The Electric Experience
Module 2, Activity 1.1 - Introduction of
Electronic Media
Teacher Page
(student page for this lesson)

Introduction:

Through this lesson, the students are introduced to the profound effect the technology of television and radio has had on our culture. In this lesson students create a timeline of big events in television and radio, group types of shows and view the changing face of war on the television screen. An alternative task allows students to create a digital biography.

Resources:

- chart in .(doc) or (.rtf)
- internet access to view links
- paper and markers for the timeline
- time on task evaluation (.doc) or (.rtf)

Activities:

Task One - Timeline
Students will create timelines that track the major events in television and radio. They should choose between 15-20 events and put them on the timeline along with brief descriptions of the importance of the event. Suggested links on the student page for this lesson should start the process.

While this task is intended to be a brief project introducing students to the history of radio and television, it is an easy one to extend. Instead of having individual students create a quick timeline, students might work in groups to profile and present a decade of broadcast media history.

Task Two - Charting Change
In this task, students compare and contrast data and group it into categories. Through this process, they will observe that programming has a purpose and audience just as a written article does. Students will view the schedules for CBC TV and Radio in 1959, and compare them to today's schedules for CBC television and radio programming. They will group similar types of programs by style (like news, children's programming or soap opera), then try grouping the programs by time slot using the chart.

Once they have completed the grouping, students will compare their work with another student's work and start looking for patterns. Stop the group periodically and guide the discussion through questioning. Focus on the intended audience, style and purpose of the programming. Look at the trends over time with the students.

Task Three - Televised War
The use of television to cover war changed the way wars were fought and what people thought about wars. While the access civilians at home in North America had to the war was controlled during previous wars, television changed that reporting. In this activity, Students will find out about the role of television by reading or viewing.

After absorbing at least one article or media clip, students will participate in the class discussion on the role of mass media in war coverage.

Start the discussion by comparing what the role of print media is with the role of mass media. Discuss how wars were covered in the past and how the current coverage effects public perception. Since some of the articles have directly opposing views, challenge the students to reconcile these views and defend their opinions through example.

View sample Time on Task Evaluation

(Shift Assessment is found on the Shift page.)