Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.2A Grade 12 CPI 5

 

Standard: 2.2 - Integrated Skills

 

Strand: A -  Communication 

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 5 - The student will evaluate the economic, political, social, and aesthetic impacts of health messages found in literature, art, music, theater, and television.

 

Grade: 12

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        WHAT'S ON TV? - Students watch a different type of TV show each night (e.g., news, comedy, family, drama, horror soap, talk show) for 5 nights and record the types and number of sexual references and incidents that occur in each show. Discuss how these images impact decisions made by teenagers. Students answer the following questions:

      -        What were the messages? Who were they aimed at?
-        What is the target audience of the show?
-        What time of day is the show televised?
-        How do you think the messages impact children? adults? teens?

Variation: Adapt the activity to investigate incidents of violence, tobacco use, or the use of alcohol and other drugs.

 

·        IMAGES IN THE MEDIA - Pose the following questions: “How are people with diseases and health conditions presented in the media? What about individuals with disabilities?” Show several excerpts from movies or TV shows that feature characters with disabilities or chronic health conditions (e.g., Philadelphia, Rain Man, Life Goes On). Students consider the following questions: “Are the individuals with disabilities accurately portrayed? Are they portrayed sympathetically? What messages are presented? How could the shows be more effective in their portrayals?”

Variation: Invite individuals with various disabilities or health conditions to talk about media issues. The panel should address stereotyping and inaccurate portrayals and give examples of positive messages.

Variation: Students look through magazines and newspapers to identify products and companies that use models with physical disabilities and investigate companies that produce or sell specialized equipment for individuals with disabilities (e.g., medical equipment, toys, clothing). Discuss the needs of individuals with disabilities and the companies’ responses.

Variation: Students research laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination. How have these laws affected attitudes towards individuals with disabilities? What has been the impact on the workplace?

 

·        CARTOON CAPERS - Show several clips from children’s cartoon shows. Ask students to withhold their comments until they have seen all the clips. Initiate a discussion of violent incidents on the shows, and have students speculate on how children at various ages might respond to the violent acts portrayed.

Variation: Many cartoon shows have both overt and subtle references to sexual issues (e.g., double entendres, characterizations, costuming). Students view at least three different cartoon shows aimed at young children, list the messages, and share with classmates.

Variation: Students show several short cartoon clips to small groups of elementary students and solicit the students’ comments and reactions to the cartoons. Students compare the reactions by age and gender to draw conclusions.

 

·        START TALKING - Discuss how effective communication can build relationships. Explain that most people have a built in vocabulary of talk starters and talk stoppers—phrases that may invite or inhibit open communication. Provide students with a starter list of each (see below) and brainstorm others. Divide the class into two groups. Each group develops a dialogue in which the characters are discussing a significant health issue (e.g., deciding to have sexual intercourse, drinking and driving). One half of the group performs the dialogue using talk stoppers while the other half uses talk starters. Groups perform their skits and discuss the contrasting communication styles employed by the characters.