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Browse all lessons
Lesson

My Media Choices

What makes a healthy media choice?

Grade

4

Time

45 mins.

We all make choices every day about the media we consume and create. But do kids understand what makes a media choice healthy or not? Hint: It's about more than just screen time. Use the activities in this lesson to give kids a framework for making informed media choices.

Objectives:
  • Learn the "What? When? How Much?" framework for describing their media choices.

  • Use this framework and their emotional responses to evaluate how healthy different types of media choices are.

  • Begin to develop their own definition of a healthy media balance.

Vocabulary Show definitions
media · media balance · media choices

media – all of the ways that large groups of people get and share information (TV, books, internet, newspapers, phones, etc.)
media balance – using media in a way that feels healthy and in balance with other life activities (family, friends, school, hobbies, etc.)
media choices – time spent watching, listening to, reading, or creating media
STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Lesson video
My Media Balance
Student Video
Open
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Topics 1

STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Sign in or join to unlock this free lesson.

Key Standards Supported

Common Core ELA

L.4.4, L.4.5, L.4.6, RF.4.4, RF.4.4a, RI.4.10, RI.4.4, RI.4.7, SL.4.1a, SL.4.1b, SL.4.1c, SL.4.1d, SL.4.4, SL.4.6, W.4.10, W.4.4

ISTE

1d, 2b, 4b, 4c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7b

CASEL

1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5e, 5f

AASL

I.A.2, III.A.2, V.A.1, V.A.2, I.B.1, I.B.3, II.B.1, II.B.2, III.B.1, III.B.2, IV.B.2, IV.B.4, I.C.1, I.C.4, II.C.1, II.C.2, I.D.1, I.D.2, I.D.3, I.D.4, II.D.1, II.D.2, III.D.1, V.D.2, VI.D.3, II.B.3

Lesson Plan

45 mins.

Warm Up: How Media Can Make Us Feel

10 mins.

Explore: My Media Choices

15 mins.

Evaluate: Media Balance Reflection

10 mins.

Wrap Up: What Is Media Balance?

10 mins.

Additional Resources

Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2018

What You'll Need

In Class

  • Lesson Slides
  • Video: My Media Balance
    Open
  • Reflecting on My Media
    Handout
  • My Media Choices Tracker
    Handout
  • Lesson Quiz

For Families

  • Family Activity
  • Family Tips
    English Spanish More languages
    Open
  • SEL Conversation Starter
    English Spanish
    Open
Select a resource, then open in English or Spanish.
Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2018

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