Media Literacy Resources

Web Resources
(This is by no means a complete listing, but it is the sites I found helpful.)

• Center for Media Literacy Reading Room The CML is a non-profit membership organization that believes media literacy is a critical skill for children and adults. They develop and distribute lesson plans and offer workshops. http://www.medialit.org

• Don't Buy It Kid-friendly activities that challenge kids to question advertising, evaluate media and become smart consumers. http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/

• An Introduction to Media Literacy The What, Why and How To’s Simple overview that explains the field — What is media literacy? Why do we need it? Where does it belong in the K-12 field? http://www.ci.appstate.edu/programs/edmedia/medialit/article.html

• Just Think Foundation Teaches young people to understand the words and images in media and to think for themselves. http://www.justthink.org

• KidsNet Gives information on media news as well as program ratings and study guides. http://www.kidsnet.org

• Listen Up Provides support for young video producers — Lots of free resources http://www.listenup.org/

• Media Awareness Network Offers practical support for media education in the home, school and community. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/

• Media Literacy Resources Hotlist of organizations, lesson plans, study guides and videos, bibliographies, television sites, newspapers and magazines. http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/metks4/instruct/iru/pubs/web/ml/medialt1.html

• Media Violence and Media Literacy Gives statistics and information about violence in the media http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/media.htm

• National Institute on Media and the Family Offers educational tools and material to help parents, teachers and community understand the influence of the media. Includes movie and video game ratings. http://www.mediafamily.org

• Ontario Media Literacy Has expectations and activities for all grade levels. Also talks about the power of the image. http://www.angelfire.com/ms/MediaLiteracy/index.html

• Project Look Sharp — 12 Basic Principals for Incorporating Media Literacy into Any Curriculum http://www.Ithaca.edu/looksharp/resources/integration/12principles.html

• 21st Century Literacies Focuses on four 21st century literacies - information, media, multicultural, and visual. http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/21stcent/

Other Resources

• Taking Charge of Your TV Taking Charge of Your TV,” published by the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Cable Television Association and Cable in the Classroom, is a free 20-page booklet that offers parents tips on critical viewing that can help parents improve the quality of their whole family’s television viewing habits. Contact NCTA, 1724 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, phone 202-775-3629, fax 202-775-1055.

• The Smart Parent’s Guide to Kids’ TV by Milton Chen, Ph.D.

• Screen Smarts: A Family Guide to Media Literacy by Gloria DeGaetano and Kathleen Bander

• Media Alert: 200 Activities to Create Media-Savvy Kids by Sue Lockwood-Summers

• Selling Out America’s Children: How America Put Profits Before Values — and What Parents Can Do by David Walsh, Ph.D.