Lesson Overview

Year Group: 7
Lesson Number: 15 of 15
Unit: Media Exploration Journey
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 2 Students

Lesson Title

Final Project: Creating a Media Product

---

National Curriculum Links

Subject: Other (Media Education / Cross-Curricular Media Literacy)
Relevant National Curriculum Areas:

• English: Spoken language—presentation skills (English Programmes of Study, Years 7-9)
• Computing: Understanding digital content creation and its impact (Computing Programmes of Study, KS3)
• Art & Design: Using media and communication techniques (Art and Design Programmes of Study)
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE): Evaluating media sources and understanding impact on audience

Specific Learning Objectives

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

1. Plan and create a media product that demonstrates understanding of purpose, audience, and context (English: Spoken language and Computing – digital content creation).
2. Explain their media product’s intended purpose, target audience, and production context clearly and confidently (English: Presentation skills and PSHE media literacy).
3. Apply media techniques and digital tools learned in the unit to produce creative and meaningful content (Computing and Art & Design).
4. Self-assess and reflect on the effectiveness of their media product in meeting its intended goals (PSHE and English).

---

Resources Needed

• Laptops or tablets with multimedia software (video editors, digital storytelling apps, audio recording tools)
• Notebooks or planning sheets
• Digital camera or smartphones for media capture if required
• Projector or screen for presentations
• A printed rubric for self and peer assessment based on purpose, audience, production quality, and presentation

---

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Objectives (10 minutes)

• Begin with a brief recap: “Today, you will create your own media product using everything you've learnt in this unit.”
• Outline success criteria based on the learning objectives, reinforcing national curriculum standards related to presentation, digital literacy, and audience awareness.
• Show examples of diverse media products (e.g., podcast episode, short video, digital magazine page, social media campaign idea).

2. Planning Stage (10 minutes)

• Students draft a concise plan for their media product including:
  • Purpose: What message or story do they want to communicate?
  • Target audience: Who is their product for?
  • Chosen media format: video, audio, digital graphic, etc.
• Encourage students to consider production context — where and how their product would be used or shared.
• Use differentiated question prompts to support planning:
  • How does your choice of media reach your audience best?
  • What techniques from the unit will you apply to engage your audience?

3. Production Time (25 minutes)

• Students create their media product individually or in pairs using digital tools.
• Teacher circulates to assist with technical needs and encourages creative risk-taking by applying learned techniques (e.g., sound layering, visual effects).
• Remind students to keep their product focused on the identified purpose and audience.

4. Presentation and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Each student presents their media product to the other student, explaining:
  • Purpose of the product
  • Intended audience
  • Production context and creative choices
• Encourage use of subject-specific vocabulary (e.g., ‘target audience’, ‘media techniques’, ‘context’, ‘engagement’).
• Use the provided self-assessment rubric for guided reflection on success and areas for improvement.

5. Teacher Feedback and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Provide constructive verbal feedback linked explicitly to the learning objectives and national curriculum standards.
• Highlight exemplary skills shown in communication, digital creativity, and awareness of audience.
• Encourage students to consider how these transferable skills apply beyond media studies (e.g., in English presentations, digital literacy for other subjects).

---

Assessment

Formative:

• Observation of students’ planning and production processes.
• Use of questioning to assess understanding of purpose, audience, and media conventions.
• Reflection and self-assessment during presentations.

Summative:

• Final media product assessed for:
  • Clarity of purpose and understanding of audience (English KS3 Spoken Language – presenting creative ideas clearly).
  • Effective use of media techniques and digital tools (Computing KS3 – creative projects).
  • Presentation skills during explanation of product (Speaking and Listening skills).

Rubric to assess: creativity, clarity of message, audience awareness, technical execution, and presentation.

---

Differentiation

• For students needing additional support, provide guided planning templates and one-to-one support with digital tools.
• For higher ability, encourage incorporation of multimedia elements or introduction of more complex editing techniques.
• Both students benefit from personalised feedback and choice of media that matches their strengths/interests.

---

WOW Factor Ideas to Impress Teachers

• Invite students to “pitch” their media product as if to a commissioning editor or client to develop real-world presentation skills.
• Incorporate peer-to-peer teaching moments — one student guides the other in a chosen technique learned earlier in the unit.
• Use screen recording to capture the product creation process as a mini “making of” behind-the-scenes reflection.
• Encourage students to envision and explain how their media product could be adapted for different platforms (e.g., Instagram story vs. YouTube video).

---

End of Unit Reflection

To conclude the unit, students write a brief reflection (to be completed outside this lesson if required) on how their understanding of media audiences and production has developed over the journey, demonstrating critical awareness aligned with National Curriculum aims for developing media literacy and digital citizenship.