AN OVERVIEW:
    Children's health is influenced by media and continues to become a bigger concern for our society.  As educators it is important to address this issue in our classrooms.  This activity will target commercials directed at children regarding lifestyle choices.  Often commercials mislead children by not creating a balance.  Students will view a video containing commercials, such as fast food and entertainment choices,  that are created to appeal to children.  After viewing this video, the teacher will lead the students in an  instructional converstation to analyze how the commercials can influence them.  As part of this effort to integrate media with health it is important for the teacher to teach about healthy alternatives and balance.  The teacher should also stress that what is seen in commercials is not all negative but that it is important to have a balance of nutrious foods, exericise, along with "fatty" foods and seditary activities.  After the teacher has led the children in a discussion, the students will work in groups to make their own commercial.  The students will focus on something that is healthy (food choices, activites, etc.).  These commercials should be about something that the students enjoy and that is healthy.  This activity connects school and society by having students analyze media in their everyday lives.  It provides them with an opportunity to think about how the media tries to create products that "everybody" wants.
 
 

DESCRIPTION OF THE INTENDED AUDIENCE:
        The intended audience for this lesson is fourth grade because they are at an impressionable age and would benefit from a lesson on making healthy choices.  Commercials will be used to demonstrate how products are appealing and entice them.  Since students are still young, this lesson will provide them with the opportunity to expose them to lifestyle choices that are healthier for them.  Most students will see commercials about fast food, video games, etc. and will want those things in their lives.  Forth graders will more than likely be excited, entertained, and easily attracted to the commercials.  As a result this lesson will make students aware that there has to be a balance between the advertisements shown in class and healthier choices.

Objectives & NC Standard Course of Study

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:
Materials Needed:
    Video camera        Art Supplies
    Videotape             Access to computer lab
    TV
    VCR

     To prepare for this activity the teacher should videotape commercials (fast food, video games, etc.) that are designed to appeal to children.  The teacher should also research ways in which people can be healthy and the benifits/consequences of not making healthy choices.  The teacher can also look at the websites listed below for further information.

STEPS FOR ENGAGING CHILDREN IN THIS LESSON:
1.  Play the video for the class.  A number of commercial clips and questions that may be used in this lesson are located at     the HEALTH MATERIALS FOR TEACHERS section or teachers may choose to use their own.
2.  Discuss aspects of the commercials that appeal to them as an audience.  To address specific apects of the commercials ask higher order thinking questions.  Here is a list of questions that you may want to ask:
                    *What type of music is used in the commercial?  How does this make you as the viewer feel?
                    *Why do you think the producers of the commercial chose to use this type of music?
                    *How would you describe the people used in the commercial?
                    *What group of people do you think they are trying to sell the product to?
                    *Are there any words or captions used in the commercial?  How do these effect you as the audience?
                    *Which of your senses does the commercial appeal to the most?
3.  Discuss whether the commercials portray healthy products/activities.  Also have the children describe the people in the commercials (age, gender, weight, happy, sad, etc.)
4.  The teacher will teach a lesson on proper diet and exercise and the importance of having both.
5.  The class will be broken up into groups to create their own commercials.  The group will choose a food or activity that is healthy and that they enjoy.  The commercial should appeal to the rest of the class so that they will be encouraged to choose healthy alternatives.
6.  The groups will then write a script.  The script should be written in dialog form as if it was for an actual commercial.  The groups will then have to type out their scripts on a word processor.  After practicing the scripts and adding any props that might be necessary for the commericals the students will preform their commercials while the teacher records them on a video camera.
7.  The class will view the videos and compare their videos with the videos seen at the beginning of this lesson.
*  Teachers should send home a permission slip to parents/guadrians in order for their children to participate in the videotaping portion of this project.

HEALTH MATERIAL FOR TEACHERS:
 food guide pyramid
commercial pictures

* Calcium is an important mineral that our bodies need to have strong bones and teeth.  Calcium is found in almonds, broccoli, milk, yogurt as well as other food items.
* Being active by doing such things as running, playing ball or riding a bike helps burn calories.  If you eat only "junk" food or even just lots of food in general, then your body needs to burn the calories so they are not storaged.  Excess calories can lead to obsity.
* Eatting at fast food restaurants is not a bad thing unless done frequently.  The food contains lots of grease and fat.  Therefore, when looking at the food pyramid the food items fall mainly in the fat/sweets categorie leaving out the healthy categories such as the fruits and vegetables.
 
 

to media literacy materials on the web
 blubberbuster.com                         This is a website that offers information regarding obesity in children
                                                       for parents, teachers and children.
 edhelper.com                                 This website provides a large selection of lesson plans for teachers
                                                       including some that would reinforce this lesson on healthy choices.
 lessonplanz.com                             Teachers can use this website to search for other lesson plans on
                                                       health and nutrition as well as other subjects for specific grade levels.
 usda.gov                                        This website offers reproducable food guide pyramids and worksheets that
                                                       teachers can use to enhance this lesson or for other lessons.
 

OUR ANALYSIS OF THIS LESSON:
We believe that this lesson will be a fun and educational experience for students.  Not only does this lesson cover important health issues but it also incorporates teamwork, creativity, technology, and other important skills into the classroom.  The media that is used in this lesson was taken directly from television channels that are targeted for children.  Most children are exposed to this daily and should therefore have another perspective when making decisions.