Place visibly in classroom the questions, “What is Media?” “What is Literacy”, and “What should be our Text?” Have students individually write their answers. In small groups have students discuss what they answered in the exercise and further develop their definitions.

Show students various forms of media (newspaper, magazine, internet, TV show, movie trailer) and have class decide why the examples are or are not media based on how they defined media. Develop a class discussion about what media is, what it means to be media literate, and what can be considered a media text. Students then need to analyze their own media consumption and create individual lists of media they are exposed to. After students have written lists have some students read lists and as they read the items have students who have the same item stand. Use this to analyze what types of media appeal to different groups. (Male-Female)

(Homework) Students will list what media is consumed in their home and how that media defines them or their habits. Students may also choose to write about the media consumption of their family and why their family is consumes certain types of media. (2 pages)

Written by Matthew Brown.