Media, Health, and Identity

This course explores a variety of issues that are at the core of students' day-to-day lives. Through the films Inocente, Born Into Brothels, Buck, Miss Representation, The Mask You Live In, and Let’s Talk About Sex, students will look at media, health, and identity. Students who take this course will deepen their understanding of how homelessness, abuse, gender identity, and societal taboos influence our physical and mental health as well as our identities. They will strengthen their literacy skills by reading and analyzing articles. They will also develop their critical thinking skills by comparing and contrasting perspectives and evaluating positions relating to issues such as gender. Additionally, students will explore how these issues are exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic by reading recent articles by experts in the field and by doing their own research on how the pandemic impacts their own communities. This course is perfect for educators and parents who seek to help their students develop consciousness of the world they live in and how their actions can make a difference. Each unit begins an introduction to the issues, which presents videos or articles with background knowledge. After completing the introduction activities, the student will be prompted to watch the film at a link provided by the course. While watching, the student will answer “Active Viewing” questions to check for understanding. After the film, there are reaction activities in which the student explores themes and film elements. Lastly, some units include a “Classroom to Community” section in which the student develops their research and advocacy skills.