Instructions: Media Awareness Project
For each of the two (2) media awareness stories that you will be analysing, please follow these instructions and refer to the marking rubric that is posted on the website.
A. Communication Skills
Step #1
As you read the story that you discovered in the newspaper, journal or on the Internet, please highlight any unfamiliar words and proper nouns (capitalized words).
Step #2
List:
- List at least five unfamiliar [and/or important] words that you discovered in the story or article. Use a dictionary to define them and/or use them in sentences that illustrate your understanding of the meanings of the words.
- Select three words from the reading which you believe are significant for Civics. (These might be words related to government, politics, the legal system, power structures, human rights, etc.) Write a sentence for each word explaining why/how each of these three civics-related words is used in the news story.
B. Knowledge Skills
Step #1
Record the following information about your news story:
- the source of the story (which newspaper or journal published it? Which Internet website??(Include the URL address)
- the date the story appeared in the media
- the name of the writer/reporter who filed the story (if given)
- the headline
Step#2
After reading the story, briefly summarize what the story is about using your own words. Try to include answers to the 5-Ws (who, what, why, when, where) if relevant. Please write the summary in your own words as much as possible.
C. Thinking/Inquiry Skills
Step #1
As you read the story, write down at least three questions that come to mind. These questions should not be simple ones that are answered in the reading; the questions you devise should demonstrate that you are thinking about the story in a deep and meaningful way.
Step#2
Identify some problems, issues or concerns that are raised within the story.
Step #3
Ask yourself: Why is this issue newsworthy? Explain as best you can why the editors of the newspaper, journal, or Internet website considered this an important story.
D. Application Skills
In the form of a “letter to the editor” of the newspaper or journal, please respond to the news story.
Your letter might start like this:
Dear editor:
On November 8 you published a story under the headline: “Canada to pull its troops from Afghanistan.” This story got me thinking and I have decided to write an opinion piece. I hope you will publish it.
Your letter to the editor should be at least 100 words long. It should make clear that you understood the news story and the issues raised by it. You should recommend some course of action or offer some advice to the people in power or public. Apply all of your communication, knowledge and thinking skills to make your editorial letter as insightful as possible. Try to connect the news article that you read to issues and ideas we discussed in Civics class.
Label each section of your media awareness project. Staple the news story that you read to your work. Please hand-in your project with the marking rubric.
Mr. Walters' Online Opus London Central Secondary School
History Department
(519)452-2620
