Smart Television Viewing

Presented by: School Library Media Activities Monthly

Subject Area(s):

Grade Level(s):

Description:

Students will review a television guide and discuss program selections with their parents. Students will then watch, rate, and critique the selected programs, completing an evaluation of at least one television program that they have selected and coded by using a television guide.
This lesson encourages the achievement of satisfaction in student research accomplishments by allowing students to evaluate information, then share findings with their peers.

Goals & Objectives:

LIBRARY MEDIA SKILLS OBJECTIVES


The student will use televisions guides to select one or more programs of interest.

CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES:

 

This activity may be included with reading/language arts or to reinforce a unit on graphs and charts.

MOTIVATIONAL OBJECTIVES:

 

The student will:
-become interested in the research process.
-understand the importance of information skills.
-experience increased confidence in research ability.
-achieve satisfaction in research accomplishments.

Materials:

Resources:

 

  1. Television
  2. Television Guides in Newspapers or other publications
  3. Internet:
  4. Yahooligans TV guide: http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/tv/
  5. Televsion Selection Guide (attached)
Credits:
School Library Media Activities Monthly
Adapted for SOS by Kori Gerbig
School of Information Studies
Syracuse University

Sources:
School Library Media Activities Monthly
June 1999; 15(10); 19-21.
http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com
http://www.crinkles.com

Sources:

School Library Media Activities Monthly
June 1999; 15(10); 19-21.
http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com
http://www.crinkles.com

Procedures:

INSTRUCTIONAL ROLES:

 

-The teacher or library media specialist may complete this activity in approximately one session. This may also be shared with parents or the public librarian.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR COMPLETION:

 

-Spread copies of television guides on tables for students to browse through before asking them how they decide what they want to watch. Discuss how we may form habits for watching television. Do children watch whatever is on or what they think will be interesting? Do children talk with their parents about what is viewed? Which guidelines are available to them in their homes? Are there scrolling guides on cable television?

 

-Explain that the summer may be a good time to work on decision making for viewing programs. In most areas, there will be many activities outdoors. Vacations can help us get away from old patterns. How can students use this time to think about how they watch television and decide on the programs they watch?

 

-One way to work on television viewing is to scan and read the television guide. Review the guides that are available in the local areas. Explain how to use the guides that are printed insequence by times with synopses as well as guides that are laid out on master grids. Take extra time to help students who are unfamiliar with grids which follow a timetable format. If Internet access is available to students, show them how to locate television sites to find out what is coming.

 

-Introduce a worksheet that may be used during the following week. Students will review a television guide and discuss program selections with the parents. Students will then watch, rate, and critique the selected programs.

 

-Discuss what kinds of reasons might be given in an assessment of a television program. Examples:

  • Story too long with incomplete ending.
  • Facts incorrect in the program.
  • The opinion of the narrator was not well reasoned.
  • Actors were poor or unconvincing.
  • Story was not developed.
  • Visual effects were extraordinary.
  • Music added to the emotional tone of the program.
  • The topic was uninteresting.

Ask student to develop a list that may be typed and shared with all.

 

-Students, teachers, and the library media specialist may make up a viewing sheet for the week. Meet one week later and discuss what happened with the viewing sheet. Talk about the selections, comments, codes, and reasons. Group students who watched the same programs together to compare their opinions of the programs.

FOLLOW-UP:

 

-The student might write synopses or reviews of programs that he or she considers terrific.

 

-Prepare copies of the worksheets for students to use with families during the summer. Send copies home to parents for their own use.


Assessment:

-The student will complete an evaluation of at least one television program that they have selected and coded by using a television guide.

Supporting Files:

Standards: