Curriculum Overview

Modern Media or Modern Mythology? A Critical Media

Literacy Curriculum

Curriculum Conceptual Overview

Curriculum Research Question: How will creating and implementing a Critical

Media Literacy curriculum impact my students understanding of social justice

and understanding of how to be critical consumers and producers of media?
Curriculum Title: Modern Media or Modern Mythology?
Subject/Topic Areas: Mythology, Critical Media Literacy, Technology, ELA, Social
Studies
Key Words: mythology, media, critical media literacy, constructivist theory, digital
literacy

Curricular Context and Audience

One of the greatest curriculum needs for middle school students is the need for modern
connections to students lives and popular culture. This curriculum allows students to
examine how and why their perceptions of heroes, villains, and victims are reflected and
shaped by the modern media. This unit encompasses critical media literacy skills and
can be used in conjunction with the 5 Core Concepts of Media Literacy (Jeff Share,
2009) as well as the 5 key questions of media literacy from Center for Media Literacys
MediaLit Kit.
This activity is part of a Critical Media Literacy curriculum for middle school students. It
can be used by teachers of technology, language arts, languages, art, or social studies,
and by any educator who wants to make CML part of his or her curriculum. This
curriculum is based on the social constructivist theories of student-centered, projectbased learning and on the theories of Critical Media Pedagogy and the construction and
deconstruction of media messages. Finally, critical media literacy involves the

understanding that education must be a democratic pedagogy that addresses issues of

social justice.

Standards Addressed
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. 1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when
writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce
and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting
evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual
displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
Standards for the 21st-Century Learner:
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g. textual, visual,
media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying
misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or
bias.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to
curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.
2.1.6 Use the writing process, media, and visual literacy, and technology skills to create
products that express new understandings.
2.3.2 Consider diverse and global perspectives in drawing conclusions.
3.3.1 Solicit and respect diverse perspectives while searching for information,
collaborating with others, and participating as a member of the community.
3.3.2 Respect the differing interests and experiences of others, and seek a variety of
viewpoints.
4.4.2 Recognize the limits of our own personal knowledge.

Concepts, Understandings, and Essential Questions

Big Idea / Concept: Media shapes perceptions
Enduring Understanding(s): Media is constructed for a specific purpose, for a
targeted audience, and is usually created and distributed by those in power.
The interpretation of media is dependent on many factors including social, political,
historical, ethnic, or geographic differences.
Meaning making requires us to examine and become aware of our own knowledge,
perceptions, and biases.
What Essential Question(s) will be considered?
How and why do we perceive and understand the idea of a hero, villain, or victim?
To what extent does the media reflect culture or shape it?
How does the media perpetuate the status quo in America?

Appropriate technologies and tools

What key knowledge, skills, & dispositions will students acquire as a result of this
curriculum?
KNOWLEDGE = Content
Content students will remember: Media messages are constructed for a purpose.
Using the 5 Core Concepts of Media Literacy allows students to deconstruct all media
messages. Media can be created and shared by anyone, including the students
themselves.
SKILLS = Power verbs
Students will be able to: analyze and interpret media messages for purpose, audience,
perspective and meaning. They will articulate their findings to others and seek the as
they seek to explain how and why heroes, villains, and victims are portrayed by the
modern media. They will create their own media messages that reflect their opinions of
a more accurate and realistic representation of heroes.
DISPOSITIONS = attitude
Building students beliefs and values toward: respecting the beliefs, opinions, and
perspectives of others as well as developing their ongoing process of metacognition,
including identifying their own prejudices and limitations as learners. They will also

become cognizant and critical consumers of media as well as producers of media that
reflect a message interpreted by them and created for a larger audience.

Assessment Overview
What evidence is used to show that students understand?
Formative: Exit tickets, discussion prompts, DUDE approach, think, pair, share,
graphic organizers
Summative: Create a digital product to answer the guiding question: How and why
does the modern media portray heroes?

