Media Education Resources
year-round media literacy support to teachers, parents, children and teens

Curriculum Links: social studies

Media Education and Curriculum links
Healthy Lifestyle Practices

General Learning Outcomes

Production project ideas

Film viewing/discussion

Personal Health Practices

Students can make a 1-min video on dental health rather than a poster or presentation. Or how about a video on how to wash hands?

• Videos are handy teaching tools for discussion in this area.

Active living

• PSA videos can promote active living.

• Students can interview people that have an active lifestyle.

• As above, but remember to address the irony of learning about active living by watching a video!

• Active living means choosing what and when you watch TV, movies, etc.

• Watch a film from another country (maybe to connect with a social studies project -- refer to it if it shows examples of active living e.g.: Kids walking to school, walking upstairs to apartments, eating different kinds of foods.

Nutrition

• As above

• As above

• The NFB has a couple of films dealing with eating disorders that serve well to start discussions.

Substance use and Abuse Prevention

• As above

• Lots of films to launch discussion on this matter.

• Use regular shows students watch to discuss their perceptions of addiction. Why aren't cigarettes advertised on TV anymore?

Human Sexuality

If you, your students and parents are comfortable with this theme, students could explore human relationships through interviewing their parents, grandparents etc about the emotional aspect of intimate human relations.

• We often use videos to introduce subjects we are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with. The quality of the post-screening discussion is paramount.

• The NFB has several excellent films dealing with homosexuality.

• TV programs, videos and films that all students have seen can be discussed in terms of how sexuality and human relationships are portrayed.

• Music videos offer opportunity to discuss the oversexualization of human relationships.

• Freeze Frame regularly shows films for the young teen and pre-teen that deal with the responsibility that comes with budding sexuality. This is a very common theme in North European Children's films for this age group.

Skills

Production projects

Film viewing/discussion

Application of decision- making/problem solving skills to physical activity and healthy lifestyle practices.

 

Watch a movie that requires children to make choice relative to healthy living. Discuss how the decision was made, what challenge did the character face in making decisions.


This page updated