Media Interpretation

(6-8 Social Studies/ Language Arts) Standards/Objectives: By the end of this lesson... Students will be able to prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (Standard: K-12, SL, R.1) Students will be able to Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. (Standard: K-12, W, R.6) Students will be able to Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. (Standard: K-12, SL, R.2) Materials Needed Worksheet with 3 headings: Poverty/Low Income vs. Rich/Well-To-Do Hollywoods Portrayal of the Poor and the Rich and Predictions Stack of popular magazines Butcher paper Access to at least 5 computers Procedures Show clip of Tower Heist trailer located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Z4KXF7NWFRE; Have students write down their observations on what theyre seeing in the clip, without adding any prompting. Separate students into groups of 5 that are diverse according to ability and cultural background. Pass out copies of the article: From D.W. Griffith to the Grapes of Wrath, How Hollywood Portrayed the Poor. Ask students to predict what theyll be reading about in the article based on the title. Prompt students to write down their predictions under the Prediction. Ask students to now write down everything that comes to their minds when they think of Poverty/Low Income vs. Rich. Ask students to examine where they got the ideas they listed in their previous brainstorm; Books, Movies, Magazines, Hollywood, etc.. Then have students write down everything they know about the topic of Hollywoods Portrayal of the Poor and the Rich. Have students now read the article in groups or individually, whichever they desire. Have them mark down whether or not their predictions were correct, incorrect, or brand new information. In a whole-class discussion, have students discuss which of their predictions were correct, incorrect, and new information that they didnt take into account.

Plan for Assessment/Evaluation Hand out sheets of butcher paper. Using the computers and popular magazines that you have provided, have each group seek out concrete examples that demonstrate media portrayal of poverty vs. riches. Each group member is required to come up with one example. Groups are to then illustrate their findings on the butcher paper, using images and text to demonstrate their findings. Walk around to make sure that everyone in each group is fully participating and not abusing their computer privileges. Tack up the butcher paper and hand out 5 sticky notes to each student. Make sure students place their names on the backs of each of their sticky notes. Have an art gallery style viewing in which students walk around and post their comments on other groups findings about media portrayals.