From Grasshopper to Super Hero

From Grasshopper to Super Hero: A Critical Media Literacy Progression

Media Literacy Autobiography Storyboard

Clipart is from openclipart.org
Other pictures are my own.

Brainstorming my Media Literacy Autobiography

I am struggling with the protagonist in this story. I feel like I kind of just stumbled into this story only being aware of media literacy as I went through this class. Now that I am aware of it I certainly feel it is my duty to stomp out negative media and help others fight through its meanings. 

I have never been affected by media as I look back on my answers for this assignment. I always enjoy looking at it, using my imagination, creating the story, but if I didn't like it or got tired of it, I just turned it off, turned the page or walked away moving my focus to something else. So media has been more of an entertainment or escape for me. Never once did I think that wasn't what everyone else did.  I remember looking at pictures as a child and hearing, smelling and feeling everything in it. I didn't realize other people didn't do that until I had teenage children. I received a 2’x 4’ picture as a Christmas gift one year. It is one of my favorite pictures. It hangs above the stairs in every house we live in. I can sit on the stairs and look at it and become one with it. One day my teenage daughter saw me doing this and asked why I was looking at that picture that way. As I described what I was doing my youngest daughter joined in. 

My husband found the three of us like that and asked, “What in the world are you all doing?” 

We all three described it and he looked at the picture and said, "Hhmmm . . . nope, I don't hear it." As he moved down the hallway we looked at each other in awe. I believe him. Both my daughters have inquired with friends about this situation and realize that they have a special gift that not all people have or use. 

I still have the same strong reaction to at least three of the quotes I listed in my blog this semester. I now have new examples to use in support of my reactions. 

I have narrowed down my choices of Protagonist to a grasshopper -  because that is the way I think I started this journey, a detective - because I have had to gather information (or clues) in the process, and a hero - because I want to teach others how to overcome negative media. 

Digital Story -New Dog - Final

New Dog

Thank you for your comments.
Changes I made to my rough draft: I faded in and out the music at the end and made the credits a little longer to accommodate the music so it didn't seem like it just cut off. I also thought there was one area at the end that I didn't speak correctly, so I re-recorded it.

My digital story might be used to raise awareness of rescue animals. When we rescued Jethro, the shelter was full. Not only did we save his life, but he saved ours.

Animals, especially dogs, are very good for reducing high blood pressure and helping with one's general well being and good health. They can be good companions. As the old saying goes: "A dog is man's best friend." Only in my case it is "woman's" too.

I have read lately that dogs are being used to help calm those with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), generally occurring in people returning from war. My husband suffers with PTSD because of his massive heart attack while walking Jethro. That is another story in itself.  A miracle story for another time.

Digital Story Rough Draft

New Dog - A Digital Story (Rough Draft)

Hear these stories

I enjoy Story Corp. I listen to it every Friday on WVPR. We need to hear these stories.  Positive media is much better to read and hear about than negative media.  If we heard more positive stories people would think of more positive things to do. It would make the world a better place. When we hear negative stories I think some people thrive on it, try to duplicate it or think of other negative things to do. It would be great if something that started so small could take the world by storm for the good of the people. 

 Isay, Dave. "Everyone around You Has a Story the World Needs to Hear." TED. Mar. 2015. Web. 7 Nov. 2015. 

Storyboard for Digital Story

Storyboard "New Dog" Link