Lesson Plans - Media Literacy

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Help Students Think Critically

• Using Skills in the Cognitive Domain
• Using a Directing Words Ladder and Levels of Thinking

Using Skills in the Cognitive Domain

Are Your Students Thinking Critically?

The following questions provide a guideline for analyzing any form of media (print, TV, commercials, etc.). They are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of skills in the cognitive domain. Adapt this activity for your class’ grade level.

Description/Instructional Strategies

1. Look for several forms of media that market unhealthy messages/products to children (e.g., food products, video games, thin models, exercise equipment for a 'buff' body)
2. Start the discussion with the basic "Knowledge" questions, and then progress through the various steps to the "Evaluation" questions.
3. As the questions become more difficult your students will be challenged to think more critically. The intention is for your students to realize that they can make active, conscious, healthy choices despite the messages they might be receiving.
4. Assign students to look for a commercial marketing a food product to children. Have them answer the questions below for practice. Students can then keep such questions in mind to determine hidden meanings behind different forms of media.

Knowledge

• Who is the main character?
• What is the advertiser trying to sell?
• What did/do you see? Describe it.

Comprehension

• Why was [name] chosen to be the main character?
• How does his/her role in the ad/commercial/ affect how the product is being promoted?
• How does the character make you feel?
• Do you believe what he/she is saying? Why or why not?

Application

• What would happen if I, your teacher, were the main character?
• Compare what you just saw to other commercials. Are they similar? If so, in which ways?

Analysis

• What's the main theme this ad/commercial is trying to say? (For example, if you buy Nike's, you'll play like Michael Jordan.)
• What is the company trying to do/what is the company's motive in producing this ad/commercial this particular way?

Synthesis

• How would you change the commercial/ad to give it a positive message?
• What other alternatives can you suggest to market to the target audience?

Evaluation

• Do you think this ad/commercial is successful?
• Based on what you've just learned, would you still buy the product?