Objectives from 6 Facets + Misconceptions:

From the curriculum, students will be able to:
EXPLAIN: Students will explain the process of constructing and deconstructing media
messages.
Students will articulate how they arrived at their explanation with various examples
and/or strategies.
APPLY: Students will interpret meanings of diverse forms of media by identifying
misconceptions, supporting ideas, conflicting information, bias, and points of view other
than their own.
Students will articulate how the interpretation can vary depending on the social,
historical, and ethnic backgrounds of viewers of the media.
INTERPRET: Students will create new media that expresses new understandings of
critical media literacy.
Students will use the media literacy framework to construct new media messages in
diverse contexts.
EMPATHIZE: Students will discuss and apply diverse perspectives on the interpretation
of media messages.
Students will question unexamined assumptions, misconceptions, and implications of
views of media from diverse backgrounds.
GAIN PERSPECTIVE: Students will identify and respect different opinions, values, and
experiences of others regarding media messages.
Students will seek out and articulate the viewpoints of others regarding media
messages.
GAIN SELF KNOWLEDGE: Students will use metacognitive strategies to become
aware of the limits of their personal knowledge.

Students will recognize their prejudices as both a challenge and benefit in learning
about themselves and the way they learn most effectively.
OVERCOME THE NAVE VIEW OF: (Misconceptions) These are also listed as the
2nd bullet for each facet above. To summarize: They will no longer rely on the
producers of mass media to construct their understanding of societal norms, values, or
beliefs. They will understand that everyone can experience a media message
differently and this process is not about being right or wrong, it is about understanding
the purpose of media creation and distribution. They will also understand that in order
to do this successfully, they will have to examine their own thinking and learning
(metacognition) as well as decipher their own biases and prejudices. Biases and
prejudices are not always negative, in fact, when students are aware of this, they can
use it to become aware of how they interpret a message and actively engage in other
perspectives or opinions.
*For this purpose, media can and will refer to anything that communicates a message,
i.e. text, visuals, advertisements, websites, digital stories, movies, music, etc. The term
media is not limited to one specific form or type.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Module A: Heroes in Greek Mythology (Lessons

1-3)
Targeted Essential Question: How and why do we perceive and understand the idea
of a hero, villain, or victim?
Background Information and Module Overview
The word myth can have different definitions depending on the context. In the study of
Greek mythology, myth can be defined as a story that teaches a lesson and/or explains
a natural phenomenon. In thinking about the modern media, myth can be described as
the message those in power or control of the media want the viewer to believe about
society. In this module, students will participate in inquiry activities in which they define
the word myth as it applies to mythology, and will use this in the next module. Using the
DUDE approach, they will learn about the characteristics of the mythic hero Hercules,
as well as decipher what elements of this myth can be considered realistic and what can
be considered fantasy. Students will also examine ancient art and artifacts that depict
the hero Hercules.
Additional Helpful Information
The Center for Media Literacys MediaLit Kit provides educators with 5 Core Concepts
and 5 Key Questions for Media Literacy Education. Students will learn these concepts
and answer these questions when examining myths in advertisements. This chart by
The Center for Media Literacy is a wonderful resource to give students to help them

deconstruct media messages.

http://www.medialit.org/sites/default/files/14A_CCKQposter.pdf is a link to a handout
with these questions and concepts for student and teacher reference.
http://www.medialit.org/ will provide you with the entire MediaLit Kit, as well as other
resources for teaching media literacy in the classroom and beyond.
From the Center for Media Literacys website:
Core Concepts

Key Questions

1 All media messages are constructed

Who created this message?

2 Media messages are constructed

using a creative language with its own
rules

What techniques are used to attract my

attention?

3 Different people experience the same

media message differently

How might different people understand

this message differently from me?

4 Media have embedded values and

points of view

What lifestyles, values, and points of view

are represented or omitted in this
message?

5 Media are organized to gain profit

and/or power

Why was this message sent?

Lesson Overview:
Lesson 1. What is a myth? Students will work together to define the term myth after
reading excerpts from the Greek myth of Hercules, as well as other mythic heroes such
as Jason and Perseus. They will also identify elements of the story that stand out as
fantasy and reality. Students will give their opinions as to why there are no heroines in
Greek myths.
Lesson 2. Mythic Heroes-Hercules Part 1. Students will learn about the birth of
Hercules, the reason for his heroic labors, and the first 6 of his labors.
Lesson 3. Mythic Heroes-Hercules Part 2. Students will read and record the final
labors of Hercules. They will also examine ancient artifacts that depict the hero
Hercules including pottery and urns. In addition, students will create a visual
representation of the DUDE model for exposing media messages.
Technology Incorporation and Online Portfolio:
Student work is placed into one location for viewing, sharing, commenting, and
evaluating. Students will use Google Drive to showcase their work. They can use
Google docs to record their chart for the categorizing and Google drawings to create a
visual representation of DUDE.

