Media Impact Matters

Overview

This 30-minute lesson explores how media, including social media, influences students' self-perception and relationships. It develops critical thinking skills to analyse media messages and their effects, integrated within the "Growing in Faith Together" unit for Years 5-6 students in New Zealand.

Curriculum Links

This lesson aligns closely with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, focusing on Religious Education and drawing from key competencies, values, and principles:

Key Competencies:
- Thinking: Analyse and critique media messages and their impact on self-image and relationships.
- Relating to others: Reflect on how media influences interpersonal understanding and respect.
- Managing self: Build awareness of media’s role in shaping emotions and self-esteem.
Values: Encouraging Integrity, Respect, Community and Participation.
Religious Education Strand & Achievement Objectives:
- Students develop understanding of self and others in relation to faith communities and contemporary society.
- Specifically addresses critically understanding perspectives and influences on identity formation.
English Learning Area (supporting skills): Critical literacy skills from Years 5-6 learning progressions – identifying perspectives, differentiating fact from opinion, analysing text features and media techniques.

Lesson Details

Title: Media Influence on Self-Perception

Duration: 30 minutes

Class size: 30 students

Unit: Growing in Faith Together (Lesson 6 of 16)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify ways media and social media influence self-image and relationships.
Recognise positive and negative messages about identity conveyed through media.
Apply critical thinking to evaluate media messages and discuss how these messages affect emotions and behaviours.
Express personal reflections about their own responses to media influences.

Resources Needed

Large printed/screened examples of media images or short clips suitable for Year 5-6 (positive and negative messages about self-image)
Whiteboard or chart paper and markers
"Media Message Think Sheet" worksheet (with prompts for reflection and analysis)
Sticky notes for plenary
Safe discussion guidelines poster (to maintain respectful conversations)

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Description
0-5 mins	Introduction and Engagement	- Establish safe, respectful discussion norms. - Briefly introduce the topic: How media influences how we see ourselves and relate to others. Ask: “What media do you use or see every day?”
5-12 mins	Media Exploration and Group Discussion	- Show 2-3 curated media images or clips with contrasting messages about identity/self-image (e.g., advertisements, social media posts). - In small groups, students discuss: What message does this media give about being ‘yourself’? How might this make someone feel? - Groups report back key observations.
12-20 mins	Critical Thinking with ‘Media Message Think Sheet’	- Use the worksheet with guided prompts: • Who made this message? • What do they want you to think or feel? • Is this message helpful or harmful? How? • How does this relate to your own experiences or feelings? - Students complete this individually or in pairs, reflecting on media influence on themselves and their faith values.
20-27 mins	Class Discussion and Reflection	- Facilitate a class reflection on how media influences relationships and self-worth. - Discuss strategies to ‘grow in faith together’ by supporting each other to see beyond misleading or harmful messages.
27-30 mins	Plenary: Media Messages and Me	- On sticky notes, students write one thing they learned or a way they will respond differently to media messages. - Collect and read some aloud to reinforce learning and build collective awareness.

Assessment & Feedback

Observe group discussions to assess understanding of media influence on self-perception and relationships.
Review completed think sheets for evidence of critical thinking and personal reflection.
Use sticky note plenary responses to gauge individual insights and attitudes.
Provide verbal feedback focused on acknowledging thoughtful analysis and encouraging empathetic perspectives.

Teaching Considerations

Ensure examples used are age-appropriate and culturally inclusive, reflecting diverse students' backgrounds to align with Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles.
Emphasise respectful listening and empathy during discussion, modelling how to deal with differing opinions.
Support students struggling with critical thinking by scaffolding questions and offering sentence stems (e.g. “This media makes me feel ___ because ___”).
Link the discussion explicitly to students’ lived experience and values from the unit “Growing in Faith Together” to deepen relevance and engagement.

Extensions

Invite students to create their own positive media messages promoting genuine self-worth and faith values, integrating arts and language skills.
Connect with Health and Physical Education curriculum to explore well-being connected to media and relationships.

This lesson proposes a dynamic, interactive environment tailored to Years 5-6 learners, combining critical literacy, reflection, and social-emotional learning grounded in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh framework for Religious Education and the supporting English curriculum components . It aims to empower students to navigate media influences thoughtfully and grow in faith and self-awareness together.

Teaching Instructions