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Lesson Plan: Media Detective and Creator!

A collection of different media examples (e.g., a magazine, a newspaper or news website, a cereal box, a comic book or comic strip, a children's non-fiction book, a fictional storybook)
Tablet or computer with internet access (for viewing short video clips, optional)
Large piece of paper or poster board
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Scissors and glue stick
Optional: A smartphone or tablet for recording a short video
"Media Mission" Worksheet (can be a simple sheet of paper divided into three columns labeled "Persuade," "Inform," "Entertain")

Lesson Details

Subject: Media Literacy, Language Arts

Grade Level: 3rd-4th Grade (Age 9)

Time Allotment: 60-75 minutes

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

Identify at least three different forms of media (e.g., print advertisement, video news report, comic).
Explain the three primary purposes of media: to Persuade, Inform, and Entertain (using the "PIE" acronym).
Analyze examples of media to determine their main purpose and how they try to influence the audience.
Create an original piece of media with a specific purpose and target audience in mind.

Introduction: "Today, we're going to be media detectives! Media is all around us—it's how people share information and stories. It can be a picture, a video, or words. Your first mission is to go on a 5-minute scavenger hunt around the house. Find three different things that you think are a form of media."
Activity: The student searches for items like a book, a food package (like a cereal box), a magazine, a tablet showing a website, or a TV show.
Discussion: Gather the items. For each one, ask: "How does this share a message? Who do you think it's for?" This activates prior knowledge and makes the concept tangible.

Explanation: "Great work, detective! Every piece of media has a mission, or a purpose. Most of the time, the purpose is as easy as PIE!" Draw a simple pie on a piece of paper and divide it into three sections.
Introduce PIE:
- P is for Persuade: "This is when media tries to convince you to do something, buy something, or believe something. Think of a cereal box with a cool cartoon character—it's trying to persuade you to ask for that cereal! Ads and commercials are almost always persuading."
- I is for Inform: "This is when media gives you facts and information. A news report about weather, a documentary about sharks, or a recipe in a cookbook are all there to inform you."
- E is for Entertain: "This is when media is created just for fun and enjoyment. Your favorite cartoon, a funny movie, a comic book, or a fictional story are all made to entertain you."
Guided Practice - "Sort the Media": Lay out the collected media examples from the scavenger hunt plus a few others (like a news article for kids, a movie trailer on a tablet, a toy advertisement from a magazine). Use the "Media Mission" worksheet. Ask the student to analyze each one: "What is this media's main mission? Is it to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain?" Have them write or place the item in the correct column. Discuss their reasoning. Ask, "How can you tell? What clues does it give you?"

The Mission: "Now that you've cracked the code, you get to become a media creator! Your mission is to create your own piece of media with one clear purpose. You get to choose your project."
Provide Choices (Student Voice & Creativity):
- Option A: Make a Persuasive Poster. "Persuade people to do something good, like 'Recycle Your Bottles!' or 'Read a Book Every Day!' Think about what colors, words, and pictures will convince people."
- Option B: Create an Informative Mini-Report. "Inform us about your favorite animal or a hobby you love. You can make a small poster with 3-5 cool facts and a drawing. Or, you can film a 30-second 'news report' on a tablet telling us the facts."
- Option C: Design an Entertaining Comic Strip. "Entertain us with a short, 3-panel comic strip. It can be a funny joke or a tiny story with a character you invent."
Creation Time: The student works independently on their chosen project using the art supplies. Be available to help brainstorm ideas and offer technical support. Prompt them by asking: "Who are you trying to reach with your message (your audience)? What is the most important thing you want them to think, feel, or do?"

Presentation: Have the student present their creation.
Reflection Questions:
- "Tell me about what you made. What form of media did you choose?"
- "What was your 'PIE' purpose—to persuade, inform, or entertain?"
- "How did you use pictures, words, or colors to achieve your purpose?"
- "If someone saw your media, what do you hope they would think, feel, or do?"
Wrap-up: "You did an amazing job today being both a media detective and a creator! Now when you see a commercial, a YouTube video, or read a book, you can use your PIE code-cracker to figure out its secret mission."

For Support: Provide pre-made templates, such as a 3-panel comic strip outline or a poster template with a space for a title, picture, and facts. Offer sentence starters for the reflection questions ("My purpose was to..." "I want people to...").
For Extension/Challenge: Ask the student to identify a piece of media that has a "secondary purpose" (e.g., a funny commercial that is both entertaining and persuasive). Or, challenge them to create a piece of media that combines two purposes, and have them explain how they did it.

Formative (Ongoing):
- Observe the student's reasoning during the "Media Scavenger Hunt" and "Sort the Media" activities.
- Listen to their answers and questions during the PIE discussion to check for understanding.
Summative (Final Product):
- The final "Media Creator" project serves as the main assessment. Evaluate it based on a simple checklist:
- ☐ Student chose a clear form of media (poster, report, comic).
- ☐ The creation has a clear purpose (Persuade, Inform, or Entertain).
- ☐ The student can articulate the purpose of their media and how their choices (words, pictures) support that purpose.