Unit 6
Safety First
Viewing “Safety First”
Determining students’ prior knowledge about the subject content of the media text:
1. Ask the students to explain what the word “safety” means to them.
2. Then ask them to explain what the term “safety device” means to them. (Accept a variety of responses to both questions at this time.)
Helping students focus on the video as they view it:
1. After the discussion say, “We are going to watch a Photo Story called, ‘Safety First’. I want you to listen carefully to identify any safety devices you see and hear mentioned and think about why humans have invented those safety devices.”
2. Have the students view “Safety First”. You may wish to stop the video clip during the viewing to hold discussions about the above; or, you may choose to view it once through, then view it a second time, stopping for discussion throughout.
Helping students apply and reflect on the concepts:
1. Use the “Sample Guiding Questions” below to guide discussion. Many of these questions are directly referenced from the Photo Story while others require inference and/or extended thinking based on the Photo Story, as well as their own life experiences and knowledge.
2. As students name the safety devices in each scenario mentioned in question 1, list them for all to see.
3. You may wish to view the Photo Story again to add any other examples the students may have missed or new examples they may think of on their own while viewing it another time.
4. Use these Teacher Prompts (and sample responses) to promote discussion of the following media literacy connections:
• Who would watch “Safety First”? (e.g., children and some adults) Why? (e.g., it teaches us that there are forces such as gravity that can affect us so we could get hurt if we’re not careful; we can learn that as humans, we can prevent or lessen some of the effects of these forces by wearing and using safety gear and devices; it helps everyone to realize that it’s important for us to be safe)
• What overt or direct message or messages do you think the photographer wants to tell us with this story? What implied or indirect message or messages do you think he wants to tell us?
Overt message: We use safety gear and devices to lessen or minimize the effects of forces on human activities. Implied message: There are benefits and costs to these devices.
• Do you agree or disagree with the message in the Photo Story? Why? How did the Photo Story make you feel? Why? (Accept a variety of student responses.)
• How might a parent respond to this Photo Story? (e.g., Parents might like it because they want their families to stay safe.) How might a teenager respond? (e.g., some teenagers would agree but others might disagree because they don’t like wearing safety gear and they don’t think they will get hurt; some may agree that it is needed in sports but disagree that it is needed to ride a bike or skateboard)
• Who else might produce a Photo Story like this one? (e.g., the government might produce it because they are trying to promote safety of its citizens; companies that sell safety gear and devices might produce it because they also care and they want to sell their products)
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