|
|
||
|
|
|
|
Middle School Objective: Have students create a series of radio programs based on a work of literature they've been studying. (The example I use here is Romeo and Juliet.) As a class, have students decide on several types of radio programming they would like to use to present some aspect of Romeo and Juliet. For example: Talk shows, news programming, advice personality (such as Dear Abby). Once you've listed several of these on the board, divide the students up into groups and assign each one a type of radio format to use. Explain to them that they will be creating their own radio program based on Romeo and Juliet. Students will create podcasts that represent such shows as a news bulletin announcing the deaths of Romeo and Juliet or the beginning of the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets; a radio talk show in which people debate the wisdom/folly of teen-age love; a phone-in advice program in which Juliet seeks answers to her questions about the problems she and Romeo will face. Bonus Activity: When students are through and have posted this to your class or school website, notify other schools through e-mail about your production and invite comments and similar programming from other classes studying the same work.
Middle School Objective: To recognized the harmful effects of smoking, alcohol, drugs, and obesity. Students will create radio public service announcements about the dangers of one of the following health threats: Smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs, obesity, poor nutrition. Divide students into groups and assign each group a topic. Students should research their topic from the perspective of how it is a threat to their health. Each group should decide how they want to present the issue that they are assigned. What age is their target audience going to be? Do they want their ad to be serious, humorous, realistic, thoughtful, informative? Give them a time restriction of 1 minute for their ad. (Remember, these are going to be uploaded as podcasts resembling radio public service announcements, so the time factor is important.) They will have to write a script, select their actors, have a director, and someone who is actually going to produce it. Bonus idea: When podcasts have been created and uploaded to your school or class websites, contact you local health department/American Cancer Society/hospital and clinic to have them link their website to you student's work.
|