Do Teen Films Make the Grade?

Transcription

1 Lesson Plan By Michelle Scarpulla, M.P.H., MCHES For Professionals Working With Teens Sexetc.org Fall 2011 Lesson for Do Teen Films Make the Grade? Learning Objectives At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to 1. Correctly identify at least three unhealthy media messages about sexuality. 2. Explain how unhealthy media messages might negatively influence decisions regarding sexuality. National Health Education Standard Addressed Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology and other factors on health behaviors. Time needed 60 minutes Materials Copies of the article Do Teen Films Make the Grade? one per student Chalkboard or flipchart pad Chalk or markers Signs that say Station 1, Station 2, Station 3 and Station 4 A copy of the instructions for each station 3 or 4 current popular magazines, such as Cosmo, Vogue, GQ, Essence, etc. Printouts of the lyrics of 6 or 7 popular songs that students listen to (Find lyrics on sites such as Lyrics.astraweb.com or SongLyrics.com.) 12 to 15 print ads from magazines depicting sexuality, such as ads for clothing, alcohol, perfume, etc. (See sample print ads at the end of this lesson.) A few children s books with common fairytales, such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, etc. Copies of Examining Media Messages worksheet one per student Preparation Before class begins, set up learning stations around the room. Each station should have a sign identifying what station number it is, a set of instructions and any materials (magazines, song lyrics, etc.) that are necessary for the station. Procedure 1. Introduce the lesson by telling students that today they will be focusing on the media. Ask them to brainstorm a list of everything that can be considered media and list their responses on the board. (This list should include books, magazines, television shows, commercials, print ads, billboards, music, movies, radio programs and the Internet.) [3 minutes] 2. Next, explain that the students will examine how the media affects us by talking about slogans. Ask, What is a slogan? and ask for some responses from the group. Explain that you are going to read

2 off some slogans, and if the students know what product it is for, they should call it out loud. Betcha can t eat just one. (Lays) Drivers wanted. (Volkswagen) It keeps going and going and going. (Energizer batteries) Can you hear me now? (Verizon) I m lovin it. (McDonald s) Melts in your mouth, not in your hand. (M&Ms) Just do it. (Nike) Ask students, How did you know these? Explain that advertising is designed to stick in our brains and this is what happens with messages from the media without anyone realizing it. When we hear these messages over and over, they get stuck in our heads without us trying to memorize them or realizing it. [3 minutes] 3. Explain to students that we all get messages from the media about lots of different topics, but today we are going to focus on messages about sexuality. Read article Do Teen Films Make the Grade? with your class. After reading the article, ask them the following questions: Have you seen any of the movies discussed in the article? Do you agree with the writers assessments? Are there other movies you have seen that contain any positive messages about sexuality? [7 minutes] 4. Explain that they are going to examine some of the messages we get regarding sexuality from other media sources. Tell them that they will travel in small groups to various learning stations to examine messages that different forms of media send about sexuality. Break them into four groups and assign each group to a station. Instruct them to look through the materials at their station and follow the instructions. (Facilitator s Note: For large groups where more than four groups are needed, consider adding additional learning stations such as looking at commercials, popular television shows, music videos or movies other than those discussed in the article.) [3 minutes] 5. After five minutes, call time and ask the groups to rotate to the next station until all four groups have spent about five or six minutes at each station. [25 minutes] 6. Ask the students to return to their original seats. Process this activity by asking them: How did you feel as you were at each station? What were some of the messages or themes you noticed? (Write the messages or themes on the board. Messages might include men are powerful, women are objects, women are supposed to be thin, sex sells, have sex, everyone is doing it, alcohol and sex go together, etc.) How do you feel when you see these messages listed here on the board? What does this mean for you? [5 minutes] 7. Remind students of the slogan activity you did in the beginning. Ask them the following: How does the slogan activity relate to the sexuality messages you examined in the media? (Be sure they understand that just as we memorized those slogans without trying to, these messages about sexuality become ingrained in us even if we don t stop to examine and question them.) What impact might all of these messages about sexuality have on our decisions about sex? (Answers might include that the messages make us think everyone is having sex, that having sex without protection is a safe thing to do, that alcohol makes sex better, that men are stronger and more aggressive, women are passive, etc.) What can we do to ensure that our decisions about sex are based on our own values and beliefs, and not those of the media? [12 minutes] 8. Close the lesson by reminding students that when they are making decisions about sexual behavior, they should consider all of the influences in their lives, and not just the messages they received from the media. Remind students that while messages from the media might be the loudest or most frequent, they are certainly not the most important. [2 minutes] Optional homework assignment: Ask students to take one of the songs, ads or other piece of media and rework it to send a healthier message about sexuality.

3 Station 1: Magazines Look through the magazines at this station. As you look through them, look for messages about sexuality in the ads, stories and pictures. Talk about them with your group and make notes about the following on your worksheet: Anything that catches your attention and why. What are the themes of the ads, articles, pictures and cover stories related to sexuality? How did you feel while looking through the magazine? CUT HERE Station 2: Advertisements Look at the ads in this station and pay attention to how sexuality messages are evident in the ad. As a group, choose one ad that stands out the most and make note of the following on your worksheet: How is sexuality used to advertise the product? How are men and women portrayed in the ad? What is the ad selling? Who is the ad targeting? What is the underlying message?

4 Station 3: Song Lyrics Take turns reading the various song lyrics at this station. As a group, choose one song and make notes about the following on your worksheet: What is the message or theme of the song? Who is it targeted towards? Are there words or phrases that stand out? How do you feel as you are reading it? CUT HERE Station 4: Fairy Tales As a group, look through the storybooks and talk about common fairytales you know of. Be sure to talk about the following fairy tales: Rapunzel Cinderella Sleeping Beauty Snow White Any others you can think of As a group, choose one to discuss and make notes about the following on your worksheet: What is the main storyline? What message does it send to little girls? To little boys? How are boys and girls/men and women portrayed in the story?

5 Examining Media Messages Worksheet Name: Follow the directions at each station. Use this sheet to answer the questions at each station. Station 1: Magazines Station 2: Advertisements Station 3: Song Lyrics Station 4: Fairy Tales

6 Sample Print Ads