Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

Becoming a Media Creator

We are all surrounded by media, but have you ever thought about how it is made? This topic turns pupils from media consumers into media creators, giving them the power to craft their own messages.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SPHE Curriculum: Myself and the wider world - Media education

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 60 min · Small Groups

School Event Poster Challenge

In small groups, pupils plan and design a poster for a real or fictional school event, like a book fair or a 'Seachtain na Gaeilge' concert. They must first complete a planning sheet identifying their target audience (e.g., younger pupils, parents) and key message.

Identify the key steps in planning a media production.

Facilitation Tip

Provide a simple planning template to help groups structure their ideas before they start designing.

What to look for

Observe pupils during the planning phase. Use a checklist to see if they are identifying a clear audience, purpose, and message before they begin creating their media.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Pairs

Radio Ad Script

Working in pairs, pupils choose a school value, such as 'kindness' or 'respect', and write a 30-second radio advertisement to promote it. They should consider their target audience and what words and sound effects would be most persuasive.

Explain the choices you made in designing a poster for a school event.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage pupils to perform their scripts for another pair to get feedback on clarity and impact.

What to look for

Assess the final media product using a simple rubric. Criteria could include clarity of message, suitability for the intended audience, and effective design choices.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Whole Class

Audience Detectives

Show the class three different media examples, such as a cereal box, a public health leaflet, and a trailer for a children's film. As a whole class, analyse each one to determine the intended audience and the clues that reveal it.

Justify why your chosen media format is effective for your intended audience.

Facilitation Tip

Use a 'think-pair-share' approach to ensure all pupils have a chance to formulate and share their ideas.

What to look for

Pupils complete a 'Creator's Reflection' sheet after their project, answering questions like: 'Who was my audience?', 'What was my main message?', and 'What would I do differently next time?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Begin by deconstructing familiar media like cereal boxes or film posters as a class, identifying the audience and purpose. Provide simple planning templates that guide pupils through the key steps: What is my goal? Who am I talking to? What is my one key message? Encourage peer feedback at the planning stage before pupils start the final creation.

By the end of this topic, pupils will be able to plan and create a simple media message for a specific audience and explain the choices they made in its design.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Making media is just about making it look nice or sound cool.

  While appearance and sound are important, effective media always starts with a clear plan. You need to know who your audience is and what single, clear message you want to send them before you even think about colours or sounds.

• My message is for everyone.

  It is very difficult to create a message that works for everyone. Successful media is usually aimed at a specific group of people, a 'target audience'. Thinking about a specific audience helps you make better choices about your words, pictures, and format.

• You need fancy computers to create media.

  A simple, clear message made with basic tools like paper and markers can be much more effective than a confusing message made with complicated software. The idea and the planning are the most important parts.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning