Uncover Media's Hidden Truth

Learning Guide

A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.

Mai’s Tips

1. Don't shy away from complex or controversial media pieces if your child is interested, but be prepared to facilitate a nuanced discussion about different perspectives and ethical considerations.
2. Encourage your child to vocalize their thought process during the deconstruction activity. Ask them 'Why did you choose that piece?' or 'What does that specific word do to the overall message?'

Prep Before Session 15 min

• Gather scissors, a glue stick or tape, a few sheets of large paper (e.g., tabloid size or larger), and a pen or marker.
• Briefly scan a few recent news headlines, advertisements, or social media posts to have an idea of what current media looks like.
• Read through the entire lesson plan once to understand the flow.

Photo by Ann H on Pexels

1Introduction 5 min

• Welcome your teenager and encourage them to think about the media messages they encounter every day. The goal is to spark their curiosity about how these messages operate. Invite them to share any initial thoughts or experiences they have with media influence.

  Ask:

  1. "What kind of messages do you encounter daily that make you think?"

  2. "Have you ever felt influenced by an ad without realizing it at first?"

  This stage is done when your teenager engages with the concept of media influence and expresses initial curiosity.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Media literacy helps us understand how messages are constructed and why.
• Even subtle choices in media, like font or color, can influence perception.
• Media messages often have a goal, whether it's to inform, persuade, or entertain.
• If they ask: Why are we doing this? Is it for school? We're doing this to help you think critically about all the information you see every day, which is a valuable life skill for understanding the world.
• It's working when: Teenager offers a specific example of media they've noticed or felt influenced by.

• Easier: Instead of 'make you think,' ask 'What kind of messages do you see that try to sell you something?'
• Harder: Ask: 'Can you think of a message you encountered today that you actively resisted being influenced by, and why?'

Done when: Student engages with the concept of media influence and expresses initial curiosity.

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2Explore & Plan 8 min

• Help your teenager select one suitable piece of media for analysis. This could be a print advertisement, a short news article, or a printed social media post. Guide them to discuss their initial approach to investigating it. Avoid providing answers; instead, focus on brainstorming strategies for deconstruction.

  Ask:

  1. "Which part of this media seems most impactful to you?"

  2. "What do you predict you might find when you start breaking it down?"

  This stage is complete when your teenager has selected a piece of media and articulated a rough plan for how they will deconstruct it.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Media can be deconstructed by looking at individual components like images, text, and layout.
• The choice of media is important; simpler pieces might be easier to start with.
• Deconstructing means breaking something down into its parts to understand how it works.
• If they ask: What exactly do you mean by 'breaking it down'? It means looking at the separate pieces of the message, like the pictures, words, and how they're put together, instead of just seeing it as one whole thing.

• It's working when: Teenager points to specific elements in their chosen media piece they want to examine (e.g., 'I want to look at this headline,' or 'This picture seems important').
• If they're stuck: Offer a few distinct examples of media (e.g., a car ad, a social media post about a cause, a short news report on a local event) for them to choose from.
• Easier: Suggest specific types of media, like 'Let's find a print ad for a snack food, they often have clear messages.'
• Harder: Ask them to select two different pieces of media about the same topic and consider how they might compare their approaches.

Done when: Student has selected a piece of media and articulated a rough plan for deconstruction.

Photo by Mizuno K on Pexels

3Discussion 6 min

• Let your teenager first answer what makes a message persuasive. Use Socratic questions to deepen their understanding. Introduce and discuss key terms:

  Persuasion is convincing someone to believe or do something. You recognize it when a message tries to change your mind or actions; simply stating facts is its opposite. It matters because it shapes beliefs.

  Bias is a tendency to favor one thing over another, often preventing objective consideration. You recognize it when information is presented unfairly or incompletely; a balanced report tries to avoid it. It matters because it can distort understanding.

  Ask:

  1. "Can you think of a time when a specific word choice changed how you felt about something?"

  2. "Why might different news outlets cover the same event in very different ways?"

  This stage is done when your teenager can explain persuasion, rhetorical devices, and bias in their own words.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Persuasion often uses emotional appeals, logical arguments, or credibility to influence an audience.
• Bias can be unintentional, reflecting a person's background, or intentional, to push an agenda.
• Rhetorical devices are specific techniques used in language to make arguments more persuasive or impactful.

