The model for this program provides reinforcement through learning and practice of how to manage the amount and quality of recreational screen time The Screen Smart program sets up an environment that will support change by encouraging everyone in the school to be involved Intermediate grades learn the basics of screen smart behaviour in the awareness week, and practice setting goals to reduce screen time during the action week • Each daily activity takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete • Additional reference information can be found in Appendices D and E Week 1: Awareness Week (Grade 6) 10 Day 1 Lifestyle Check and Screen Tracking Day 2 The Power of the Screen Day 3 Am I a Target? Day 4 Ultimate Screen Challenge Day 5 Challenge Results and Goal Setting Week 2: Action Week (Grade 6) Day 6 TRADE30 Day 7 TRADE30 Day 8 TRADE30 Day 9 Goal Reflection Day 10 Celebration Section 6: Grade 6 Teacher’s Guide 10 Learning Outcomes are fully stated for each activity and referenced briefly in this table A legend for curriculum icons can be found in Appendix A Recreational Screen Time Recreational screen time happens in the periods before and after school, between dinnertime and bedtime on school nights, and on weekends Unless otherwise stated in student materials, screen time is intended to refer to recreational time, ie, the time children can be encouraged to make alternate choices about how they spend their time Recreational screen time does not include work on screens in school or homework
Transcript
The model for this program provides reinforcement through learning and practice of how to manage the amount and quality of recreational screen time
The Screen Smart program sets up an environment that will support change by encouraging everyone in the school to be involved Intermediate grades learn the basics of screen smart behaviour in the awareness week, and practice setting goals to reduce screen time during the action week
• Each daily activity takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete
• Additional reference information can be found in Appendices D and E
Week 1: Awareness Week (Grade 6)10
Day 1 Lifestyle Check and Screen Tracking
Day 2 The Power of the Screen
Day 3 Am I a Target?
Day 4 Ultimate Screen Challenge
Day 5 Challenge Results and Goal Setting
Week 2: Action Week (Grade 6)
Day 6 TRADE30
Day 7 TRADE30
Day 8 TRADE30
Day 9 Goal Reflection
Day 10 Celebration
Section 6: Grade 6 Teacher’s Guide
10 Learning Outcomes are fully stated for each activity and referenced briefly in this table A legend for curriculum icons can be found in Appendix A
Recreational Screen Time
Recreational screen time happens in the periods before and after school, between dinnertime and bedtime on school nights, and on weekends Unless otherwise stated in student materials, screen time is intended to refer to recreational time, i e , the time children can be encouraged to make alternate choices about how they spend their time Recreational screen time does not include work on screens in school or homework
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k Math - represent and describe patterns and relationships using graphs and tables
Overview:
k The lesson should give you a sense of the level of involvement your students have with screens k Recreational screen time should be kept under 2 hours per day One hour per day is better
day 1: Lifestyle check
Teaching Steps:
Introduction (5 minutes)
• Ask students to brainstorm what ‘screens’ are Ask them what types of screens they use often, and why they use them
• Record answers on the board Students will likely give examples of specific programs they use or games they play You can help group these together by screen type (see Appendix A)
• Ask students if they think screens are an issue for some people If so, why?
Q1. (15 minutes)
• Before class, review Pie Chart instructions on the next page
• Explain that the Lifestyle Pie Chart is a tool to help students think about how they spend their time in a day
• Show Overhead #1, then Overhead #2 (both in Appendix C), using the explanations provided on the next page Compare and contrast the lifestyles illustrated on the 2 overheads
• Explain the Legend, then ask students to estimate the time for their Pie Charts
• Choose a consistent colour for each category in the legend so it is easy for the class to compare later
Q2. (5 minutes)
Please note that not all students will make active or inactive screen choices You can ask them what they enjoy doing Discuss the health benefits of active choices – screens or not
Q3. (5 minutes)
Students will offer some screen choices that they make to watch or play while sitting or lying down A common lifestyle behavour is to snack while relaxing in front of a screen This activity is designed to have students become aware of what they are often eating or drinking in front of screens
BACKGROunDER:
Some video games require children to be active at different intensities and for different durations If a child is active for at least 20 minutes and the activity results in increased heart rate (gets the heart beating fast), then it will likely have a health benefit Examples of such activities include:
k following an instructional dance video k playing sports games on Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit k following an exercise video
Overhead #1 Sample Lifestyle Pie Chart for Grade 4 Students
Overhead #2 Sample of a Healthy Lifestyle Pie Chart for Grade 4 Students
6 hours school
3 hours screen
1 ho
ur r
ead
ing
3 hours other
1/2
hour
mea
ls
1/2
hour
act
ive
8 hours sleep
2 hours travel
10 hours sleep
6 hours school
1 hour screen
1 1/2 hour meals
1 1/2 hour travel
2 hours other
2 hours active
Lifestyle Pie Chart (Teacher Instructions)
Show Overhead #1 (from Appendix C) This is a sample Lifestyle Pie Chart that illustrates one student's lifestyle
Explain that the Lifestyle Pie Chart illustrates how this person spends his or her time in a 24 hour day