DUDE Approach to Deconstructing Media Messages in Module A

D
Discover
Students will find an ancient artifact that depicts the hero
Hercules.
U
Uncover
Students will uncover the characteristics of the hero, (and
possibly villains and victims) represented on the artifact.
D
Describe
Students will infer and describe how the hero, [villain, and
victim] are portrayed.
E
Expose
Students will expose the message represented by the
art/artifact using the terms fantasy and reality, influence,
and message.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Module B: Modern American Mythology (Lessons 4-6)

Targeted Essential Question: To what extent does the media reflect culture or
shape it?

Background Information
Superheroes, villains, and victims are routine characters throughout Greek mythological
stories. In American mythology, this is evident in examination of modern comic books,
cartoons, and movies featuring these characters. In this module, students will use the
DUDE approach as well as the 5 Core Concepts/Key Questions (see chart in Module A)
to formally define terms associated with mythological characters. They will also
examine elements of the stories that stand out as fantasy or reality, and examine the
modern representations of superheroes, villains, and victims through modern texts,
images, and videos. They will also discuss and share their findings of other elements
that affect representation including stereotypes, gender roles, and evidence of racism
and sexism.

Lesson Overview:
Lesson 4: Defining comic terms, introduction to CML and media messages.
Lesson 5: Textual/Print representation of heroes, villains, and victims in comic books
and graphic novels. Students will discuss stereotypes, gender roles, etc. found in their
comics or graphic novels.
Lesson 6: Video/Television representation of heroes, villains, victims. Students will
continue to discuss stereotypes and gender roles as well as their perceptions as to why
the media perpetuates these ideas.

Additional Helpful Information

There has been a great deal of discussion lately around comic representation of
women, as well as the lack of diversity, both ethnic and gender, within comics. Below
are a list of resources and articles that may be helpful in your incorporation of the topics
of stereotypes, racism, sexism, and gender roles when discussing these with students.
Rowan, an 11-year-old girl writes a letter to DC
Comics about the lack of female representation.
She also addresses the form fitting and
impractical costumes of heroines, as well as the
damsel in distress theme found throughout many
comics.
Marvel Comics creates an all female team of
superheroes. Read the article about the plans for
these incredible super heroines.
David Phillips article: What taking my daughter
to a comic book store taught me. This addresses
many ideas throughout this curriculum and is
written from a parents point of view.
From A Mighty Girl: A list of graphic novels
featuring mighty girls.

NBC Video Link:

http://www.today.com/news/dccomics-responds-11-year-old-girlsdemand-more-female-2D80496173

http://www.seattletimes.com/entertai
nment/books/marvels-a-forcetargets-a-new-generation-offangirls/
http://www.itinthed.com/16328/what
-taking-my-daughter-to-a-comicbook-store-taught-me/
http://www.amightygirl.com/mightygirl-picks/graphic-novels

DUDE Approach to Deconstructing Media Messages in Module B

D
Discover
Students will find a comic that has a superhero, villain,
and victim.
U
Uncover
Students will uncover the characteristics of the hero,
villain, and victim.
D
Describe
Students will infer and describe how the hero, villain, and
victim are portrayed.
E
Expose
Students will expose the media messages represented by
the comic using the terms fantasy, reality, influence, hero,
villain, victim, and stereotype.

A note about discussing sensitive topics

Some students may find it challenging to discuss biases, stereotypes, and injustice as
well as empathize from anothers perspective. This is an opportunity for students
biases and points of view to surface. It is important to address these, not necessarily as
something negative, but as something that students can be aware of as well as being
aware of how it can impact their understanding and learning. If students can recognize
their own biases and points of view, it will help them connect to the advertisers biases
and points of view.

Educators should anticipate discussion around stereotypes as well. For example, they
might or might not address that most super heroes are white and male. They may also
address how female superheroes are overtly sexualized and are rescued by the more
powerful males. This is an opportunity to define stereotype and discuss how and when
the advertisers use this to target their audience and/or perpetuate the status quo in
American culture. It is also a great opportunity for students of color to discuss how
media messages affect them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Module C: Exposing Perceptions in Modern Media (Lessons 7-9)

Targeted Essential Question: To what extent does the media perpetuate the status
quo in America?

