Monday, April 11, 2011

Mass Media and Reality (4/11)

From Invisible PR
To Do:
Check "The Shadows of Life" cartoon by Mauricio de Sousa HERE.

Now consider: Is de Sousa correct in making an analogy between the men in the cave watching shadows and contemporary viewers watching television? In what ways is watching television like being a prisoner in Socrates’ cave? Be ready to share your answer with the class.

Today we will
  • Examine how The Truman Show and The Matrix connect the cave to mass media culture
  • Write a claim, reason, and example on the subject of mass media
  • Discuss the impact of television on our lives
  • Identify a significant idea in a CAT-style reading and write an outline of the claim/thesis, reasons, and evidence you would use to respond to it
***
    I. The Truman Show, The Matrix, and Mass Media
    Follow the professor as she presents her claim via PowerPoint. For a static version of the presentation, click HERE.

    Your response to the professor's claim: Choose the words or words that best complete the blank in the sentence below. Then, find an evidence that illustrates your choice of word(s). Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

    Our reality is __________________ by the mass media (television, newspapers, radio, the internet, film).
    reported
    explained
    influenced
    reflected
    distorted
    manufactured
    (another word of your choice)
    Reason/Evidence:

    II. The Impact of  The Idiot Box
    Read Malcolm Klimowicz's blog post "We Are an Army of Zombies" HERE.
    Do you agree, partially agree, or disagree with Klimowicz? Write down your answer as a claim and a reason (and, if you have time, think of some evidence).

    Television's Impact on Children
    From 3-b-s
    Read the two Calvin and  Hobbes cartoons by Bill Waterson. In these two cartoons, Calvin compares reality to “TV reality” and in both cases he concludes that reality is “lesser” than (not as interesting as) TV reality.

    Now write down a paragraph that responds to the following questions. Write the answer to question #3 in the form of a claim/thesis and reason(s):
    1. What are the reasons that Calvin thinks TV reality is better than reality? 
    2. What kind of world does Calvin want to live in? 
    3. Do you agree with Calvin that living in a TV-like world would be better? Why? Why not? 
    Paste your paragraph  in this Google Docs.

     
    III. Identifying an Idea/Outlining a Response
    Read and annotate "Kid Kustomers." Identify a significant idea, and write an outline responding to it using this interactive Persuasion Map. Once you are done, print two copies: one for you and one for a classmate to review.

    Reviewer:
    1. Do you consider the idea chosen by your classmate as significant? Why? Why not?
    2. Is the claim/thesis responding to the idea clear or somewhat confusing?
    3. Does the writer give at least two reasons for her claim? In your opinion, are the reasons clear and logical?
    4. Does the writer have at least one example/fact per reason? In your opinion, is each example clear, logical, and does it expand its corresponding reason?