• Spotlight on CML
• Calendar
• Featured Teacher Resources
• For the Holidays...Give the Gift of Media Literacy!
• Download This
• Around the Media World
• Action Idea of the Month

SPOTLIGHT ON CML

CML FEATURED IN LOS ANGELES TIMES
Pulitzer-prize winning media columnist David Shaw penned an impassioned plea for "media literacy classes in our nation's schools" in his Sunday, November 30 column in the Los Angeles Times and identified the CML's "Five Key Questions that Can Change the World" as an approach to help make media literacy teachable in the classroom. Extensive interviews with CML President Tessa Jolls and Founder Elizabeth Thoman rounded out the coverage which included examples of how to integrate media literacy across the curriculum. "It's a mission well worth pursuing," concluded Shaw, "for our children, for our society and for our future."

Media Literacy leaders at the National Conference for the Social Studies
"The Power of One: Making a Difference in a Changing World" was the theme of the Annual Conference of the National Council for the Social Studies in Chicago November 14-16. More than 25 presentations related to media literacy — and many, including CML's workshop, "Visual Literacy and Why the Camera Always Lies," with Jeff Share presenting, were full to overflowing. A new curriculum developed by Project LookSharp, Media Construction of War: A Critical Reading of History was launched at the Conference, with Chris Sperry providing an interactive session to familiarize social studies teachers with this timely resource. David Considine is to be congratulated for pulling together this opportunity for the Alliance for a Media Literate America (AMLA) to connect media literacy with this core area of K-12 curricula!

FEATURED TEACHER RESOURCES

Media Construction of War: A Critical Reading of History
A unique media literacy resource for teaching about U.S. wars in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan

CML and GPN are thrilled to present Project Look Sharp's exciting new curriculum, Media Construction of War: A Critical Reading of History, which examines media coverage of the Vietnam War, the Gulf War (1991) and the War in Afghanistan (2001) through Newsweek magazine coverage. Designed by classroom social studies teachers at Project Look Sharp in Ithaca, NY and launched at the National Council for the Social Studies 2003 Conference, this curriculum transforms the study of contemporary history into an engaging investigation of how media coverage shapes our world — past and present. The kit includes a comprehensive Teacher's Guide, CD with PowerPoints with full color images of 49 covers and photographs from Newsweek magazine, a 12-minute video comparing media coverage of the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War, handouts, multiple assessment tools, and additional resources. With this remarkable new multimedia curriculum kit, students develop visual literacy and critical thinking skills while learning core historical information required by state and national social studies standards. Find out more!

And be sure to check out 14 more new products in the current NEW FOR YOU bulletin.

FOR THE HOLIDAYS...GIVE THE GIFT OF MEDIA LITERACY!

Looking for just the right gift for a hopelessly addicted sports fan? A teen poet who aspires to be published? A favorite preschooler who's into superheroes? A feminist movie-lover? Many of the resources in CML's media literacy catalog make unique and thoughtful gifts. All are available online for ordering with CML's secure e-commerce connection through GPN Educational Media. Click on each title for a complete description and the link to start your holiday shopping.

For Children:
• Eye Spy: An Interactive Coloring Book for Kids 3 - 8 gives parents (or grandparents!) an opportunity to see TV from a child's point of view. Also available in Spanish!
• Arthur's TV Trouble – The popular PBS star learns about TV commercials - the hard way!
• Bionic Bunny Show – Classic storybook about superheroes and the power of special effects

For Teens:
• Teen's Guide to Getting Published – written by teens for teens.
• Understanding Comics – Scott McCloud's brilliant classic reveals the secrets behind "sequential art."

For Grandparents, Families and all media aficionados:
SourceBooks — relive memorable media moments with these handsome coffeetable sized books accompanied by audio CDs and/or DVDs containing clips of the original media events. More than just entertainment, they also provide opportunity for intergenerational conversation and a sharing of personal or family experiences relating to the event.
• World War II on the Air – the original radio broadcasts of the London Blitz, the invasion of Normandy and 35 other wartime events by Edward R. Morrow and the first news reporters. A wonderful way to spark conversation with veterans or those who worked on the home front during WWII.
• And the Crowd Goes Wild: The Most Celebrated Sports Events Ever Broadcast! – a unique gift from a grandchild to a sports-loving grandpa – or vice versa!
• Stay Tuned: Television's Unforgettable Moments – Over 35 news and sports events plus classic sitcom and drama scenes including the finale to M*A*S*H
• The Complete War of the Worlds – the novel, the script, the broadcast – and the aftermath of this notorious 1938 radio show that panicked the nation.

Or consider these titles; several based on outstanding photography:

• Great Women of Film
• Making Waves: 50 Greatest Women in Radio and Television
• Photolanguage: How Photos Reveal the Fascinating Stories of our Lives
• Ken Burns' America – the story behind his famous documentaries
• How to Read a Film / Multimedia Edition – the famous introduction to filmmaking – now on DVD!
• Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year (2003 Edition)

And remember — all profits from the sale of these resources helps to support the growth of media literacy in the USA! Thank you for your purchase.

DOWNLOAD THIS

National Study on Role of Media in the Lives of Children Age 6 Months to 6 Years
The newest study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Zero to Six: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers, provides unprecedented data on the mediated world of today's young population. Between watching TV and videos, using computers and playing video games, what is the impact on time spent outdoors or reading? The report and webcast of its release are available online.

Lesson Plan:
A wonderful lesson plan from NY Times Learning, Media Babies: Considering the Effects of Electronic Media on Infants and Toddlers was released to coincide with this Kaiser Family Foundation report.


Coming to a child's bedroom near you...media, media, and more media!
Knowledge Networks/SRI has released a new report titled How Children Use Media Technology 2003 as part of its ongoing survey The Home Technology Monitor. The findings are based on interviews with 245 kids ages 8-17 and reveals that:
• 61% (close to two-thirds) of kids now have a TV set in their bedrooms,
• 35% of kids have videogame systems,
• 17% also have their own PC,
• 14% have their own DVD player, and
• 9% have internet access in their own bedrooms.

The study links the 'own-room' access to media technology to significant changes in how kids use media. Read on for more information.

AROUND THE MEDIA WORLD

James Bond-style Spy Cams Now Watching You
Cellphones are truly now a part of the media world. Many cellphones now boast the camera feature — a great gadget to snap a photo of a friend or capture that perfect moment when you've left your digital camera at home. The seemingly sudden abundance of these very low profile cameras has led to some challenging scenarios. These tiny, unobtrusive cameras will soon be able to capture everything, which has dramatic implications for how people choose to live their public lives, says James Katz, a professor of communication at Rutgers. The potential misuse of cellphone cameras has led to recent bans in health club locker rooms and office buildings. What are the ethical privacy issues around cellphone camera use? Are we entering a new realm of reality-media?

Lesson Plan:
The NY Times Learning published an outstanding lesson plan, Private See Dispute: Drafting Definitions of Privacy in the Age of Camera Cellphones, that opens up the discussion around the ethics of this issue.

ACTION IDEA OF THE MONTH

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED!
CML is able to provide leadership to the media literacy field because of the generous support of our donors. Help us continue and expand our work in 2004 with an end of the year tax-deductible contribution. Check out some of the projects for which we are currently seeking funding – and thank you for your generosity!

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The CENTER FOR MEDIA LITERACY is a non-profit organization established to promote critical thinking about the media and to provide leadership, training and resources for media education in schools, religious and community organizations.

In the global media culture of the 21st century, we believe in empowerment through education for children, young people and adults. We rely on tax-deductible grants and individual donations to sustain and expand our work. Thank you for your support.