Toni Ann Hammel

THammel@schools.nyc.gov

Ditmas Middle School

Magazine “Photoshopping” and Teen Body Image

Introduction

Look at the two pictures. How are they different?

http://10steps.sg/wp-content/uploads/article132/30.jpg

How about these two? Would you believe that these two pictures were taken during the same year?

http://www.beautyredefined.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/198559_200053700025783_7062268_n.jpg

Look at the cover of any magazine and you are likely to see an image of a celebrity or model that has been airbrushed. The images that US teens look at in magazines cause many to develop a poor body image. This can lead to low self-esteem and eating disorders.

Task

You will work with your group to develop a public policy on this issue. You will write an essay explaining your position and create a poster designed to persuade others to agree with your desired policy.

Process

You will use the PPA (Public Policy Analysis) model to complete this task. Use this worksheet to gather information and submit it with your essay.

1) Define the problem

* The problem is related to the media and body image. With your groups make a specific that defines the problem.

2) Gather evidence

* Use the resources listed below and class texts to gather evidence. Be sure to keep track of your sources using the linked worksheet.

3) Identify Causes

* Based on the evidence what is causing the problem?

4) Evaluate an Existing Policy

* The US has no existing policy on airbrushed images or advertising in magazines.

* The UK has an agency that evaluates advertisements, The Advertising Standards Authority.

* The Advertising Standards Authority does not always allow “overly airbrushed” images to be published. See the linked news story.

* Some US magazines develop their own polices.

* Other types of US media have government and individual governing bodies, including TV, movies, and video games that make decisions and limit content for the public and/or specific groups such as minors.

5) Develop Solutions

* Considering what we know about this issue, brainstorm several solutions for this problem with your group.

* Think about existing policies in the US and other places.

* Also consider existing policies to other media sources (ex. video games, TV, movies, etc.) in the US. Can these ideas be applied to this issue?

* Are there new policies that can be considered?

6) Select the Best Solution

* Choose the best solution with your group.

* The best solution is effective, meaning it can be done.

* It is also highly feasible, meaning others will accept this solution as well.

Write an essay presenting your solution. Include the data that supports your position.

Make a poster designed to get others to agree with your solution. This will be presented to the class.

Resources

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/media-body-image-and-eating-disorders

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/body-image

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/view.cgi?section=bodyimage&page=fastfacts

http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/style/helping-girls-with-body-image

http://scientopia.org/blogs/scicurious/2011/04/25/magazines-media-and-teen-body-image/

http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image

http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/bodyimage/media.html

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/body_image.html

http://www.justsayyes.org/topics/self-image-media-influences/

http://www.asa.org.uk/

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/07/05/156342683/seventeen-magazine-takes-no-photoshop-pledge-after-8th-graders-campaign

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/obscenity-indecency-and-profanity

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/broadcast-advertising-complaints

http://www.mpaa.org/ratings/ratings-history

http://www.esrb.org/ratings/index.jsp

Evaluation

PPA Project Rubric
	4	3	2	1	0	Score
Complete PPA worksheet	Submitted a PPA worksheet that is fully completed and accurate.	Submitted a PPA worksheet that is fully completed and mostly accurate.	Submitted a PPA worksheet that may be missing 1 or 2 parts.	Submitted a PPA worksheet that is missing 3 parts.	Did not submit a PPA worksheet.
The Poster	The poster clearly compliments the essay and contains graphics and catch phrases to influence the viewer.	The poster compliments the essay and contains graphics and catch phrases relevant to the solution.	The poster compliments the essay and contains graphics and limited catch phrases related the solution.	The poster does not really compliment the essay. It contains limited catchphrases that may not make sense considering the essay.	The poster is off-topic or not submitted.
Essay Components
Introduction	Clearly explains the problem and gives relevant background information.	Explains the problem and gives some background information.	States the problem and gives limited background information.	State the problem only.	Does not state the problem or give any background information.
Evidence	Evidence is highly relevant and stated accurately.	Evidence is mostly relevant and stated accurately.	Some evidence is relevant or limited evidence is provided. Some minor inaccuracies.	Very little evidence is provided. May contain inaccuracies.	No evidence is provided.
Causes	Inferences are insightful and justifiable.	Causes are stated and make sense.	Causes mostly make sense.	Causes are stated but do not really make sense.	Causes are not stated.
Existing Policy Evaluation	Clear discussion of existing policies and the impact that they have.	States existing policies with some consideration of the impact they have.	States existing policies only.	States existing policies with inaccuracies.	Does not evaluate existing policies.
Solution Presentation	Presents the best solution with clear reasons for why it is effective and feasible.	Presents the best solution and provides some reasons why it is effective and feasible.	Presents a solution with a reason why it was chosen.	Presents a solution only.	Does not present a solution.
Organization	The organization makes sense. Ideas seem to go together.	The organization mostly makes sense. Up to two ideas may be better placed elsewhere,	The organization makes some sense. Several ideas may be better placed elsewhere.	The organization does not make sense. Ideas are not written with ideas that go together.
Paraphrasing	Clearly paraphrased with specific language. May include a citation.	Paraphrased with some specific language. May include a citation.	Paraphrased with more general language. Minor copying without citation.	Some paraphrasing present with limited language. Copying is present.	Most of the text is copied.
Vocabulary	Contains a wide vocabulary including relevant content words which are used correctly.	Contains appropriate words from the text as well as the students own words.	Contains some variety of vocabulary including some specific text vocabulary.	Contains a basic vocabulary. No words from the text are present.	Mostly copied from the text.
Grammar Component	Grammar is correct.	1 or 2 grammatical errors.	Up to 5 grammatical errors.	Many grammatical errors.
Spelling	All spelling is correct.	Up to 3 spelling errors.	Up to 7 spelling errors.	Many errors in spelling.
Punctuation	All punctuation is correct	1 or 2 errors in punctuation	Up to 5 errors in punctuation	Many errors in punctuation.	Essay totally lacks punctuation.
Total/Grade

Conclusion

You should have learned from this webquest the effects of image manipulation on teens. You will have considered existing policies that have been put in place in the US for other types of media such as video games, TV and movies. You have also examined examples what other countries have done to deal with image manipulation in advertising. Given this information, you and your partners have developed a policy that you would like to have in place for airbrushed magazine images.

Common Core Standards

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.7 Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.

· CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.