The Hashtag Bowl: Media Literacy Opportunities (Pt 2)

Jan. 30, 2015 Whether it’s using hit movies like Frozen as an icebreaker to talk about social shunning, bullying, social emotional tough stuff or Super Bowl ads as learning tools to ferret out what’s REALLY being said, sold, packaged, and presented at every age and stage, Shaping Youth is all about leveraging pop culture touch points as ‘teachable moments’ to instill critical … [Read more...]

Homework? Super Bowl Ads and Media Literacy

January 27, 2015 After updating prior Super Bowl posts about the persuasion, impact, influence, and latest trends in Super Bowl Ads, (including this new NFL PSA against domestic violence) it's imperative to also call out the "repeat offenders"...corporations that consistently produce toxic imagery and narratives in spite of criticism to elicit brand change.Two standouts are … [Read more...]

Toy Joy or Consumption Junction? Critical Thinking for Holiday Fun

Dec. 7, 2016 Update Why not turn holiday gifting into a media literacy opportunity? Tomorrow I'll be signing up once again for Samaritan House sorting and stocking for kids less fortunate and I can't help but think it'll end up being a blog post about what toys are being gifted and how... From gendered cues to ages and stages, I'm sure it will prove enlightening as I … [Read more...]

Who Won the Debate? Kids’ Focus on Appearance Mirrors Our Country

Oct. 4, 2012 Ask any kindergartener to assess the debates last night and you’d probably hear simple reactions like: “He smiles more” or “He looks nicer” or “He looks like he didn’t study”…and frankly, they wouldn’t be too far off the national polls, from a stagecrafting and telegenic reverb perspective. Of course, if you focus on content, Romney would quickly lose the … [Read more...]

Miss Travel: Misrepresentation Way Beyond Arm Candy

April 26, 2012 “If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck”… It doesn’t take much inductive reasoning to see Miss Travel is afoul. That said, using critical thinking skills to see why this new ‘dating site’ offering ‘free travel for attractive people’ (ahem, cough, prosti-travel) doesn’t pass the sniff test is a useful mini-lesson. Miss Travel is a teachable … [Read more...]