Media Scavenger Hunt
Introduction:
This Scavenger Hunt has been developed to enhance the
Massachusetts English Language Arts Curriculum Framework: Media Strand.
GENERAL STANDARD 26: Analysis of
Media
Students will identify, analyze,
and apply knowledge of the conventions, elements, and techniques of film,
radio, video, television, multimedia productions, the Internet, and emerging
technologies, and provide evidence from the works to support their understanding.
GENERAL STANDARD 27: Media Production
Students will design and create coherent media productions
(audio, video, television, multimedia, Internet, emerging technologies)
with a clear controlling idea, adequate detail, and appropriate consideration
of audience, purpose, and medium.
This is designed to be an activity that will familiarize students with the strategies that mass media outlets employ. Students will be able to identify and replicate these strategies for a later project produced by the students to their audience, which will be other students at the school. They will be asked to make judgments, form opinions, and support them with details about the material they see, so critical thinking skills are also addressed. Students should be encouraged to work in groups and discuss the material with their peers and instructors.
While the activities here address communication
strategies related to the Internet, observations made by the students can
be extended to other mass media such as newspapers, magazines, and even
television and radio.
Media Scavenger Hunt: Directions
- Answer the following questions and follow-up
requests using the resources listed below. Try to determine which
web site will give you the best chance for finding the answers quickly.
Remember:
The web page linked may not have the answer you are looking for on the
first page, it may require some searching or clicking on a particular section
within that site.
- Who is currently the third place team in the NBA Midwest Division, and what is their won-loss record?
- What is the name of that team's head coach, and who is the leading point scorer on that team?
- Is there a new sports story today that interests you? What is it and why?
- What is the current price for 1 share of Microsoft? What was the price yesterday?
- Is there an important business story today? What is it and what is its significance?
- What was the # 1 movie at the box office last week? How much money did it take in?
- Any big news in Hollywood?
- Find a reliable site for National Current Events. What is the "lead story" on this site currently?
- Name 3 ways this story is presented or displayed that lead you to conclude that this is the "lead story."
- Find 2 similar National Current Events sites and determine what the "lead story" is on these sites.
- Compare all 3 of the sites and determine if the lead story is the same or different among the sites.
- Compare the style of presentation of these stories and point out any differences or similarities you notice.
- Predict how the story presentation would change if a cure for cancer were discovered today, would that story become the "lead story," or would the current lead still be valid? Why or why not?
- Can you imagine a scenario where a story in sports, business, entertainment, or even weather might become the "lead story" on a news page? Defend your opinion with some details.
- Summarize the observations you have made during the exercise about how web pages organize the stories they present.
Make note of how you found the answer and the include the URL of the page(s) in ALL of your responses.
Media Scavenger Hunt:
Resources
