ENG 2D: Rubric for Magazine Cover
Here is the rubric for anyone who is attending Track & Field today (either competing..good luck!..or volunteering). Remember the magazine cover is due at the beginning of tomorrow’s class.
ENG 2D: Work Period Instructions
Today you will be working on your magazine cover in the library. Using Adobe Photoshop or a similar program (Publisher, Comic Life, etc.), work on completing your cover and remember to include everything that is expected.
Here is a link you can watch (using headphones only) that will provide you with some tips on creating your magazine cover in Photoshop:
We are available to help as well. I have also provided you with a rubric today, so use this as a checklist of sorts! Remember the due date is Friday, April 27, 2012.
CHW 3M – Your Independent Study Begins!
Today you begin your first work period for the independent study I introduced last week. During this period you should be:
- Conferencing with your partner to figure out what topic you want to choose
- Researching sources of information based on your topic (remember to add ‘site:.edu’ at the end of your search for educational sites)
- Brainstorming ideas on how to present this information to your peers (powerpoint, re-enactment/demo, lecture, group activity, etc.)
- At some point – you must come to me and let me know: 1. your name and who you are working with, and 2. the topic you have chosen (including historical school)
For more information on the historical schools of thought, I have provided a link with some general information on each below.
Great Man Theory
Radical School
Marxist School
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxist_schools_of_thought
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/05/
Hegelian Dialectic
Great Forces Theory
Feminist Theory
Good Luck! I will be available throughout the period to assist with any questions and to conference with you and your group members.
ENG 2D: Continuing Our Investigation of Media
Before the weekend you viewed ‘The Merchants of Cool’, and I would like to discuss your thoughts after viewing the film. Specifically the last question I had you answer – who creates youth culture? Do you think it is the youth themselves, or corporate America?
The documentary showed the great lengths some companies will go to in order to make sure their message is received effectively. Now we are going to view a quick ten minute film titled “The Bully Dance”. This is a great example of how media can be produced in many different ways, and as long as the message is clear it can still be effective for its intended audience. You will be provided a handout with questions to answer as you watch. We will look at these answers after viewing the film.
It is important that we realize that the media provide us with much of the material we use to build our picture of reality, and we all “negotiate” meaning according to individual factors at the time (personal needs, family and cultural background, whether we are having a good or bad day). Think about what this tells you about how “real” our society is. Do we really hear about everything going on in the world? Alisa Miller shares the news about the news.
Since you will be working on your assignment over the next couple days I will introduce you to it today. Let’s go over the handout and look at what you will be doing. Now that you know more about your assignment, it would be a good idea to have some more practice with some of the things that you will have to include. Everything on the front cover of a magazine has a purpose for being there – it has to sell the issue. Magazine covers contain article headlines as well, but why do certain headlines make it onto the cover over others? This is what you have to take into consideration with your assignment.
I will provide each person in your group with a different magazine cover. On the back there is a magazine title – your job is to spend the next 15 minutes creating 4-5 headlines to put on your cover based on which magazine you have. Here are the four magazines:
Rolling Stone – music
Time – news features
Seventeen – aimed at teen/adolescent girls
People – tabloid, gossip magazine
Once you have done this, spend the next 5 minutes in your groups discussing the article’s you came up with and give explanations for why.
ENG 2D – The Merchants of “Cool”
Today you are going to be watching an excellent documentary that looks at the never-ending cycle of what is “cool” among teenagers. The media try to impose their values on us – they try to tell us what we should think is cool…but is it really?
Before you begin watching the film, take out a piece of lined paper and title it “Merchants of Cool”. In your groups, take 2 minutes and come up with a definition of what you believe “cool” means in society. Everyone in the group must write the answer down.
Next you will watch the documentary. It is divided into four clips, and at the end of each clip you will take five minutes to answer 2-3 questions (don’t worry about writing them down) before the next clip begins.
*Depending on how well you work on these questions in class, they will either be collected at the end of the period, or taken up on Monday.
Clip #1 Questions:
- Give two reasons why corporate America has targeted teenagers.
- To what extent is a typical teenager exposed to advertisements? What types of places do you see advertisements geared toward teenagers?
- What does “cool hunting” mean? Why is it important for corporate America?
Clip #2 Questions:
- Marketers know that kids do not like them. What strategy do they use to approach teenagers?
- What is the reason for Sprite’s success with teenagers?
- Did the marketers get it right? Do they really know you and think the same way as you?
Clip #3 Questions – after watching this clip, I want you to answer these questions in your groups. Make sure each member records the answer in their own notes.
- The media only look into what the most typical, ordinary teenager would want. Does this reflect all teenagers? Why or why not.
- Does the “mook” (macho, adolescent male) really exist in society? If so, did they exist before media made them “cool”?
- Read the following quote: “MTV market researchers don’t call it “human” research or “people” research, they call it “market” research.” How does that make you feel as someone who is targeted by these researchers?
Clip #4 Questions:
- What does the image of Britney Spears signify? What message do you think it sends to girls about body image?
- It’s no secret that advertisers promote standards of beauty and thinness that are almost impossible for the average woman to attain. Would you say that this is true for men as well?
Final Discussion Question – spend the remainder of class answering the following question in 1-2 paragraphs.
Who creates youth culture: the youth themselves or corporate America?
If time: Alisa Miller shares the news about the news. Think about what this tells you about how “real” our society is. Do we really hear about everything going on in the world? Something to think about over your long weekend! Have a fun long weekend everyone.
