Popular Culture

Resource Ideas

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Description (from Crossroads Series)

Popular culture can be defined as those elements of our society enjoyed or experienced by the masses - including sitcoms, rock music, informercials, blockbuster movies, and so on. Popular culture has a profound impact on the daily lives of most students, and it's essential that they become informed consumers, analyzing its methods and messages. This unit focusses on only a few of the many aspects of popular culture: Movies, radio, tabloid newspapers, music, celebrities, ads, and marketing. Students will develop their media literacy skills by reflecting on and examining movies, articles, songs and ads, and by creating ads, articles, and CD covers.

Formats may include a tribute, satirical essay, memoir, short story, song, profile, and poem. Students should be expected to demonstrate considerable independence and take greater risks with their learning.

Major Integrated Resource (MIR)

• Crossroads 8 available from Nelson Publishing Company

• Popular culture / edited by Chris Worsnop. -- Toronto : McGraw-Hill Ryerson,
  c1994.
  150 p. : ill. -- (The Issues collection)
  • RN 1-22589.
    Grade level: Jr - Sr..
• Worsnop, Chris M. - Popular culture. Teacher's guide / by Chris Worsnop ; Gillda Leitenberg
  . -- Toronto : McGraw-Hill Ryerson, c1994.
  134 p. -- (The Issues collection)
  • Supplement to: Popular culture.
    Grade level: Jr - Sr.

Web Resources

• Got it Covered? - Students will study then produce compact disc cover designs for singles for a new artist (group or solo performer), with each cover featuring lyrics and design elements which fit the artist's image. Students then write for Tearaway about their artists and their CDs.
• As Far as the Eye Can See - This unit is dedicated to the viewing strand. It encourages our junior students to become active viewers and critical thinkers about the advertising world.
• Famous People Players - The official home page for the Famous People Players theatre company.
• Ultimate Band List - An extensive source of information about popular music and musicians.
• Sing A Tale - Students explore the elements of traditional folktales in folk music

Web Quests

• Poetry Album Cover - The students will write poems and make an album cover. They will pick a favorite song and figure out the theme of the song and then write poems that have the same theme. They will create a creative front cover and even write liner notes for the back cover.

Do you have a lesson plan, resource or web site you would like to contribute to this page? Contact us at: Online Learning Centre

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