This lesson explores how water issues are presented in the media and encourages a deeper examination of the biases that may exist when environmental issues are reported to the public. Students will investigate stakeholders and the presence of leading messages using a mind map.
FOCUS QUESTION
What is the media telling us (or not telling us) about water issues?
BACKGROUND
Everyday we are bombarded with messages from reporters, journalists, advertisers and other media outlets. At times, especially when it comes to environmental issues, it is difficult to decipher fact from fiction and tease out what we are actually being told. The role of journalism is to deliver fair and unbiased portrayals of current issues but often key players are not given a voice as the story unfolds.
The Water and Sanitation Program suggests that ‘water journalism’ can be described as a “new concept in advocacy, bringing in media as a key partner in the debate on issues of water scarcity, distribution, equity and ownership.”1 Since water security has become such a popular topic in recent years, journalists have been keen to deliver information about the crisis but are key stakeholders and important issues being brought to the surface?
The Council of Canadians chair, Maude Barlow, has been an advocate for water conservation and protection for several years. Focusing on raising awareness, educating the public and campaigning for policy reform, she has a clear mandate to support the designation of water as a human right:
Water must be seen as a commons that belongs to the Earth and all species alike. It must be declared a public trust that belongs to the people, the ecosystem and the future and preserved for all time and practice in law. Clean water must be delivered as a public service, not a profitable commodity. We need to assert once and for all that access to clean, affordable water is a fundamental human right that must be codified in nation-state law and as a full covenant at the United Nations.2
WAT’ER WE BEING TOLD?
1. Ask students to bring in 2 or 3 media representations with water-related content. These could take the form of newspaper articles, online reports, magazine articles, pamphlets, brochures, youtube clips, etc. The content does not necessarily need to be scientific or scholarly; the piece can refer to any activity/event/issue/process that involves water. If students find this difficult, www.1h2o.org contains water-related articles from journalists around the world.
2. Ask students (either individually or in small groups) to identify a single central issue or theme in one of the media representations they found. These central issues could be listed on chart paper or the chalk board to help encourage a diversity of selected topics.
3. Using their chosen media representation, as well as the overview of Mind Mapping and example as guides, students should create a mind map that will reflect their understanding of the issue in their chosen media piece.
Mind Mapping
The term “mind map” was first coined by Tony Buzan in the 1960’s.3 A mind map is a creative and simple way of highlighting the components and connections that exist within specific issues. It encourages us to think of issues as systems and to reflect on them in terms of the relationships that exist between the parts of the system rather than simply just looking at the parts themselves. The key to mind mapping is to be as comprehensive as possible and let your imagination guide how your mind map takes shape. Mind mapping is most effective when a variety of words, colours, images and drawings are incorporated at several stages of process.
Creating a mind map can be a challenging exercise. It may be helpful to go over a sample mind map as a class. Exemplary mind maps can be found at www.buzanworld.com/mind_maps. To assist students, pick a simple topic and develop the mind map together, or use the example provided below.
4. Using the questions on the ‘Decoding Water Messages’ handout, students can further clarify the issues represented in the mind map, providing written answers and making any necessary additions to their mind maps.
Currently, water is not recognized as a human right. Do you think that it should be? (Why or why not?) What are the implications of not giving water this status? What are the implications of giving water this status?
If you were to write an article about the next “Water Innovator” or “Water Warrior”, who would it be? Who do you think is moving water issues forward? What would you say about them? How would you present their story?
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
4 3 2 1Identifies opinions Student accurately
locates the main opinions in the media representation and gives a clear explanation of why these are opinions, rather than facts.
Student accurately locates some opinions in the media representation and gives a reasonable explanation of why these are opinions, rather than facts.
Student accurately locates some opinions in the media representation. Explanation is weak.
Student has difficulty locating opinions in the media representation.
Identifies important
fact & information
Student identifies all the key points of the media representation.
The student lists some the main points.
The student lists some of the main points. She/he does not highlight any minor, subtle or unimportant points.
The student cannot identify important information with accuracy.
Organization Information in the mind map is very organized.
Information is organized. Information is somewhat organized, but it is difficult to follow the flow of the mind map.
The information appears to be disorganized.
Diagrams &
Illustrations
Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader’s understanding of the topic.
Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader’s understanding of the topic.
Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader’s understanding of the topic.
Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader’s understanding of the topic.
Stop wasting while warming up! Place a bucket under the tap in your shower or bathtub and while the water is warming up, collect the water that usually just runs down the drain. This water can be used for cleaning or watering plants.
Action: Change within Your School
Use Video to send your own Message! Create a public service announcement (PSA) video about water-related issues. It could be based on your own interpretations or it could include interviews with students and staff sharing their views. Present it to other classes at your school during the morning announcements or an assembly.
Get creative! Think of innovative ways to encourage staff and students to make wise water choices. Students in the Peel District School Board promote a school-wide bottled water ban by placing “FREE WATER” signs at water fountains and by selling reusable stainless steel water bottles. You can also calculate the amount of plastic used by a person that regularly buys bottled water and share this statistic with your school community.
Action: Change within Your Community
Campaign for 250! Start a TARGET: 250 Campaign within your community. The average Canadian uses about 331 litres of water everyday – could we get it down to 250 litres? Design posters that encourage students and staff to try to limit their water use to 250 litres a day. Be sure to share tips for water conservation at school, at home, and outdoors. Create a TARGET 250 Pledge where students can sign on and commit to using water efficiently.
A mind map is a creative and simple way of highlighting the components and connections that exist within specific issues. The idea is to be as detailed as possible and let your imagination guide how your mind map takes shape. Mind mapping is most effective when a variety of words, colours, images and drawings are incorporated throughout the process.
CREATING YOUR MIND MAP
1. What is the central issue? Write out the central issue or draw an image representing it on the centre of your paper.
2. Who are the key players involved? Who has a vested interest in the issue? Expand on your central issues to identify the various players.
3. How are the key players linked? Draw connections on your mind map to illustrate how the players are linked.
EXPANDING ON THE IDEAS REPRESENTED IN YOUR MIND MAP
4. According to THIS particular media representation, who matters the most? - Who is portrayed in the most positive light? - Who is given the most attention?
5. According to THIS particular representation, who matters the least? - Who is given the least attention (or none at all)?
6. What does this tell you? What message is being sent?
7. In your opinion, who SHOULD matter the most? Why?
8. How would you reframe or readjust this representation?