CHW 3M: The End of Rome..then Something New!
Let’s start by having a few people read their responses to the Gladiator games from yesterday!
For the first half of today’s class you are going to work in your groups to come up with the reasons for the decline of Rome. Here is a great 5-minute clip that provides some insight into the collapse. As well, you will be happy to know your test has been moved until….next THURSDAY!
Now that we have finished the unit on Ancient Rome, it is time to take a look at your next unit – an Independent Study.
What you will do:
- Over the next two weeks, you will work with a partner to examine an event, period, person, or cultural practice from a civilization of your choice. Your choice must be from the 16th century or earlier
- You will produce an annotated bibliography that outlines the sources you consulted
- You will create an activity/lesson that will teach your fellow students about what you studied. Your activity must make connections between an historical school and your topic.
- The order of presentations will be decided according to topic. Once everyone has chosen a topic, I will do my best to link appropriate presentations together.
What will we will do in class over the next two weeks:
- We will discuss strategies that will help you plan an ideal activity
- You will work with your partner to plan your activity
- You will conference with Mr. Pedrech and myself to ensure that your project is headed in the right direction
|
Potential Topics |
Potential Activity Formats |
Historical Schools/Theory |
Potential Cultures/Groups |
|
|
|
|
ENG 2D: Evaluating Messages in Media
It is important that we understand a few key concepts for this unit. They will guide us through to the end. First and foremost, media construct reality.
We build our understanding of the world through the media. Our picture of reality is based on these media texts that have been pre-constructed already. They have attitudes, interpretations and conclusions already built in. It is our job to be able to recognize the messages that have been placed in the media to persuade us one way or another.
To start, I need you to have a few definitions in your notes. Call it “Key Terms for Media Studies”
1. Purpose: media texts are produced with a specific intention. Some examples include to persuade, inform, entertain, or sell a product or idea.
2. Audience: group of consumers the media text was created for (e.g. children, teenagers, men, women). Different audiences may respond differently to the same piece of media.
3. Construct: media text that appears to be a “reflection of reality” but is really shaped and given meaning through many decisions. These texts are designed to keep the audience interested in it.
4. Overt Message: messages in the media that are expressed openly – not hidden or secret.
5. Implied Message: messages in the media that are not evident – suggested but not actually stated.
6. Values: media messages communicate explicit and implicit values. They can influence people’s attitudes, behaviours and values.
We already know what type of elements are needed to effectively reach an audience in media, but today we will look at the types of messages that are being sent to each audience. Overt and implicit messages are in every form of media whether it is television, radio, movies or print. Now you will take a look at a variety of advertisements and media forms to identify the messages in each.
Implicit messages are present in television as well. News broadcasting channels also convey their own messages onto the public.
ENG 2D: Purpose & Audience in Media
As we continue with our unit on media studies, let’s review what we learned yesterday. When going through the various magazine/movie covers that each group looked at, we noticed that all the elements (e.g. typography, imagery, colour scheme) come together to serve a certain purpose.
Whether it is to sell an action movie by creating a movie poster with bolded font the colour of red, and imagery of skulls and guns above a group of some of the biggest action stars in Hollywood or a magazine cover – every piece of media is geared toward a certain audience.
Today you will continue to work on creating media with a certain purpose and audience in mind.
What I Want You To Do:
For the next 5 minutes, come together in your group and finish your dialogue for your commercial. Remember what to include:
- A 30-second time limit with some dialogue
- A clear pitch aimed at the target audience you were assigned
- Language/images that appeal to your audience specifically
Once complete, spend the next 15 minutes filming your commercial with the guidelines above in mind.
With your commercial complete, I want you to pass your PED to the group beside you. I have provided you each with a handout of questions to answer while watching each commercial. You will only watch 3 commercials – identify any strengths and weaknesses (but remember to be nice) We will discuss your findings after you have watched the third video.
This is important to have in your notes, and has some great examples of purpose and audience in advertisements.
Now… let’s hear some RANTS!
CHW 3M – Battle of the Roman Emperors
The end of Rome is near!
We will be done our unit on Wednesday just in time for our trip to the ROM, and next week we will have a test (mark this in your calendars – MONDAY!!) For now we are still exploring the new era of the Roman Empire. Today we will look at five emperors who reigned during the first century of the Empire – Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, Nero and Vespasian. Let’s do things differently though.
It’s time for the Battle of Rome’s Emperors. One group has been designated as judges for today’s event, and they will decide whether an emperor should be allowed to enter the HALL OF GREATNESS! This is how today is going to look:
The first half of the class you will do the following: in your group you will be given a biography of a certain emperor. Pick one person who will act as the emperor and plead his case. The rest of your group will act as lawyers for the emperor. Spend the next 30 minutes reading over the handout provided and come up with the main points that you think will help build a case for yourself. Remember your goal is to enter the hall of greatness. What makes someone great? What contributions did you provide for Rome and its citizens?
There’s a catch: One person in your group is going to argue against you, bringing up the negatives and reasons why you should not be allowed to enter. You must take these into consideration as you build your case. How will you counteract these allegations against you?
For the second half, each emperor will have the chance to plead his case to the judges with their lawyers by their side. After each round, the judges will take a minute to come to a mutual decision and we will find out whether you have made it into the Hall of Greatness or not!
Time permitting: Spend the last ten minutes with your partner for the Gladiator Games, discussing any details before the big day tomorrow. You will have 10-15 minutes to set up tomorrow and prepare what you are going to say. I can’t wait!
mrannoni 