English 10 - Quarter 3 - Lesson 3: The Critical Viewer

English 10: Quarter 3

Lesson 3: The Critical Viewer (Is it True? Does it Work?)

Lesson 3: The Critical Viewer

I. Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Knowledge: Define "accuracy" (verifiability, sourcing, bias) and "effectiveness" (clarity, emotional appeal, achieving purpose) in the context of viewed material.
• Skill: Apply evaluation criteria to judge the accuracy and effectiveness of a given piece of media (a public service announcement).
• Affective: Value the importance of being a critical and discerning media consumer, rather than a passive one.

II. Introduction

Good morning, everyone. We are surrounded by information every single day. We see it in online videos, TV commercials, news reports, and social media.

But have you ever stopped to ask: 'Is what I'm seeing true?' And, just as importantly, 'Is this video good at convincing me?'

Today, we're putting on our detective hats. We're going to learn how to evaluate media by asking two key questions: First, 'Is it accurate?' (Is it true?) and second, 'Is it effective?' (Does it work?)

III. Definition (Key Terms) - Part 1

Material Viewed: Any piece of media you consume (video clip, documentary, commercial, etc.).

To Evaluate: To judge or determine the quality, worth, or significance of something based on evidence.

ACCURACY (Is it True?)

This measures the truthfulness and correctness of the information. We ask:

• Is it Factual? Can it be verified with evidence? (e.g., "The heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood" is factual. "Red is the best color" is opinion.)
• Is it Sourced? Does it say where the info came from? (e.g., "According to NASA...")
• Is it Unbiased? Is it fair or one-sided? (e.g., An ad selling a product is usually biased.)

III. Definition (Key Terms) - Part 2

EFFECTIVENESS (Does it Work?)

This measures how well the material achieves its purpose (to inform, persuade, or entertain). We ask:

• Is the Purpose Clear? Do you know what it wants you to do, think, or feel?
• Does it Use Persuasive Techniques? How does it convince you? (e.g., Emotional music, scary images, catchy slogans.)
• Is it Memorable? Does it grab your attention? (e.g., A funny character or jingle.)

IV. Spring Board (PSA Script)

Read the script below for a TV Public Service Announcement (PSA).

Title: "Go Green, Go Now!"

(Scene: Video opens with a close-up of a plastic bottle floating in a dark, dirty river. Sad piano music plays.)

Voiceover (Slow, serious voice): "Every single day, 8 million tons of new plastic waste enter our oceans. A river of trash, flowing from our homes to the sea. This is the legacy we are leaving our children."

(Scene: Cut to a bright, sunny shot of a small, smiling child planting a tiny green sapling. Happy, hopeful music swells.)

Voiceover (Warmer, hopeful voice): "But you can stop this. You have the power. Just one person, just one choice. Recycle. Use a reusable bag. Make a change... before it's too late."

(Scene: Text appears on screen over the child.) Text: "Go Green, Go Now! Visit GoGreenNow.org to make your pledge."

V. Essential Questions

Analyze the PSA script you just read.

1. What is the main purpose of this PSA? What does it want you to do?

Answer: It wants to persuade you that plastic pollution is a huge problem and that you should take action by recycling, using less plastic, and visiting their website to pledge.

2. What techniques does it use to try and convince you (to be effective)?

Answer: It uses an appeal to emotion (sadness vs. hope), contrasting music (sad piano vs. happy music), and a shocking statistic to create urgency.

3. Let's evaluate the accuracy. It says "8 million tons... every single day." What critical question should you ask?

Answer: "Is that number correct, and where did it come from?" (Note: The real statistic is usually per year, not per day, so this might be inaccurate to scare you).

VI. Exercise: Evaluation Panel

You are now the critic. Evaluate the "Go Green, Go Now!" PSA based on the two criteria we learned. Fill out the evaluation form below.

Part 1: ACCURACY (Is it true?)

Is the information sourced and unbiased? (Explain briefly): Overall Accuracy Rating (1-5 Stars): Select Rating 1 - Very Inaccurate 2 - Poor 3 - Average 4 - Good 5 - Very Accurate

Part 2: EFFECTIVENESS (Does it work?)

Did the techniques (music, emotion) work on you? Why? Overall Effectiveness Rating (1-5 Stars): Select Rating 1 - Not Effective 2 - Poor 3 - Average 4 - Effective 5 - Highly Effective

VII. Generalization

Today we learned that all media is created with a purpose. As evaluators, we must act as two-fold critics.

• Fact-Checkers: Asking "Is this true? Is it sourced? Is it balanced?" (Accuracy).
• Critics: Asking "Does this work? Is it persuasive?" (Effectiveness).

The most important lesson: Accuracy and effectiveness are not the same thing. You can have a very effective ad that is full of lies. And you can have a very accurate report that is boring. Our job is to spot the difference.

VIII. Evaluation

English 10 - Short Quiz No. 3

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

Full Name:

Result: English 10 - Short Quiz No. 3

Name:

Score:

Attempts:

IX. Additional Activity (Enrichment)

Homework: Find one piece of media on your own—this can be a TV commercial, a YouTube ad, a movie trailer, or a social media video.

In your notebook, create a two-column chart:

• Column 1 (Accuracy): List any factual claims and note any bias. Give it a 1-5 rating.
• Column 2 (Effectiveness): List its purpose and the techniques it uses. Give it a 1-5 rating.

Congratulations! You have completed Lesson 3.