Explain the legend categories, which together describe typical activities in a person’s day It works well to colour in the charts As you will be asking students to use specific colours for their Lifestyle Pie Charts
Sleep needed to grow and be healthy
Travel going to/from school
School from arrival at school to departure
Active when engaged in physical activities, e g , sports, walking, dancing, biking
Screen watching, playing, using any type of screen
Meals breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
Reading/Homework
Other interesting fun activities, crafts, talking/playing with friends, etc (time to complete remaining 24 hours)
Show Overhead #2, the sample Lifestyle Pie chart that illustrates a healthy lifestyle
Compare and contrast the lifestyles illustrated on the two overheads
Assign and record colours for each category in the legend, so it is easy for the class to compare pie charts afterwards
Ask students to complete their own pie charts This is an estimate and will involve some guessing Encourage the students to shade half of a section if they need to represent half an hour The shading can be along the “slice”, or across it, and degree of accuracy will vary by student grade level
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k HCE - identify personal safety strategies to avoid abusive or exploitative situations on the Internet
Overview:
k This activity raises awareness about the number and variety of screens with which we interact each day It leads to discussions about the purpose of each type of screen, further clarifying recreational time from purposeful screen time k When screens are conveniently located we tend to use them more frequently than if they were not as accessible If someone has too much screen time, they should perhaps relocate their screens to a less accessible place k The take-home activity raises awareness about the amount of advertising an average person is exposed to on a daily basis, leading to a stimulating discussion the next day
day 2: the power of the screen
Teaching Steps:
Q1. (10 minutes)
• Students can work in pairs to complete this activity
Q2. (5 minutes)
• Ensure that students understand what is requested in each column of the chart If some students are not allowed screens during the week, reassure them that they can work with a friend’s chart the next day
Optional Activity Ideas:
Titles of types of screens could be posted around the room (TV, portable handheld electronic device, computer, etc ) in a “gallery”, and small groups could list all of the purposes for which that screen is used Rotate groups once or twice to ensure that all options have been generated
BACKGROunDER:
In a 2005 research study published in the American journal of Public Health, students observed television advertisements 11 Results showed that seven food type categories were unequally distributed across advertisements:
MOST FREQuEnT ADvERTISEMEnTS:
• Candy/sweets/soft drinks• Convenience/fast foods• Breads/cereals (a distant 3rd)
For children in the study, the dominant category was candy/sweets/soft drinks Most advertisements featured no health-related messages Of the few healthy-related messages in the sample, most common was the message that advertised foods contained some natural ingredients and (for the general-audience advertisements only) that they were low in calories For the entire sample, advertised foods were eaten mostly as snacks (rather than breakfast, lunch or dinner)
11 SOURCE: HARRISON, K AND MARSKE, A L
Note: Not all foods that are natural contain healthy ingredients
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k HCE - identify influences on goal setting and decision making, including family, peer, and media influences
Overview:
k Children eat while they watch and eat what they watch k Screen time (TV) exposes children to a lot of marketing of unhealthy food and drink choices, not to mention other anti-social activities like violence k This activity links to Media Awareness outcomes, helping students to understand that they are being marketed for a profit motive (an awareness that starts around age 11) k The activity also requires students to categorize information according to common elements k Making a plan for the Ultimate Screen Challenge gives the students a lot of alternative activities
Teaching Steps:
PART 1: ACTIvITy (20 minutes)
Q1. (10 minutes)
• Explain how students are to use yesterday’s homework to answer question 1
Q2 (5 minutes)
• Remember when forming groups that some students won't have had screen time eysterday
• Ask students to share some marketing strategies that they might know of and record on the board
• Note: A list or an explanation of marketing techniques should be provided Kids may not be able to verbalize the strategies that marketers use
• Split the class into small groups, and ask them to decide on the 3 most common strategies used in the commercials viewed the previous evening
• Post strategies from report-back sessions
Q3 (5 minutes)
• Finish the session by asking students to reflect on the impact the commercials had on them
Optional Activity Ideas:
Ask students who watched the same shows to compare their data in small groups to check accuracy of observations and recording (Science)
Have students role play the most common strategies identified in Q2 The audience could be asked to identify the type of manipulation being demonstrated (Media Awareness, Performing Arts)
PART 2: PLAnnInG FOR TOMORROW'S ChALLEnGE (5-10 minutes)
If time permits,
• Let students complete the PLAN for the Ultimate Screen Challenge in class on Day 4 If time does not permit, then remind students at the end of the day that they need to plan at home for the next day
• Help them to think about specific and practical ideas for activities during the challenge You could even brainstorm with the students what they could do, and have them display their ideas on the wall
Remind students to answer the second question on the Day 4 worksheet Students like to have their families involved in this activity!
