Annotated Paragraph: 5 Key Concepts & A Coke!

Below is a lesson I have used to introduce the 5 Key Concepts and the Media Triangle to grade 7 and 8 students. While the "concepts" seem boring, confusing and irrelevant at first; the students begin to understand the importance of the these concepts and are able to make connections to them, once a series of examples are given. The animated coke commercial (see below) is an excellent start to teaching about media's key concepts through the use of commercials. Student watch a lot of tv commercials at home but they rarely think beyond the intended message. The students really enjoy this media rich animated commercial because on the surface it mimics a popular video game (Grand Thief Auto) but it becomes ironic when the "bad guy" chooses to "give a little love" (perhaps because of his choice of beverage).

While all 5 Key Concepts and any of the 3 sides of the Media Triangle can be explored using this Coke commercial, the students and I focused on #2 Media texts contain beliefs and value messages. Specifically we analysed who or what is included, omitted and/or misrepresented? After watching the commercial for the 3rd time, they were able to get past the humour and identify a number of sexual and racial stereotypes. Here is the lesson:



An Introduction to the 5 Key Concepts and the Media Triangle

Two frameworks are used to help you understand media messages.

The first is the 5 Key Concepts of Media Literacy.

5 Key Concepts of Media Literacy Poster

The second is the Media Studies Triangle which examines 3 different points of view (the Media Text, the Audience, and the Production) in order to gain more meaning. All 3 points of view must be considered to fully understand the media text's meaning.

Use the activity sheet Media Studies Triangle to analyse various media text....

Let's analyse a few media texts together.....

A) Here is a Coke Commercial.....

B) Here is a PSA (Public Service Announcement) About Factory Farming Called "The Meatrix":

C) Here are Movie Posters.....

D) Now, with a partner or on your own, try using the "Media Studies Triangle" to analyse a Magazine....