Turtle+Hook+Students+Analyze+Media!

Turtle Hook Students Analyze Media! 8th grade students at Turtle Hook Middle School have been analyzing media this school year. In their English Language Arts classes, the 8th grade students looked to the history of commercial media and learned different techniques that advertisers used to sell a product. The students then created their own product and built and advertising campaign around their business. Digital commercials were created in the library using a computer application called Animoto. These commercials showcased the students creativity and information literacy skills. Later in the year the students revisited the topic of analyzing media. They focused on a famous entrepreneur and their business venture. The students conducted research using databases, online resources, and print resources. Students went back to the computers and created digital biographies highlighting important contributions that each of their entrepreneurs made to the world. As a concluding event, thirty students were selected from the 8th grade class to participate in the library’s first video conference. A representative from thePaleyCenter for Media Studies worked with the students and reinforced ways in which the students learned to analyze media. They students were engaged and participated by analyzing commercials that were shown by the center. The digital native students became media experts!