Media & Me Warm-Up

Instructions: Think about your daily life. How often do you interact with different forms of media (social media, TV, music, news, video games, etc.)?

On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "almost never" and 5 means "constantly," how much do you think media influences what you believe about yourself and the world around you?

Write down one example of media you encountered recently and how it made you feel or what it made you think about.

Teacher Script: Media & Me

Warm-Up: Media & Me (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To kick things off today, let's think about how much media is a part of our lives. Please take a few minutes to complete the Media & Me Warm-Up that's projected on the screen. Think about your daily media interactions and how much you feel it influences you."

(After 3-4 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright, let's hear from a few of you. Who would like to share their 'influence' number from 1 to 5? Why did you choose that number? And can anyone share an example of a recent media encounter and how it made you feel or think?"

(Facilitate a brief discussion, affirming all responses. Transition smoothly into the introduction.)

Introduction to Media Influence (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Great insights! Today, we're going to dive deeper into this topic with our lesson, Media & Me: Who's in Control?. Our goal is to understand how media works, how it affects us, and how we can take charge of its influence on our health and well-being."

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 1)

Teacher: "When I say 'media,' what comes to mind? Many of you might immediately think of social media, and that's a big part of it today. But media is actually much broader. Take a look at this slide."

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 2)

Teacher: "As you can see, media includes everything from TV and movies to music, news, video games, and even advertisements. It's basically all the different ways we communicate and receive information.

Now, think about why you use media. What are some reasons? Is it for entertainment? To get information? To connect with friends? To escape? What are your favorite types of media and why?"

(Allow students to share. Guide them to consider the diverse purposes of media.)

Teacher: "Excellent! We use media for so many different reasons, and it plays a huge role in our lives, often without us even realizing the extent of its impact. That brings us to our next point."

Media's Influence on Beliefs and Health (10 minutes)

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "Media isn't just about sharing information or entertaining us; it's also constantly sending us messages that can shape our beliefs. It tells us stories about ourselves, our culture, and even our health behaviors.

For example, how does media, especially social media, portray what an 'ideal' body looks like? Or what 'success' means? Does it always show a realistic picture?"

(Encourage discussion about body image, unrealistic expectations, and stereotypes.)

Teacher: "These messages, whether explicit or subtle, can really influence what we believe about ourselves and the world. And this, in turn, can have a direct impact on our health."

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Teacher: "When media constantly shows us one ideal, or pushes certain trends, it can affect our mental health, leading to anxiety, low self-esteem, or comparing ourselves to others. It can also influence our physical health, for example, promoting unhealthy diet fads or risky behaviors. And it can even impact our social health by changing how we interact or perceive relationships. Can anyone think of an example where media has influenced their beliefs or health in some way, either positively or negatively?"

(Facilitate a short, sensitive discussion, ensuring a safe space for sharing.)

Strategies for Media Analysis Activity (10 minutes)

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 5)

Teacher: "So, how do we navigate this constant flow of information and protect ourselves? We become 'media detectives'! We need to learn how to critically analyze the media we consume. I'm handing out a Media Analysis Activity Sheet. We're going to work through an example together, or you can work in pairs, to put these detective skills to the test."

(Distribute Media Analysis Activity Sheet. Provide a simple, current media example for them to analyze, e.g., a print ad, a short social media post, or a news headline about health.)

Teacher: "Let's look at this example. Use the questions on your sheet as a guide. First, 'Who made this and why?' Is it an advertiser, an influencer, a news organization? What's their goal? Then, 'What message is being sent?' What are they trying to tell you? Is anything missing from the story? And finally, how does it make you feel?"

(Give students about 5-7 minutes to work. Circulate and assist. Then, bring the class back together.)

Teacher: "What did your media detective work reveal? Any interesting insights or observations from your example?"

(Allow a few students to share their analyses.)

Protecting Our Health: Critical Media Lens Worksheet & Quiz (5 minutes)

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 6)

Teacher: "Fantastic work, media detectives! The skills you just practiced are vital. It's about taking control and protecting your health. I'm now handing out the Critical Media Lens Worksheet. This is a resource for you to continue practicing these strategies at home. It has practical steps you can take like setting boundaries, curating your feed, and verifying information."

(Distribute Critical Media Lens Worksheet. Briefly explain its purpose.)

Teacher: "To quickly check our understanding of today's topics, please complete this short Media & Health Quiz. Don't worry, this is just to help me see what resonated with you, not a formal graded assessment."

(Distribute Media & Health Quiz. Collect completed quizzes. If time allows, quickly review answers using Media & Health Quiz Answer Key, or assign review as homework.)

Cool-Down: Media Reflection (5 minutes)

(Display Media Influence Slide Deck - Slide 7)

Teacher: "To wrap up our lesson today, please take a moment to complete the Media Reflection Cool Down. On your exit ticket, write down one key takeaway from today's lesson, or one strategy you will try to use when interacting with media in the future. What's one thing you'll do to be more in control of your media?"

(Collect cool-down responses as students leave.)

Teacher: "Thank you for your thoughtful participation today, everyone! Remember, you are the boss of your media!"

Media Analysis Activity Sheet

Instructions: Work individually or with a partner to analyze the provided media example (e.g., an advertisement, social media post, or news headline). Use the questions below to guide your critical thinking. Be prepared to share your insights with the class.