Students who have less than 1 hour of screen time each day can still participate in the challenge by maintaining low or no screen time for the day
day 3: am i a target?
* Reminder for Tomorrow: The challenge starts from the moment the students wake up
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k HCE - identify influences on goal setting and decision making, including family, peer, and media influences
Overview:
k The goal is for students to make it through 24 hours without ANY recreational screen time k Some students will find this quite easy to do, while others who rely heavily on screens throughout their average day will likely find it very difficult k Screens will remain an integral part of your students’ lives and can serve a valuable purpose The intent of this challenge is for students to realize that screens are a big part of their everyday life and that they can end up spending a lot of recreational time in front of a screen, being sedentary Furthermore, if students use screens a lot, they can learn that they can turn screens off and find other fun and rewarding things to do
Teaching Steps:
• Support your students by asking them to turn their focus away from screens for the day Teachers are also encouraged to take part and role model such behaviour
• Ask students to complete the challenge table at the end of the day today (Day 4), or first thing tomorrow morning
day 4: the ultimate screen challenge
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k HCE - describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balanced lifestyle, including healthy eating, integrating regular physical activity, and maintaining emotional health
Overview:
uLTIMATE SCREEn ChALLEnGE k The table lets students see where they did or did not succeed in keeping the screens turned off k Screens will continue to be an important part of our lives in the future How we manage and use our screens each day will impact our health Ask students to brainstorm how screens impact our health Have a full discussion on what their knowledge is, and then fill in the gaps
GOAL SETTInG k It is easy to make a difference Students are asked to TRADE30 minutes of recreational screen time for an active and fun physical activity
day 5: challenge results and goal setting
Teaching Steps:
Q1. (15 minutes)
• Ask students to complete Question 1 • Discuss the students’ experiences, e g ,
– The pros and cons of a screen-free day – How much they enjoyed doing activities that did not involve screens
– Reactions of caregivers, parents, or siblings – Benefits of the activities they selected
• Highlight the fun and benefits of physical activity!
Q2 (15 minutes)
• Have students look back to the table on Day 1 to answer Question 2
• Ask the students to record their goals for the 3 days Explain that an adult should initial whether or not they met their goals
Students with Low or No Screen Time
Students with less than 1 hour of screen time can still do this goal setting activity It just may be a bit easier for them than for their classmates
The goal for students with no screen time is to focus only on physical activity on Days 6, 7, and 8, and they will not complete screen cards
Teachers can modify some expectations of activities for the few students in this situation For example, students won’t need to list or draw screen activities (Steps 1 and 2 of the 6 step instructions)
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k PE - set personal goals for attaining and maintaining a physically active lifestyle
Key Points:
k Students are challenged to modify their screen or snack behaviours to improve their health and balance their lifestyle
Teaching Steps:
• Check in each day with students to see how the goals are going
• Some will want to do this activity, but others may not You might have some interesting discussions on these days!
day 6, day 7, and day 8: goals - trade30
day 9: goal reflection
Prescribed Learning Outcome(s):
k HCE – Identify influences on goal setting and decisions making, including family, peer and media influences
Overview:
k Students are guided through an activity where there is open discussion about the outcomes of their goal setting
Teaching Steps: (5-10 minutes)
• Ask students to answer the reflection questions • Students can pair with a partner to discuss the
outcome of their goals • Class discussion about goal setting and
recognition of any class trends with goals could be recorded on the board or chart paper
Overview:
k The celebration should be fun for everyone in your class to do themselves, or they could compete against other classes in the school for an award presented to the class with the greatest number of students that successfully complete the challenge
Teaching Steps:
• Hold an assembly or class celebration recognizing students who were successful at achieving their goals for 3 days
• Suggestions for awards for classes that had the most students achieve their goals include: golden running shoe, passes to a recreational centre or facility (possibly PAC to donate funds), a book or gift certificate, or 30 minutes of fun activity time for the entire class
day 10: celebration
Screen Smart Tracking Sheet
A Screen Smart Tracking Sheet (Appendix I) can be used to continue the program right now – or as a refresher anytime!
If you have a class set of pedometers, the experience can be enhanced by having students track their activity levels by using pedometers to count steps An optional column on the tracking sheet can be used to record the number of steps each day
Assessment (Grade 6)
Each Screen Smart activity supports a BC-prescribed Learning Outcome for Grade 6 Individual activities can therefore be used by teachers to assess achievement of outcome(s)
The short self-assessment below probes student perceptions with regard to key messages relevant to their grade level See Screen Smart Teacher’s Guide, Section 1 for list of program messages Students can write in the 3 answers requested and place a checkmark in the column that applies to them
