C Block Crime, Media and Society 12 - Today we'll start our unit on media literacy. Not only are media constructions (made by humans) but that the receiving audience interprets the meaning of the message themselves.
1. Media are constructions - Media products are created by individuals who make conscious and unconscious choices about what to include, what to leave out and how to present what is included. These decisions are based on the creators’ own point of view, which will have been shaped by their opinions, assumptions and biases – as well as media they have been exposed to. As a result of this, media products are never entirely accurate reflections of the real world – even the most objective documentary filmmaker has to decide what footage to use and what to cut, as well as where to put the camera – but we instinctively view many media products as direct representations of what is real.
2. Audiences negotiate meaning - The meaning of any media product is not created solely by its producers but is, instead, a collaboration between them and the audience – which means that different audiences can take away different meanings from the same product. Media literacy encourages us to understand how individual factors, such as age, gender, race and social status affect our interpretations of media.
3. Media have commercial implications - Most media production is a business and must, therefore, make a profit. In addition, media industries belong to a powerful network of corporations that exert influence on content and distribution. Questions of ownership and control are central – a relatively small number of individuals control what we watch, read and hear in the media. Even in cases where media content is not made for profit – such as YouTube videos and Facebook posts -- the ways in which content is distributed are nearly always run with profit in mind.
4. Media have social and political implications - Media convey ideological messages about values, power and authority. In media literacy, what or who is absent may be more important than what or who is included. These messages may be the result of conscious decisions, but more often they are the result of unconscious biases and unquestioned assumptions – and they can have a significant influence on what we think and believe. As a result, media have great influence on politics and on forming social change. TV news coverage and advertising can greatly influence the election of a national leader on the basis of image; representations of world issues, both in journalism and fiction, can affect how much attention they receive; and society's views towards different groups can be directly influenced by how – and how often – they appear in media
5. Each medium has a unique aesthetic form - The content of media depends in part on the nature of the medium. This includes the technical, commercial and storytelling demands of each medium: for instance, the interactive nature of video games leads to different forms of storytelling – and different demands on media creators – that are found in film and TV.
So, I'll ask you to work in partners - groups of two (dyads) on commercial advertisements that I'll give you today. I'll ask you to practice the skills of critical analysis of the message and the medium. Together as a class we'll look at each commercial and try to consider the message that it sends to people.
4. Media have social and political implications - Media convey ideological messages about values, power and authority. In media literacy, what or who is absent may be more important than what or who is included. These messages may be the result of conscious decisions, but more often they are the result of unconscious biases and unquestioned assumptions – and they can have a significant influence on what we think and believe. As a result, media have great influence on politics and on forming social change. TV news coverage and advertising can greatly influence the election of a national leader on the basis of image; representations of world issues, both in journalism and fiction, can affect how much attention they receive; and society's views towards different groups can be directly influenced by how – and how often – they appear in media
5. Each medium has a unique aesthetic form - The content of media depends in part on the nature of the medium. This includes the technical, commercial and storytelling demands of each medium: for instance, the interactive nature of video games leads to different forms of storytelling – and different demands on media creators – that are found in film and TV.
So, I'll ask you to work in partners - groups of two (dyads) on commercial advertisements that I'll give you today. I'll ask you to practice the skills of critical analysis of the message and the medium. Together as a class we'll look at each commercial and try to consider the message that it sends to people.
D Block Geography 12 - Today we'll be talking about air pollution, specifically the anthropogenic additions to our atmosphere. We will look at the effects of nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxides on human health and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We'll see what Tim and Moby have to say about air pollution and we'll also look at the Environment Canada Air Quality Index
BC Air Quality Readings
Real Time Air Quality Index Map
The Habitable Planet: Air Pollution
Environment Canada Air Pollution site
David Suzuki Foundation Air Pollution Site
National Public Radio site on the London "Killer Fog" of 1952
EPA website on acid rain
A Block Social Studies 10 - To start the class today we'll go over the work from yesterday on the fur trade and the relationship that developed between Aboriginal Peoples and the HBC and NWC. Do not forget that you have a Compare/Contrast chart that you need to hand in today along with question 2 & 3 from page 135 of the Horizons text. Next we'll take a look at the Metis, Bison and the Red River Valley. I'll have you finish the class by completing questions 1 & 2 on page 142 of the Horizons text.
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