Media Example to Analyze:

(Teacher will provide a specific media example here)

Your Analysis:

1. Who created this media message and what is their primary purpose?

   • (e.g., an advertiser to sell a product, an influencer to gain followers, a news organization to inform, an entertainment company to entertain)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

2. What explicit message is being directly communicated?

   • (What is it literally telling you?)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

3. What implicit message (underlying or hidden message) is being communicated?

   • (What is it suggesting without directly saying it? What values or ideas are being promoted?)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

4. Who do you think is the intended audience for this media message? How does the message seem tailored to this audience?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. What elements might be missing from this message?

   • (Are there other perspectives? What isn't being shown or told?)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

6. How does this media message make you feel or think about yourself, others, or certain health behaviors?

   • (e.g., inspired, anxious, informed, pressured, confused, happy, sad, angry)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

7. If this message relates to health, is it promoting a healthy or unhealthy idea/behavior? Explain your reasoning.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Critical Media Lens: Your Guide to Healthy Media Consumption

Instructions: Use this guide to help you critically analyze the media you encounter daily. The more you practice, the better you'll become at identifying messages and protecting your well-being.

Part 1: Analyze a Media Message

Choose any piece of media you encounter today (e.g., a social media post, a short ad on TV or online, a news headline, a song lyric, a video game character). Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the media piece: (What is it? Where did you see/hear it?)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Deconstruct the message:

   • Source: Who created this message and why? (e.g., brand, individual, news organization, entertainment company)
     
     
     
     
   • Content: What is the explicit message? What is the implicit (hidden) message?
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • Audience: Who is this message trying to reach? How do you know?
     
     
     
     
   • Gaps: What information or perspectives might be missing from this message?
     
     
     
     

3. Reflect on Impact:

   • How did this media piece make you feel? (e.g., happy, sad, anxious, motivated, inadequate)
     
     
     
     
   • Did it influence your thoughts about yourself, others, or health behaviors in any way?
     
     
     
     
     
     

Part 2: Strategies for Healthy Media Use

Think about the strategies we discussed to protect your health. Which ones will you commit to trying this week? Check all that apply and explain how you'll implement them.

• Set Boundaries: (e.g., 'no phone at dinner,' '30 minutes max on social media')

  • How I'll do it:
    
    
    
    

• Curate Your Feed: (e.g., unfollow accounts that make me feel bad, follow more positive content)

  • How I'll do it:
    
    
    
    

• Verify Information: (e.g., check news sources, question sensational headlines)

  • How I'll do it:
    
    
    
    

• Talk About It: (e.g., discuss media with friends/family, ask for different perspectives)

  • How I'll do it:
    
    
    
    

• Focus on Real Life: (e.g., spend time on hobbies, connect with people in person)

  • How I'll do it:
    
    
    
    

My Personal Media Goal for the Week:

Write down one specific, actionable goal you have for your media consumption this week to improve your well-being.

Media & Health Quiz Answer Key

Question 1: Which of the following is NOT typically considered a form of media in the context of our discussion?

• Correct Answer: B) A textbook for class
• Reasoning: While a textbook conveys information, it is generally considered a static educational resource rather than dynamic mass media that influences daily perceptions and behaviors in the same way social media, advertisements, or video games do. The discussion focuses on pervasive and often persuasive forms of media.

Question 2: Name two reasons why people might use media.

• Correct Answer: (Any two of the following or similar):
  • Entertainment
  • Information/News
  • Connection/Socializing
  • Escape
  • Learning
  • Communication
• Reasoning: People engage with media for a wide range of purposes, fulfilling various social, emotional, and intellectual needs.

Question 3: Media can influence our beliefs about ourselves, culture, and health behaviors. Which of these is an example of media influencing beliefs about body image?

• Correct Answer: C) An advertisement showing an 'ideal' physique for a product
• Reasoning: Advertisements frequently use idealized body types to associate attractiveness or success with their products, which can directly influence an individual's perception of their own body image and societal beauty standards. The other options relate to politics, history, or finance, not directly body image.

Question 4: List one strategy you can use to critically analyze a media message.

• Correct Answer: (Any one of the following or similar):
  • Ask: Who made this and why?
  • Identify the explicit and implicit message being sent.
  • Determine the intended audience.
  • Consider what information or perspectives might be missing.
  • Reflect on how the message makes you feel or think.
• Reasoning: Critical media literacy involves actively questioning and deconstructing media messages rather than passively accepting them. These strategies help uncover biases, intentions, and potential impacts.

Question 5: How important do you think it is to actively manage your media consumption to protect your mental health?

• Correct Answer: E) Extremely important
• Reasoning: While personal opinions may vary, from a health and wellness perspective, actively managing media consumption (e.g., setting boundaries, curating content) is crucial for protecting mental health by reducing exposure to negative influences, comparison culture, and misinformation, and promoting balanced digital habits. Therefore, 'Extremely important' aligns best with the lesson's objective.

Media Reflection Cool Down

Instructions: Reflect on today's lesson about media and health. Complete the following exit ticket.

1. One key takeaway: What is one important thing you learned or realized today about media's influence on you or your health?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. One strategy for me: What is one specific strategy you will try to use this week to be more in control of your media consumption and protect your well-being?