Understanding: Television

Young scholars reflect on how television has changed daily living from the 1950's to now.  In this research lesson, students complete Internet research on what life was like without TV in the 1950's and then create commercials on how...

When we watch news broadcasts on television, we receive a much more visual perspective than when we read the newspaper. How do sets, clothing, and music contribute to our understanding of the story? Compare American and Canadian news...

Ever wonder why the most controversial or dramatic news stories are the first ones in a newscast? Evaluate every part of a television newscast, including the anchor's posture and facial expressions, the time allotted to each news story,...

Critically analyze advertising techniques, such as circular reasoning, bandwagon, testimonial, and repetition, with worksheets that effectively discuss and illustrate how the media aims to influence.

Make your scholars more aware of stereotypical portrayals in film and television. Discuss the definition of "stereotypes" and how they are used to present a story. Students look at specific television shows and complete a chart recording...

Focus on a specific incident of violence on television in the case of the Canadian Broadcast System showing Silence of the Lambs on public television. Look at the broadcasting codes and a complaint that was filed against the Association....

Commercial breaks are a time to get up, stretch, and get a snack—but not so fast! Those advertisements are full of rhetorical devices, persuasive arguments, and media messages. Instead of fast-forwarding through the commercials this...

Develop novice script-writers. Small groups sift through a sample script, noting any script-writing conventions to share with the whole class. Using these conventions and plot structures, these groups compose a script for a 10 minute...

Eleventh graders demonstrate their knowledge of the effects of television on the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual and artistic life of the US nation from the 1950's. Research how television shaped public opinion with...

Students research the topics Boat People: A Refugee Crisis, Dr. Henry Morgentaler: Fighting Canada's Abortion Laws, and CANDU: The Canadian Nuclear Reactor on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site.