Investigating Media Themes

Overview

This 55-minute lesson will engage Year 7 students in investigating media products across three sectors: audio/moving image, print, and interactive media. Students will apply research techniques to identify and analyse examples dealing with a common theme. The lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s Key Stage 3 (Year 7) objectives in English and Media Studies concepts embedded within the curriculum areas of Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Listening, and ICT. It also incorporates multisensory, hands-on activities suitable for students with ADHD and autism.

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National Curriculum Links

English

• Reading: comprehension – Understand the relationships between texts and their contexts, purposes, and audiences.
• Writing: Composition and organisation – Developing skills to produce structured texts for specific purposes and audiences.
• Speaking and Listening – Present information and sustain different roles in group discussion.

Computing

• Computing systems and networks – Understand different types of media and digital products (interactive media).
• Data and information – Research and organise information from media products.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Identify media products from audio/moving image, print and interactive sectors that explore the same theme.
2. Explain the purpose and audience of each media product and how these influence its form.
3. Analyse how audiences might interpret and respond differently to each example.
4. Make connections between media purpose, audience, and product form through research and group discussion.
5. Present their findings collaboratively using a creative, accessible format.

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Resources

• Devices with internet access (tablets/laptops) for research
• Printed examples of media products (magazine articles, film clips, video game screenshots)
• Paper, markers, sticky notes
• Presentation materials: flip chart or digital tool
• Headphones for individual listening/viewing
• Visual aids: template worksheets for research log and analysis guide

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Lesson Structure

Starter (10 minutes)

Activity: Sensory Theme Exploration

• Introduce the theme (e.g., “Friendship” or “Courage”).
• Students brainstorm words or emotions connected with the theme using colour coding or drawings (supports kinaesthetic & visual learners).
• Watch a 1-minute clip (audio/moving image example) related to the theme with subtitles.
• Quick group reflection: How did it make them feel? Who might this media product be aimed at?

Purpose: Engage all learners immediately with sensory input, supporting focus and comprehension.

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Main Activity (35 minutes)

Step 1: Group Research & Media Collection (15 minutes)

• Divide 5 students into small groups of 2-3 (or pairs with focused support).

• Assign groups to find 1 media example each from these sectors linked to the theme:

  • Audio/moving image (e.g., a short film clip, podcast snippet)
  • Print media (e.g., magazine cover, newspaper article, comic strip)
  • Interactive media (e.g., game segment, app feature).

• Provide printed examples if tech access is limited or for immediate tactile interaction.

• Students use a structured worksheet to log:

  • Title and type of media
  • Purpose (inform, entertain, persuade)
  • Intended audience
  • How that audience might interpret it
  • What form features support the purpose and audience

Step 2: Analysis & Discussion (20 minutes)

• Groups share their findings using a presentation method of their choice aligned with their learning style (oral, drawing, digital slideshow, role-play).
• Teacher facilitates guided questions:
  • How does this media product’s form help it connect with its audience?
  • Do different audiences interpret the theme differently?
  • What techniques (language, visuals, interactivity) were used and why?
• Students create a combined research log or a visual mind map on a large sheet, linking purpose, audience, and form across products.

Inclusion note: Varied options for expression and group work cater to varying sensory needs and attention spans.

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Plenary (10 minutes)

Activity: Audience Role-Play & Reflection

• Each student chooses a role from a defined audience profile (e.g., a teenager, a parent, a critic).
• They respond verbally or in writing to the question: “How would your character respond to these media products based on the theme?”
• Class reflects on how audience affects media reception and interpretation.
• Teacher consolidates by linking responses to the curriculum aims about audience and interpretation.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment via completed research worksheet/log (monitored by teacher).
• Observation of group discussion participation and understanding aided by question prompts.
• Presentation performance assessed for clarity and connection of purpose, audience, and form.
• Plenary role-play used to assess interpretation skills and empathy with audiences.

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Extension/Homework Suggestion

Students individually research an additional media product on the theme from a sector not covered or deepen one already studied. Produce a short written or digital report connecting purpose, audience, and form.

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Differentiation and Supporting ADHD & Autism

• Visual aids and written instructions to support understanding.
• Break tasks into smaller, clear steps with checklists.
• Choice in presentation formats to allow strengths to shine.
• Opportunities for movement during brainstorming (e.g., sticky note posting).
• Quiet zones/headphones provided for sensory breaks.
• Use of graphic organisers and templates to reduce executive function load.

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Reflection for Teachers

• How engaged were students in multisensory and collaborative activities?
• Did students make useful connections between media forms, purposes and audiences?
• Were all learners included and able to express their findings in a preferred mode?
• What adaptations best supported attention and communication during research?

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This plan encourages deep media literacy through accessible, inclusive activities grounded in the National Curriculum’s emphasis on understanding texts and their audiences, while fostering essential research and communication skills.