Lesson 7: Who’s in Control?

Understanding the “Powers that Be” - Social Domain

Key Words: Contagion

Common Core State Standard(s):

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.6

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author

acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.2

Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g.,

visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial,

political) behind its presentation.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.8

Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the

reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant

evidence is introduced.

● CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1

Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with

diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and

persuasively.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2

Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g.,

visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial,

⠂Sarah Taylor ⠂USofD ⠂Capstone ⠂ 2018 ⠂

 political) behind its presentation.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6

Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g. loaded

language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Time Needed: 40 minutes

Materials Needed:
● LCD Projector
● Class Set of Computers with Internet Access
● Radio Segment Teacher Answer Sheet
● Radio Segment Student Activity Sheet
● Student Lesson Guide (Shared via Google Classroom)
● Student CML Growth & Reflection Blog

Essential Question:
● How does the social aspect affect media?

Lesson Objective:
● Students will be able to exercise critical autonomy by thinking for themselves and
“controlling the interpretation of what they see” (Loucky, 2015) by identifying and
explaining the social impact on media construction.

Bellwork:
Blog Activity:
1. Open the ‘Class Blog URLs’

⠂Sarah Taylor ⠂USofD ⠂Capstone ⠂ 2018 ⠂

 2. Choose two of your peer’s Blog Posts to reply to. [Do this one at a time.] (Reply to
different people than you have before.)
3. Read their LP6 - Media Conglomerates post
[Original Response: explain the meaning behind the visual]
a. Reply to them sharing a different meaning that you thought of when you viewed
the image.
b. If you had the same idea, explain why you thought the same thing.

Anticipatory Set:
1. Define and discuss the word contagion.
a. “the process by which a disease is passed from one person or animal to another by
touching” (learnersdictionary.com)
b. Explain this definition will be discussed later in the lesson.

Lesson:
1. As a class listen to: EMOTIONAL CONTAGION THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS:
(Teacher: SKIP AD and play segments listed below)
a. 12:34 [Who? - journal friends]
i. Facebook: Emotional states - can be transferred to others via emotional
contagion - ppl experience same emotions without their awareness
ii. Attack on our senses in the U.S.
iii. People are being intentionally taught to be sensitive or offended
iv. Study: Experimental evidence emotional contagion occurs
v. Why is it important to be aware of emotional language?
b. 23:50 - 26:34 Real life anecdote: Instagram ‘like’ depends on who else likes;
think for yourself
c. 27:34 - 30:40 (Facebook) manipulates to action; Is emotional content more
engaging?
d. 33:59 - 35:40 government involved
e. Elicit student responses and discuss if there is such thing as emotional contagion
(keep in mind the definition for contagion).
2. Open: Landmark Report: U.S. Teens Use an Average of Nine Hours of Media Per Day,
Tweens Use Six Hours
a. Discuss article.
b. Elicit student responses if they feel this article is a reflection on their own media
consumption.
3. Open: More time spent online makes children less happy with their lives, research finds
a. Discuss visual image

⠂Sarah Taylor ⠂USofD ⠂Capstone ⠂ 2018 ⠂

 b. Elicit student responses whether or not they agree with the visual and why

Closure:
1. Individual “Exit Ticket” Assignment:
a. Log into your blog and click ‘New Post’
b. Label your post: LP7 - CRAP or Not?
c. Open and read: President Trump Promotes “Buy American and Hire American”
d. Use the CRAP Evaluation Test to determine if this is a legitimate source or not?
e. In three to four sentences:
i. Tell if you think this article is legitimate or CRAP.
ii. Explain why you think this.

Assessment:
Formative:
● Student Discussion of the Social Influence on Media

Summative:
● Completed Radio Segment Student Activity
● “Exit Ticket” Blog Post

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References:

Anthony, S. (Writer). (2018, June 24). Emotional contagion through social networks [Television

broadcast]. In Flow of Wisdom. GCN Radio Networks. Retrieved from

https://flowofwisdom.com/2018/06/27/emotional-contagion-through-social-networks/

Common Sense Media. (2015, November 03). Landmark Report: U.S. Teens Use an Average of

Nine Hours of Media Per Day, Tweens Use Six Hours | Common Sense Media. Retrieved

⠂Sarah Taylor ⠂USofD ⠂Capstone ⠂ 2018 ⠂

 from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/news/press-releases/landmark-

report-

us-teens-use-an-average-of-nine-hours-of-media-per-day

Loucky, J. P. (2015). Motivating and Empowering Students Language Learning in Flipped

Integrated English Classes. Flipped Instruction Methods and Digital Technologies in the

Language Learning Classroom Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional

Design, 108-138. doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0824-3.ch005

McKenzie, D. (2013). Information evaluation rubric... C.R.A.P. test [Digital image]. Retrieved

from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VOKLx2E0JHM/Uq5EC6IYL4I/AAAAAAAADUc/

GmFM9gkvCCo/s1600/Information evaluation rubric.jpg

Postles, H. (2017, April 12). More time spent online makes children less happy with their lives,

research finds. Retrieved from

https://phys.org/news/2017-04-spent-online-children-happy.html

The White House (Ed.). (2017, April 18). President Trump Promotes "Buy American and Hire

American". Retrieved from

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-trump-promotes-buy-

american-hire-american/

⠂Sarah Taylor ⠂USofD ⠂Capstone ⠂ 2018 ⠂