on television? Did that make you want to

17
 dance around the house in a tutu or do cartwheels like Mary Lou

Retton? You saw something on television, and then you wanted to copy it!

This does not mean that you will do everything you see on television

or read in a book. It simply means that you are more likely to do what you

see someone else do, especially if you watch them do it again and again. The

messages we see and hear from the media can influence us or encourage us

to think or behave in a certain way. We want to choose media messages

that will encourage us to think and act appropriately.

Circle the correct answer.

1. T / F We will do everything we see on TV or read about in a book.

2. T / F We will be more likely to think about and act out the media

messages we see and hear.

3. T / F The media can influence us.

4. T / F You may dream about something you watch on TV.

5. T / F Your parents will not let you watch some movies because they

are old-fashioned.

Write the definition of influence.

_________________________________________________________

18
 Tell me about a time when the media influenced you to think or act

in a certain way.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

19
 CHOOSING MEDIA MESSAGES

We must be careful to choose media messages that are positive.

When we decide to watch a movie or read a magazine or play a video game,
we must think about messages being sent to us and decide if they are true.
We do not want to consume media that is full of negative messages.

*Watch a TV program provided by your teacher.

Find three secret messages in the program. Then
decide whether the messages are positive or negative.

Secret Message #1
_____________________________________________________________
Positive / negative

Secret Message #2

Positive / negative

Secret Message #3
_____________________________________________________________
Positive / negative

**Name a CD that contains positive or negative media messages.

Answer the following questions.

1. Name of the CD:

_____________________________________________________________

2. Positive or negative messages contained in this CD:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

20
3. Are these messages hidden? ___________________

4. How did the musician send you this message?

_____________________________________________________________

5. How did you decode this message?

_____________________________________________________________

6. Should you be listening to this CD? Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________

21
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND WITH THE MEDIA?

With so many media messages all around us, we must ask

ourselves some important questions. How much time should we

spend with the media? How much time is too much time?

Many boys and girls spend far too much time with the media. They do

not spend enough time doing other activities such as playing outside, talking

to their family and friends, or learning about a new hobby.

For example, let me introduce you to Marvin the Media Monkey

whose brain has become mush form all of the hours of media he has

consumed. (Consume: to watch or listen to the media.)

22
 Marvin consumes media every moment of the day: He wakes up in

the morning and watches cartoons while eating breakfast. He listens to the

radio while driving in the car to school. He surfs the Internet during recess

and reads magazines during lunch. Marvin plays video games after school,

and he reads comic strips while eating dinner. He watches movies after

dinner, and he always emails his friends before bed. Marvin cannot imagine

living a day without the media.

Why is this dangerous?

None of these things are wrong for Marvin to do. They only

become wrong when Marvin chooses to do them all of the time.

List a different activity to replace each media activity below. I have

done the first one for you.

1. Instead of watching cartoons during breakfast, I could talk to my mom or

dad.

2. Instead of emailing my friend, I could ____________________________.

3. Instead of listening to the radio when I am in the car, I could

_____________________________________________________________.

4. Instead of playing video games after school, I could

_____________________________________________________________.

23
 BECOMING A MASTER OF THE MEDIA

Congratulations! You have successfully completed your media

training. You are on your way to becoming a Master of the Media.

You now know what the media is and where its messages can be found.

You know the functions the media performs. You have learned how to

determine whether a message is real or fake. You can find and decode

hidden media messages. You can recognize media advertisements and

decide if they are accurate. You understand that the media can influence

your thoughts and actions. You know how to make wise choices about what

media to consume and how much time to spend with the media.

Only one task remains. You must use your newfound knowledge

about the media every day, and you must teach others to do the same.

Then you will truly be a Master of the Media.

I must go now. Many children around the world still need to hear this important

information. I will not rest easy until all have heard my media message. Perhaps someday

we will meet again. Until then…..

Consume wisely, my Masters of the Media!!!!

24
25
26
27
 GLOSSARY

• Advertisement- A billboard, flyer, commercial, bumper

sticker, newspaper article, or other means used to tell the
public about a product or service to be sold

• Book- A medium of communication.

• Computer- A medium of communication.

• Consume- To use a product. To watch or listen to the media.

• Created reality- An event that is made to seem, or appear

real, even though it is not real or did not happen.

• Entertain- To amuse.

• Inform- To tell about or give information about something.

• Magazine- A medium of communication.

• Media- A system of communication, information,

socialization, or entertainment.

• Medium- An object used to communicate, inform, socialize,

or entertain the public.

• Media functions- Jobs performed by the media. They may

be positive or negative.

28
Glossary

• Media influences- The media’s ability to encourage an

individual to think or act in a certain way.

• Media messages- Symbols of meaning sent through books,

TV, movies, and other forms of media.

• Movie- A medium of communication.

• Newspaper- A medium of communication.

• Persuade- To convince someone to do or think something.

• Radio broadcast- A medium of communication.

• Socialize- To befriend or to help an individual feel less

lonely.

• Technology- A scientifically designed machine or system

that gives individuals what they need or want.

• Television- A medium of communication.

29
 ‰ References

Detwiler, Tim. (2000). Critical Media Analysis Course offered at

Cornerstone University.

Guralnik, David, B., ed. (1986). Webster’s NewWord Dictionary.

Ohio: Prentice Hall Press.

Potter, W. James. (1998). Media Literacy. California: Sage

Publications.

30