Reviewing Television
Grade Levels: 3 - 6
Objectives
Students will use observation and writing skills to assess television.
Materials
- Television at home
- Journal
Procedure
-
Decide on a set of questions to ask students. For example:
Math: How many ads occur for each hour of television? Count the number of times X occurs. Average the number of times you change the channel in an evening. Track how much TV you watch.
Art: How do think sets are designed? Sketch the set of your favorite show.
Vocational/Technical: How are trades people portrayed on television? Is there a character on television who has a job in your career area? Name character traits of that person.
Language Arts: What is your favorite show and why? Review a show you don't usually watch. How is a book based movie or show different/similar to the original text?
Science: Explain what you learned from a specific science show. How are space travel, aliens, or scientists portrayed on television?
Social Studies: How does an historically based show differ from the history presented in your textbooks? What clues tell the time or place of the story?
Students can watch an evening of television, a specific show, or record a weeks worth of watching in order to collect data.
Students can put together a group of reviews, or analysis for a class magazine.
