QUESTION: Definitions and Unique Characteristics of Media

[Ryan Goble]

Hi Everyone, 

I'm working hard trying to finish some pre-surgery projects that didn't quite get to the finish line before I went into the hospital. Specifically, I'm working on the Media Circles book (that links you to the playlist blog about them) my mom and I are writing. We're doing a section where we look at major media categories like:

Fiction (Film, TV)
Non-Fiction Film, Non Fiction TV, Documentaries, TV News
Audio (non music)
Music
Still Images (Ranging from snapshots, art photos to oil paintings)
The Internet
Video Games
Advertising
Magazines/Newspapers

This section gives teachers suggestions about what circles to use (we have 40) with the media type and some texts that are great starters in that media category.

This is hardly a comprehensive list of media but these are some of the categories we chose to explore. That said, we want to define each media type and what is unique that media type in a short blurbs.

I did a quick search of the internet and didn't find any "this is a great model" websites so I thought I'd turn to our MC POP community to see if any of you had some killer definitions you wanted to put forward (we can thank you in the book) or if you knew of any excellent websites I might visit so I don't have to reinvent the wheel with these descriptors.

Any and all help and ideas will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ry

[Kristin Fontichiaro]

Don't know that I have a "killer app" for this, and this might not be quite what you're looking for, but it might be pragmatic to look at the Common Core ELA Standards that ask students to compare-and-contrast across formats (e.g., compare and contrast Pride and Prejudice the text with P&P the movie). Are there strategies that would help students do this at a higher-than-middling level?

[Ryan Goble]

KF, yeah, I think I made the classic CS blunder and was not clear enough up top - I will probably follow up with a clearer post - thanks for jumping in with ideas!

[Adam Steinberg]

Hello, Ryan.

 

I think it would help to know what you mean by "definition." Can you give an example of the sort of thing you're looking for?

Thanks. Sounds like a great project.

-Adam-

[Ryan Goble]

Yeah, I think my question was not so hot - stay tuned and I'll be a bit more clear....

 

Ry:)

[Heather Brougham-Cook]

Ryan

In fifth grade (especially after a short break, like a long weekend) I ask children to come back to school with a sample of their favorite menu. Some will travel others will stay local, but everyone can get to a menu. We have fun looking at these creations or literacies, and chat about their design, content, purpose etc.

I found a great menu in the shape of a large egg, a menu for a breakfast cafe. Visually it is striking, the wording is designed to "enhance" all the egg dishes, etc. We talked about author's purpose (to help you order an enticing egg dish for breakfast/brunch), author's craft (use of descriptive words, puncutation, font size, use of numerals), the opportunities are endless.

A favorite menu of mine comes from NYC's "Serendipity", we have fun reading the great descriptions around the ice cream/dessert dishes. Visually the menu is striking, etc.

For those who want to turn this into a project, you can have the children write to distant relatives and ask them to source a menu for then from another city/country, or even in a different language. The opportunities to extend are wonderful and certainly addresses perhaps "advertising" on your list.

[Ryan Goble]

HBC - this is a great idea - as I'm writing above I think my question was actually pretty crummy as it was not clear what I was looking for so I will probably have to repost as the draft gets closer.

Stay tuned!

Ry:)

 

[Karen Finter]

Hi Ryan-

What about Common Sense media  http://www.commonsensemedia.org/?gclid=CKyO5bfS1qoCFYJx4Aody2J29A for some support, or another resource may be from this outstanding group out of Ithaca College - www.ithaca.edu/looksharp - Project Looksharp - that may have some "pre-existing" types of media defined and exemplified for you - if that helps.  Hope you are feeling stronger everyday - Thanks for this outstanding forum! : )

[Ryan Goble]

Hi Karen, 

 

Thanks for the ideas - a lot of the Looksharp people hang out here - I'll be sure to see if they have any text to build on - thank you so much!

 

RRG:)