DOCUMENT RESUME ED 251 360 S0.016 049 AUTBOt Beaubien, Roger; And*Others The,Media Kirror:,A Study guide on Christian Values TITLE - and Television. Junior nigh. INSTITUTION National Catholic Educational Association, Washington, DX.; United States Catholic Conference, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE NOTE pet For teacher's guide and elementary and senior n4 4h study guides, see SO 016 047-050. PUB TYPE Gu4des - Classroom Use - Materials (For Learner) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /RCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adolescents; Attitudes; Conflict Resolution; Cooperation; *Evaluation Criteria; Instructional Materials; Interpersonal Relationship; Junior High t. Schools; Learning Activities; Production Techniques; Programing (Broadcast); Television; Television Commercials; *Television Viewing; Units of Study,; Values . ei.. ABSTRACT Niie units help junior hip school students critically examine the influence otelevision on their lives. Topics covered are: the role of televisio6 in one's life, television's presentation of reality, commercials, program production, conflict on television, heroes and models, relationships, problems and solutions in television shows, and student selection of programs to watch. Each unit contains a reading, discussion questions, and a number off suggested activities. Illustrations accompany allmaterials.'(UP) *********************************************************************** * Reproductionslouppliesrby EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. 0 * **************i******************************************************** THE MEDIA MIRROR: A Study Guide on Christian \rakes and Television Junior High By Rol : Beaubien ... Rev. Joseph Felker Sister Donna limes, C.S.A. Carol A. Emmaus . John T. Miller - ar Illustrated by Patticia Beaubien t 4 f A joint project of the Department of Communication/Department of Education of the United States Catholic Conference and the National Catholic Educational Association. Editor: Patricia Feistritzer Joint copyright (i) 19e4133r: I United States Catholic Conferenie .1312 Massachusetts Avenue; N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 ge National Catholic Educational Association Suitt 100, 1077 30th Street, N.V. Washington, D,C. 20007 rt e C WS. 1 aa 11 Published by.audOVailablefly,* tiationalCatholic &binational Abbaciatimi (Publication Bales bffical 1077 30th Street, KW Washington, D.C. 20007 (202) 2934954 4 of 1. WHAT Is TELEVISION .A Channel to Life (?) ins aliens are coming. Suppose your favorite outer According to one stay by a major university, 20% space character was making itsfirst trip to earth rnd of yoting children preferred TV ttt their own mothers, stopped by your house one night just 'after supper. and 46% preferrid it to their fathers. That is due*, Imagine the scene gveiyone is sitting amid the the fact that children watch TV an average of g0. room with their attention glued to images moving hours a week, or 1,560 hours every "year. A child across- the front of a box. The alien is puzzled. spends me-third of his or her waking hours watching television. By the time the average child enters kin- dergarten, he or she has already spent more hours / learning abojatthe world from TV than she/he would spend in a classroom earning a collige degree. But statistics certainly do not tell the whole story of TV in this country This modern invention is a giant communications system linkingnmple and.Placel far and near. It has ,become ourwindow,to the vAllrld. There are televtaion events that remain with viewers for a lifetime the wedding of a prince and princess, the fungal of a statesman, the tragedy of an airliner crash, the tritanPa ofa space launch, the agony of war in a country close .,r far away. Iblevision is also an electronic mirror reflecting our lives and our cultures. TV presents news and opinion's, ideas and learning, customs and traditions, imagination and entertainment, lifestyles and values. It brings us information as well as enjoyment. Some programs, however, just waste the time we, could spend on something more worthwhile. Other programs create distorted or false impressions of the world and people. 