Lesson 4
Key Question:
What values, lifestyles, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
Vocabulary
Embedded – Hidden within or built into something.
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Worldview – A person’s overall perspective on life and the world.
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Values – The beliefs or principles that guide characters or creators.
Bias – Primarily defined as preference in favor of or against one thing, person, or group–even if it's not totally accurate
Stereotypes – Oversimplified and generalized beliefs about a group of people.
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Generalizations – Broad claims made about a group, often lacking nuance.
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Ideologies – Systems of ideas, especially those that form political or cultural beliefs.
Media Have Embedded Values and
Points of View
by the end of this lesson:
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I will be able to investigate and analyze the values, worldviews, and ideologies embedded in media.
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I will be able to identify whose perspectives are included or excluded from a media message.
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I will be able to reflect on the impact of those inclusions/omissions on how stories are understood.
Icebreaker:
“ME-dia Decoder”
Lesson:
Rewriting the Narrative
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Ask students to select a piece of media they’ve recently consumed (or use a short story/media clip provided).
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Introduce the prompt: “Imagine a character with a very different background, identity, or belief system suddenly appeared in this story"
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Students create a new character using the worksheet below.
Media Literacy Questions:
What was Embedded & Encoded?
(Optional Pair Work) Have students pair up and discuss their new characters:
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What worldviews are represented by your character?
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What stereotypes might others assume about them?
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How does your character’s presence challenge the original story?
If you’d prefer to use a visual clip:
Show a 2–3 minute scene from a well-known film, TV show, or commercial and ask students to design a character who interrupts or reshapes the message.
Students complete a brief reflection + drawing:
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“Describe your new character. What values do they bring to the story? What perspective do they represent that wasn’t originally there? How does their inclusion change the story’s meaning?”
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Alternate Prompts (for different learners):
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“Whose perspective was missing in the original story?”
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“Was this story biased toward a certain idea or group?”
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“Does your character reinforce or challenge the story’s original message?”