V. VIDEOS & TEEN CULTURE

This section could be omitted, but would be enriching to the unit if included.

Music Videos are ads that promote the artist and his or her song. Videos are extremely powerful media, influencing what teens listen to and, perhaps, what they value. The video Merchants of Cool explored the connection between advertising, MTV and youth values. In this next activity, we³ll take a closer look.

• Students view 2 or 3 popular music videos. It is important to prepare a tape of videos for music that is current and hot (or at least recognizable) with the majority of the class. If possible, tape videos that represent different racial groups.
• Optional: View the videos without sound.
• Each group will track a different aspect of the videos using WORKSHEET 10: male representation, female representation, racial representation, sexuality, materialism, violence
  worksheet_10.pdf
• A representative from each group will form new groups and discuss their findings. They will create a chart listing the values promoted in the music videos.
• Discuss � Note: An interesting point to discuss may be that although these videos depicted people of different races, they shared the same values. Why is this? Isn³t race the thing that divides us, makes us different? What do these ads/videos say about contemporary, multiethnic American teen culture?

• Compare/Contrast: Students (in groups or individually) will create a Venn diagram comparing the values promoted in the music videos and those they established in the previous activity.
• Venn Diagram Analysis: What do they think? Do these videos reflect or influence teen culture and values?
• Teen Sex "Focus Groups" ask students to answer (some/all) these questions in their small group:

• Discuss findings and compare to the ideas about sexuality promoted in the videos we watched.
• Read excerpt from Can³t Buy My Love, by Jean Kilbourne, pages 260-65 and discuss the connection between sex and advertising..