Background Information
Regardless of how far we have come as a nation in terms of equal rights, there is still a
status quo that is projected through the media. Those that hold the power and who are
in charge, continue to define the status quo through media messages, print, film, TV
shows, book characters, and cartoons. Modern viewers may not be aware of this, but
all they have to do is look closely at how actors are cast for different types of popular
media or how stereotypes are perpetuated through targeted messages and values. For
children, this begins at a very young age. Using what they have learned in Modules A
and B, students will examine how the status quo is maintained through the media and
those that control it.

Lesson Overview:
Lesson 7: Students will examine the modern representation of Hercules as a
superhero, as well as the other characters within the movie as the heroes, villains, and
victims. They will answer the question how and why does the modern media represent
Hercules. In the beginning of the movie, they will address the changes to the plot and
the reasons why the changes were made. Students must infer this knowledge based on
what they have learned in Modules A and B.
Lesson 8: During this lesson, students will examine the middle of the movie, noting the
changes to characters and plot.
Lesson 9: During the final lesson and showing, students will examine the end of the
movie, noting the changes to the plot, and any character shifts, e.g. villain to victim, or
victim to hero. Students will think about the changes made to the movie in terms of
family values, characteristics of the modern superhero, and violence from both the
ancient and modern storylines. This will help them prepare for the final summative
assessment.

Additional Helpful Information:

For additional images that help students understand the perpetuation of the status quo,
view the Critical Media Literacy Binder (link below). Focus on the Image tabs in
Orange-these display images that perpetuate the status quo. The other tabs are useful
as well, but for this activity focus on the Images tab. You can use the link below for the
activity, or use it to gain ideas of media images that will help you find messages suited
to your particular audience. http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1404791

Definition of status quo:

http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/status%20quo

The status quo is the current state of things. If you are rich and
admired, then youre probably not interested in disrupting the status
quo.Status quo is Latin for existing state. When we talk about the status quo,
however, we often mean it in a slightly bad way. When people want to maintain the
status quo, they are often resistant to progress. If you run for mayor of your town and
come in to office with all sorts of new ideas, watch out! People may resent you for
disrupting the status quo.
DUDE Approach to Deconstructing Media Messages in Module C
D
Discover
Students find examples in the movie that perpetuate the
status quo set by modern media.
U
Uncover
Students will uncover the most important changes to the
character roles and plot by noting them in the beginning,
middle, and end of the movie.
D
Describe
Students will infer and describe why the modern media
creators made these changes.
E
Expose
Students will expose the media messages represented by
the movie using the terms fantasy, reality, influence, hero,
villain, victim, and stereotype.

Anticipated Student Responses

Some students will easily see how the status quo of wealthy, white America is
perpetuated in the images. Students who do not look like those in the images will most
likely be able to identify that they are not reflected in the ad. White students, who see
them most reflected in the ad, might not see this at first.
Anticipate a discussion about why white actors, models, etc. are used in media instead
of a more diverse cast. Some of the more popular companies are represented in the
Livebinder. Expect issues of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation to come up
as a result of viewing these images. For help in discussing these with students, please
see the INTRODUCTION and TEXT tabs for additional resources.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Module D: Summative Assessment and Final Project--Exposing

modern media messages by the creation of new media
Targeted Essential Question: HOW and WHY is Hercules represented by the
modern media?

Background Information
Students will create new media to expose the modern media representations of the
superhero Hercules. According to the research on Critical Media Literacy, one of the
best ways to address social injustice is by the creation of new media. New media
creation allows students to become active participants and agents of change by
addressing challenges such as the perpetuation of the status quo, gender and ethnic
underrepresentation and role, and control of the media and its messages by those in
power.

Lesson Overview:
Lesson 10: In this module, students will complete a digital product. This can take many
forms and allows students choice in completion of their final project. They can make a
website, podcast, Vlog, digital story or comic, YouTube video, etc. Students should use
their resources from all modules to plan, create, and present their final project. An
important element for CML is having an authentic audience. Students are able to share
their work with other students, and with the community at large. See the chart below for
helpful sites to create digital products.

Additional Helpful Information:

Websites
Podcasts
Digital Stories/Comics
Other creative resources
Digital Stories
Digital Presentation

Weebly.com
Podomatic
Pixtor
PowToon
iMovie, YouTube
Prezi

Students can also post links to their projects via a class Google Drive. That way they
can view each others work and give feedback, which is essential to improving their
projects.
Please see the individual lesson plans for detailed information, materials, rubrics, and
formative assessments throughout the curriculum.