Base Protocol for Framing PSA Storyboard Activity

Description

This activity provides a framework for students to create storyboards for “Public Service

Announcements” (PSAs) around a topic of study in science class. In doing so, students decide

how they will “frame” their PSA in order to communicate most effectively with their home

communities. This activity will take one to two class periods.

Aims

The intent of this activity is to allow students to consider how to think about and talk about

science in a variety of contexts, especially within their home communities. This activity also

provides students with a structured way of expressing to the teacher how science relates to their

home communities and what is important to them in science.

Materials

1. One Framing Science Sheet for each student

2. Several copies of the Storyboard Sheet for each group of 2-3 students

3. One Framing PSA Sheet for each student

4. Computer and projector

5. Access to demonstration videos (online or video files)

Procedure

1. Tell your students that they will be creating a storyboard for a public service

announcement (PSA) based on one of the topics covered in class. If necessary, describe

what a PSA is (an example can be found at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hClfq7FeVLM).

2. Let them know that the overall question to keep in mind is, “How does science fit in to

what my communities expect of me?” Lead a class-wide discussion on the question.

3. Tell students that their audience for their PSA is the people in their community. Ask the

students to brainstorm some ideas of how the people in their community may best relate

to science content. Write these ideas on the board.

4. Hand out the Framing Science Sheet and explain the concept of framing by reading the

introduction on the sheet. Have students read through the frames and ask for questions.

5. As a class, ask students to categorize the ideas they came up with into the frames on the

Framing Science Sheet. Ideas may fall into more than one frame.

6. Let your students know that they will be creating a storyboard for their PSA. Show the

storyboarding video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWPjjoOFIu8) to illustrate what

a storyboard is and how to create one. If time allows, show the Don Quixote example

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uyJRSIXaJM).

7. Divide the class into groups of three to four students. Help the student groups pick topics

or provide topic options from which they can choose.

8. Allow students to develop their storyboard. They may use as many Storyboard Sheets as

they wish, but they should keep in mind that their PSA should be about 30-60 seconds

long if they actually produced the video. Also check in to make sure they are including

frames and the reasoning behind why they have chosen their frames.

9. Ask students to complete the Framing PSA Reflection Sheet.

10. Bring the class back together as a whole. Ask each group to briefly share their

storyboard and the frames that they used and why.

11. Ask students if there was anything new or surprising that they learned by thinking about

science in a different way.

12. Ask students if they could see themselves using these frames or other frames when

talking about science with their friends, families, or community members. Write new

frames on the board.

13. Ask students how they would respond to the overarching question, “How does science fit

in to what my communities expect of me?” based on their experience creating the PSA

storyboards. Ask students if there are any outstanding comments or questions.

Framing Science Sheet

When people talk about science in the media, they often

“frame” their discussion. Framing means that they talk

about it in a certain way to get a point across, besides just

the information. Two researchers, Matthew Nisbet and

Dietram Scheufele, have come up with the frames most

often used to talk about science. They are listed in the

table below.

Photo Credit: “Day to Night – Framed” by Schtumple, http://www.flickr.com/photos/schtumple/5187446637

Frame Definition Example

Social Progress Improving quality of life, or solution

to problems, or harmony with nature

instead of mastery, “sustainability.”

Use solar or wind energy to reduce

the amount of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere.

Economic Development/

Competitiveness

Economic investment, benefits or

risks; local, national, or global

competitiveness.

Finding ways to use solar or wind

energy efficiently will allow us to

sell the technology and stay ahead of

other countries.

Morality/Ethics In terms of right or wrong. We have a responsibility to our

children and our planet to do what is

necessary to reduce the amount of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Scientific/Technical

Uncertainty

A matter of expert understanding;

what is known vs. unknown; either

brings up or undermines experts and

authority.

A majority of scientists agree that

what we do has an impact on the

amount of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere and on the health of our

planet.

Pandora’s Box/

Frankenstein’s Monster/

Runaway Science

Call for precaution in the face of

possible impacts or catastrophe.

Using electricity generated by

nuclear power plants may reduce the

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,

but there are many other dangers

associated with nuclear power, such

as radiation leaks and radioactive

waste.

Public Accountability/

Governance

Research in the public good or

serving private interests.

The government should support

alternative energy research so that

the research is not held up by oil

companies.

Your job is to create a 30-60 second Public Service Announcement (PSA) based on a particular

scientific topic. The PSA should be targeted at a particular audience, the people who live in your

community. You will be creating the storyboard for your PSA. You need to decide which

frames you will be using, and how you will be using them.

Topic:

Importance for the community:

Main ideas to communicate:

Important frames to use (and why):

Storyboard Sheet

Scene Description Framing and Explanation

Narration/Dialogue:

Framing PSA Reflection Sheet

What are the frames that you used in your PSA? Why are they important for talking about

science with people in your community?

Could you see yourself using these frames when talking about science with people in your

community? Why or why not?

What are other frames, or ways of talking, that might be useful in talking about science with

people in your community? Why are they useful?

Based on creating the storyboard, is doing science different than you thought? Why or why not?