Media Savvy
Career Exploration
1
 Look at the masthead of your favorite magazine or newspaper,  and identify five different media careers to explore.  Find out more about at least one of these careers by contacting a professional and interviewing her.
Career Exploration
2
 Arrange to observe a video shoot, photo shoot, edit session, or the studio taping of a television show.  Note all the different jobs on the site involving, for example, lighting and sound, computer graphics, or film or print editing.  Which of these fields look interesting?  Find out more about the field and what is required for a career in it.
Career Exploration
3
 Volunteer to be a media critic for a local or school newspaper.  Focus on movies and on TV and radio shows that target a teenage audience.
Career Exploration
4
 Become media savvy.  Find out more about how the public relations and communications industries use television to get across their messages.  Share this information with others.
Service Projects
1
 Hold a panel discussion that focuses on the effects of television violence on children.  Invite teachers, psychologists, community leaders, and social workers to speak.  Encourage audience participation.
Service Projects
2
 How have music videos influenced television and movie production?  Tape segments from a variety of  shows to illustrate this influence.  Present your findings to your troop or group, or to your family.
Service Projects
3
 Organize a video and audio library for a school, hospital, or hospice.  Or arrange a collection for children in need.  Make sure the resources are appropriate, in usable condition, and labeled well.
Service Projects
4
 Do a review of television programming that is on at the prime viewing time for young children:  early morning, early evening, and weekend mornings.  Compile a viewing guide with recommendations about the acceptability of the programs, and why.  You might work with a parents’ group like the PTA to make a guide available.
Service Projects
5
 Develop a project that would help vision- or hearing-impaired individuals.  For example, volunteer at your local TV station to be trained in using closed-captioned technology or assist in putting books on tape.
Service Projects
6
 Create a safety video to be viewed by children.  Choose a topic such as bicycle safety, staying at home alone, or first aid, and make sure information adheres to Safety-Wise standards.
Skill Builders
1
 Watch or listen to a variety of promotional ads (“promos”) for television shows or movies.  Compare three promos with the actual movie or telecast.  Note how the upcoming stories are presented.  When you watch the actual show, determine whether the presentation matches what you were led to expect from the promo.  If not, why do you think there’s a difference?  Prepare a more accurate promo for a show you felt had a misleading promo.
Skill Builders
2
 Research a trend in today’s society and prepare a 5–10 minute video presentation by taping portions of shows and commercials to illustrate the trend you have chosen.  Show your video to your troop or group, or your family.  Follow this with a discussion addressing concerns about this trend.
Skill Builders
3
 Look at a variety of ads, movies, or TV shows with characters who reflect the diversity of American society.  Are the characters well portrayed, or are the writers relying on stereotypes?  Analyze how screenwriters depict one type of character, such as teenage girls.  Note how they are portrayed in at least four different shows or ads.
Skill Builders
4
 How do movies, videos, situation comedies, docudramas, infomercials, talk shows, and news shows differ from one another?  Create a graphic way to illustrate the similarities and differences among them.
Skill Builders
5
 Make a collection of ads designed to appeal to teenage girls.  Get samples of print ads and record or write brief notes on them for TV or radio.  What kinds of products are marketed?  Identify those ads that you find appealing or unappealing.  Why?
Technology
1
 Innovations in cameras have had a great impact on what is seen on TV, in movies, and in videos.  Do one or more of the following:



* View an actual video production and note the number, placement, and types of cameras used.



* Make your own video, using cinematographic techniques.



* View at least three different types of  shows:  for example, live sports event, a prime-time action show, or an infomercial.  Compare camera techniques for each show.
Technology
2
 With the advent of the Internet, the explosive growth of cable television stations, and other changes, how do you envision the future of television, radio, newspapers, and magazines?  Pick two of these media and share your vision with your troop or group, or with friends.
Technology
3
 Critique several popular computer games.  Survey at least five friends to find out what games they like and why.  Select a game that you would revise and describe how you would do it.  Or design your own video game.