Guiding+Activity+1



GOOD NEWS GLOW-BALL KICK OFF ACTIVITIES: **

Humanity
 * The Big Idea: **

How do positive stories from around the globe change our view of the world?
 * The Essential Question: **

How can you promote cross-cultural positivity in the media through community action?
 * The Challenge: **


 * Activity Length: ** 2 – 3 days

Here is our list of guiding questions:
 * Guiding Questions: **

How much of the news is negative versus positive and why does it matter? What is the role of the media? How can I become a discriminating reader/viewer of media? How can I contribute to positive media in my own community? How does our perception of news negativity compare to that of students in other countries? What have other students in other nations done to increase positive media coverage?


 * Directions: **


 * Large Group: **
 * 1. ** Have students draw a compass rose depicting north, east, south and west directions. Direct students to write down one positive comment about the student north, east, south, and west of them.
 * 2. ** Have students communicate comments to each other and garner reactions to hear how each student feels after having positive comments made about them.
 * 3. ** Open discussion for positive versus negative comments that are made between classmates, schoolmates, friends, family. How do you feel when someone says something about you either positive or negative? How do you react when there is something positive or negative reported to you?


 * Small Group ** :
 * 1) Groups brainstorm sources of reports either positive or negative, recording responses on Graphic Organizer.
 * 2) Groups then springboard off of sources to notate the kinds of reports communicated on news events. Allow browsing of newspapers, on-line news agencies or phone application news banners to garner current news headlines.
 * 3) Challenge groups to create a graph depicting the amount of positive versus negative news headlines reported in a half-hour.

Survey groups to establish the fact that the majority of news that is reported is negative, not positive. Have students view CBS on-line documentary at []
 * GROUP CHECK-POINT: **

1. Send small groups to classrooms situated north, east, west, and south of your own classroom to interview students about positive happenings in their classroom and/or lives. Interviews can be either orally, by video or by pencil and paper methods.
 * Small Group: **

2. Have student groups compile results on a Glogster poster; sending e-mail invitations for viewing and print out colored posters to distribute in school and in local venues.

3. Small Groups can continue to be on the look-out for students exhibiting positive behaviors that are “reportable.” Classrooms can be involved in being “Nosy News sleuths” and write each other up by recording positive doings in their classrooms and schools. News worthy actions can be displayed on Newspaper=looking stationary labeled with a school related motif such as “Regal Rams,” or “Fantastic Falcons,” or “Mighty Meteors.”


 * Large Group: **
 * 1. ** Establish contacts with other local schools to the North, East, West and South of your own in order to share positive happenings.