'Just how important is television in your life? Former President Jimmy Carter once called someone in Iowa to ask his opinion about an important na- "What is this behavior ?," it asks. tional concern. He was trying to contact the *average "Oh, we're just watching a program," you reply, person" far comments. When be gut through, the trying to stay cool.. Presiden told to call back later becauseiberartY "But What's that thing?" was watt ion and didn't want to be inter - After a lung silence, you suddenly realize its not going to be so easy to make this alien understand television. "Can you stay for a ?ew days?," you ask, wondering to yourself where you are going to begin. lblevisidn has, become a permanent fixture in the living momshomes across our land. But it. wasn't alway4 so. AtAt one time television itself was the alien which came upon a family scene quite different than If. today's. Even your parents may remember the lire- television era or the, early days-of TV. Now television Cs almost like a member of the family Aa such, TV influences what a family is and what if does. Given the extreme amount of time and attention family members give to TV 'that is both for better and for worse. 3 5 4 opportunity nac to study that familiar electronic picture box and yourself asa memberof the TV gen- eration. Dheussion Qtfestions 1.Wiat are some of your favorite TVprograms? What is it that you like about them? What kindof programs do you dislike the Most? Why? 2. Describe how you felt the last timeyour14set went on the blink? How did you fill the time ;with- out it? ilitartant do you feel TV ia jar yogi it'sso easy to flip on the television set and watch it for hours. Suppose your TVwas locateckin a slosst and you MI to take it out andplug it in each tinm you wankd to watch it, Or supposeyou had to pay your weekly allowance for the pivilege Ow/itchingTV. Woukl either of dam situations changeyour TV. viewing 'hibitti? How? 4. Imagine that you could &signa room that would 1- be 'perfect for watching VIMat would it look I 144 like? Where would ft be heated? Describeit to the cloakI rupted. Can you iwievesonsone would actually do 3; What are the 10 fluorite activithw of the students ,that to the Praddent of the Uni States? It's true! in your class? WI uitie does TV rankon thm listRif you The television is. only,:an LI machine, a to choose one of those activities to mime COMMuniestiolik tool at one We' have the teletvishm viewing in your life for mu?yang what intelligence ana tint right toin control. Sometimes, woukl you loose? Wouldyou atusider doing an- however, TV seems to 1 l 11 t1 1 us. Pewle comidain ) experiment like this? Apr or why not? ° about not having enough free time to doall the things O. Commu4iaition and communitycane from the they would like, yet they devotemany hours to Tif. same original word. How are their meanings stmt. Often daily schedules are planned around particular liu? Does TVas medium of conumusication help prwrams. Nbu *y know people who vfould rather create a sense of amummitywain people? Why spend hours in front of the tube thana few minutes or why not? How is 'TV "community" diarent with fliencht other type% of communityyou experionae tunR your neighborhood, In todoyis world it is natural for.most ofusto watch your school, your television. Some'of us spendmany boom others sel- on Sunday Morning? dom turn TV on. The purpose eilhe he;lia Mirroris to help make this natural activity await ctkacious and ccipstrud,ive foryou. This study will not focusjust on what is wrong with tel It will also empluwise t the positive and practical espects of hewto select, 't appreciate slid benefit from what the medium hasto offer. As a form Mono -ivaYetannialaltien,teleeis100 can be a very passive expffience. But it can also be used in an active, hellfW way*, enrichour liveso . Why study abotat televisionl Voir alienfrimul may be able to provide oh ansWor aftera week of intense observation. But you? We are going througha technological revolution. Wearsso close to it that it is difficult lei. us to see iti effects on own. daily lives. It is t good for us to stand back to look at howwe effusing A our video. invention and to evaluate' theenoxpous impact of &elevieionon our society you have this Activities 1. 'Ask your parents or lame adult what it was like ipowing up in the early days of television or beibre on TV was invented. What Akd they do with their free time? Us may want to 11kpo the responses and play them for the el's& 2. Kepi) a lag of du" programs you watekfor a *wk. Use the form provided by your teacher. Compare oa your Foawatching with the other kinds of se. tiviWei you did during the weik. Areyou.sur- prised by the results? What times during the day did you witch TV the moat? How did your week- po day and weekend viewing habits differ? 3. About 2% of the families the U.B. do not own a, TV set. Mist have no set because they chease not oci to own one. Do you know anyone like this? If so, interview them and report back to the class. &di.. Marta TV scraithook.. Look for ariieles, cakoons, On ads, photos in newspapers and magazine; which comment on television and its effect on our lives. Write in your own observations, reactions 'and OL1 ideas. Draw your own cartoons and artwork. Create a cover for the scrapbook that tells the story of TV in your family. Keep (adding to this 00 acrapbook as you have new TV ,experiences and 4 -find new material.