Sample Lesson Plans using SNS MySpace:

Introduction to the Myspace Lesson Plans:

     The two lesson plans below are part of an awareness campaign by PBS Frontline program to alert parents, teachers, and students on the online media websites that are targeted to students of all ages especially teenagers.   

Lesson #1: Title:

Compete with MySpace!: Design a New Site

Description:

     The lesson I selected is a two part lesson PBS has created to aware students, parents, and educators on the online media available to teenagers.  The reason I selected this lesson is the activity allows for students to be creative and have fun created their own online social network tool.  The activity also allows students to explore an occupation they may be interested on in the future.  Students will be working with creating a competitive online social network tool to MySpace and adding their chose of components that will still target the age group that MySpace currently targets which are individuals 14 and above.  The activity promotes independence, collaboration, and responsibility among the teenage students.  It also allows students to view the competiveness of the real world market and yearns their interest in making a difference. The lesson was created by Renee Hobbs and Kelly Mendoza at Temple University's Media Education lab at the School of Communications and Theater in Philadelphia, PA.  A brief description of the lesson entails for teenagers to play a role of being Web Designers for a company that is creating a competitive online social network to MySpace.  Students must be creative and collaborate with their co-workers to develop their own online social network that will target the same age group as MySpace and add their own components that will seek other users.  Students must also present their project and persuade their company on investing their new tool.

Lesson #2: Title:

How did Myspace Become Your Space?

Description:

     The reason I selected this lesson plan is because it provides students (teenagers) an opportunity to explore the popular social networking website MySpace in a realistic role play as news journalist.  Students will spend their time exploring the internet and working with other technological tools to present their research such as a computer and projector.  The lesson also provides students an opportunity to be independent learners and collaborate with others to accomplish a task.  Student will have an opportunity in exploring a real-world occupation role as news journalist and practice their public speaking skills as news journalist to inform the public of the online media attracting teenagers. 

     The lesson "How did myspace become your space?" was created by Renee Hobbs and Kelly Mendoza at Temple University's Media Education lab at the School of Communications and Theater in Philadelphia, PA.  Frontline organization is a program established within the PBS organization to bring awareness to parents, teachers, and students on the developed online media for teenagers.  The lesson is intended for adolescence to perform a journalistic role play in informing the public about the online media that targets the age group.  The students will research the popular social network site MySpace history, their economic foundation, and its attraction to members of society and then conclude with an oral presentation. 

Lesson #3: Title:

Creating MySpace Accounts for Fictional Characters

Description:

The reason I selected this lesson is because it allows students to have hands-on experience working with the SNS MySpace.  The lesson was created in collaboration with Brigham Young University's Media Education.  The university and public educators work together to improve the quality of education and communicate and exchange instructional ideas and materials.  The current lesson was created by Erika Hill, a high school English Teacher.  High school students will be using a computer with internet access to work with creating their MySpace account.  Mrs. Hill has requested the school's IT person to establish access to MySpace for the following lesson.  The project includes students to create a MySpace account for fictional characters on the story or book they are reading in class.  Once students create their MySpace account, they will create a profile based on their character for analysis purposes. 

Lesson #4: Title:

 MySpace Project: Utilizing Today's Technology to Take a Look at the Last Thirty years

Description:

The following lesson is a great activity for students to become experts in technology.  The lesson was created by a high teacher named Lula McCaskill.  The subject is not stated but the intentions are for students to have fun researching and learning the changes of technology.  Students will have in-depth research of technology from years past and explain the new gadgets or software of today.  High school students will choose a year between 1970 and 2007 and create a MySpace profile using the year they selected as their name.  Students are given instructions and a guide on the required information that needs to be posted on their MySpace profile.  Students research their year they selected and provide information that occurred within that year on their MySpace webpage.