• If they ask: Is all persuasion bad? Not at all; persuasion is a neutral tool. It can be used for good things, like persuading someone to recycle, or for less good things, like trying to trick people.
• Key words: rhetorical devices: Special ways of using words or images to make a message more powerful, convincing, or memorable, like using strong metaphors or repeating words.
• It's working when: Teenager uses the terms 'persuasion' or 'bias' correctly when discussing their own experiences or observations.
• If they're stuck: Provide a simple sentence and ask them to make it more persuasive by adding one word, then ask them to explain why that word makes it more persuasive.
• Easier: Focus only on persuasion and bias, omitting 'rhetorical devices' for this discussion.
• Harder: Ask: 'Can a message be persuasive without any bias? Why or why not?'

Done when: Student can explain the core concepts of persuasion, rhetorical devices, and bias in their own words.

Photo by AMORIE SAM on Pexels

4Activity 9 min

• Have your teenager gather their chosen media piece, scissors, a glue stick or tape, large paper, and a pen or marker. Instruct them to begin cutting out key elements from their media, such as headlines, images, specific phrases, or claims.

  Next, guide them to arrange these cut pieces onto the large paper. Encourage them to use the pen or marker to add labels, arrows, and notes, highlighting persuasive techniques, explicit messages (what is directly stated), implied meanings (what is suggested), and any biases they uncover. Prioritize independent work, but offer support if they get stuck.

  Ask:

  1. "What's the very first thing your eye goes to in this media?"

  2. "What emotion does this image evoke?"

  This stage is complete when your teenager has finished creating their physical 'Deconstructed Media Map' with identified elements and notes.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Visual layout (how elements are arranged) contributes to the message.
• Implied meanings are often more powerful because they make the audience feel like they discovered the idea themselves.
• Labels and arrows help visualize the connections between different parts of the media and their effects.

• If they ask: Do I have to cut out every single word? No, just focus on the key elements – the words, phrases, or images that stand out to you as most important or impactful.
• Key words: explicit messages: What the media piece directly says or shows, very clearly and obviously.
• Key words: implied meanings: What the media piece suggests or hints at, without saying it directly; you have to infer it.
• It's working when: Teenager actively cuts and arranges elements, making notes or labels that connect to persuasion, bias, or message.
• If they're stuck: Help them identify the most prominent image or headline and ask them to write down what feeling or idea it immediately gives them.
• Easier: Provide pre-printed labels (e.g., 'Persuades me by...', 'Bias here because...') for them to stick on next to elements.
• Harder: Ask them to identify an element that uses more than one persuasive technique or shows multiple layers of meaning.

Done when: Student has completed the physical 'Deconstructed Media Map' with identified elements and notes.

Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels

5Summary 2 min

• Celebrate your teenager's effort and insights from their media deconstruction activity. Encourage them to reflect on their discoveries and consider how this skill applies beyond the activity.

  Ask:

  1. "What was the most surprising thing you uncovered during this challenge?"

  2. "How do you think this skill could be useful in your future, maybe in college or a job?"

  This stage is done when your teenager shares one key takeaway about media deconstruction or its real-world relevance.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Critical media consumption is an ongoing skill, not a one-time activity.
• Understanding media empowers individuals to make informed decisions and resist manipulation.
• Media literacy is valuable in many contexts, from personal choices to civic engagement and career paths.
• If they ask: So, should I never trust anything I see in the news or on social media? It's not about never trusting, but about always thinking critically and questioning what you see, so you can decide for yourself what to believe.
• It's working when: Teenager articulates a personal connection to the skill, such as how they might apply it to a specific social media feed or advertisement they often see.

• If they're stuck: Prompt them with a specific area: 'How might this help you understand political ads during an election?'
• Easier: Ask: 'What's one thing you'll remember to do the next time you see an ad?'
• Harder: Ask: 'How could someone use these techniques of media deconstruction to create a more responsible or ethical message?'

Done when: Student shares one key takeaway about media deconstruction or its real-world relevance.

Your Notes