Lesson Plan: Reporting the War

Lesson Plan

Before Exploring

Ask students to identify, by writing or sketching, five impressions they have about the status of Canada's military at the international level today.

Have students form small groups to share their impressions. As a whole class, discuss the accuracy and the sources for their impressions and the extent to which media influences their impressions about the military.

Outline the Opportunity

Direct students to the topic Canada Tunes In: Radio and TV's Early Years on the CBC Digital Archives website. Have students browse the clip titled "The bomb-chasing broadcaster", and read the notes that accompany the clip. Have students view the additional clips related to the topic.

Have students work in small groups to prepare a radio script for a "Back from the Blitz" program by Art Holmes. Then ask students to prepare a dramatization of how the same information might be reported today. Have each group present the two performances to the class.

Revisit and Reflect

After each set of performances, ask: Which performance gives a more accurate report of the event? Why do you think so? How do modern reporting techniques both reflect and distort the reality of war?

Extension

Students can interview a reporter or member of the military about ethical practices for the media in reporting military events. They can create a code of ethics for military reporting based on this person's views.