You

Eat, Think, and Be Active!

th

A Workshop Curriculum 

for Youth Ages 11 to 13 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

NIH Pub. No. 08-6385 | February 2008 
Eat, Think, and Be Active! 

A Workshop Curriculum
 

for Youth Ages 11 to 13
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov 

Developed with the 

Academy for Educational Development 

 Under contract #263-01-D-0163/NICS-32 
Overview
 

Training 

Training Overview
 

What: Half-day or full-day training for after-school program providers to 

teach the content of Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and 

Be Active! 

Who: For use by after-school program providers who wish to teach 

11- to 13-year-olds how media affects their health 

Why: To provide a better understanding of the specifics of the curriculum 

and better enable the after-school program providers to achieve the 

learning objectives and lead the activities 

When: During a half-day or a full-day session 

Where: Ideally in a large, open conference room or room with audio/visual 

equipment and wall space 

Welcome! 

The Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be 

Active! program is an engaging curriculum that 

helps young people understand the complex 

media world around them so they can make 

thoughtful decisions about issues important to 

their health, specifically nutrition and physical 

activity. 

This training guide was developed in response to 

the requests of Media-Smart Youth pilot sites and 

first-wave users for a resource to help teach others 

in their communities how to implement the 

program. 

Please read pages 4 to 6 in the Media-Smart 

Youth Facilitator’s Guide to become more familiar 

with the program. 

Ordering Curricula for 

Training Participants
 

We strongly suggest you order enough 

copies of the Media-Smart Youth 

Program Packet for each of your training 

participants. Please allow 3 to 4 weeks 

for delivery prior to your training. 

Send an e-mail to 

MediaSmartYouth@mail.nih.gov

and list the following information: 

Contact name
 

Delivery address
 

Contact phone number 


Number of copies requested
 

Training date
 

Short description of training participants
 

who will receive the copies
 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! |Guide for Training Program Facilitators

3 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Training Objectives 

This training will help prepare after-school facilitators to implement the 

curriculum with young people. After taking part in the training, participants 

will be able to: 

 Name the key content areas and why they are important. 

 Practice and apply skills in the key content areas. 

 Describe information and tools found throughout the Facilitator’s Guide to 

help in planning and conducting the program. 

 Explain the importance of the interactive learning style used in the 

curriculum. 

 Describe several ways to engage young people in the program’s activities 

and lessons. 

Who Is This Training For? 

This training is ideal for after-school program providers and organizations 

that wish to emphasize the importance of the effects that media have on the 

health of young people in terms of nutrition and physical activity. Program 

coordinators who wish to distribute the program to the providers/leaders 

with direct contact to the youth in their programs can also benefit from this 

training. 

What’s Inside the Training Guide? 

The Training Guide includes: 

 A guide to the full-day (8-hour) training with accompanying worksheets 

 A guide to the half-day (3-hour) training with accompanying worksheets 

 A CD-ROM with slide presentations (optional for conducting the training) 

You will also need the following items, which are provided in the MediaSmart Youth Program Packet: 

 Media-Smart Youth video/DVD 

 Media-Smart Youth 6 Media Questions Poster 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

4 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Full-Day or Half-Day? Which Training Is Right for Us? 

It is not necessary to participate in a training in order to successfully 

implement the Media-Smart Youth curriculum. However, past facilitators 

indicated that participating in a training enhanced their ability to understand 

and convey the knowledge and skills to the young people. 

This guide includes both a full-day training (with lunch break) and a half-day 

training. The full-day training is the most complete way for a facilitator to 

fully learn the methods, objectives, and activities of the Media-Smart Youth 

program. The half-day training provides the same information as the full-day 

version, but in an abbreviated format. Both trainings offer interactive exercises 

to provide facilitators with an overview of the curriculum, program objectives, 

and content areas and allow facilitators to experience some of the activities 

that the young people will do. 

The full-day training also provides: 

 More time to discuss relevant topics and address important issues that the 

young people may wish to address 

 The opportunity to experience more of, and in greater detail, the activities 

that the young people will go through 

 A chance to walk through the Facilitator’s Guide and become familiar with 

the curriculum’s structure and design 

 An opportunity to network with representatives from youth-serving 

organizations and to create partnerships and develop community support 

 Time for planning how the program will be executed in their 

organization(s) 

 Extra Snack and Action Breaks that reinforce the importance of these 

segments to the success of the curriculum 

 More time to ask questions about the program 

How Many Trainers and Participants Should the 

Training Session Include? 

Ideally, a minimum of two trainers are recommended to deliver either 

training. Due to the level of participant interaction and timing, having two 

trainers allows the sessions to go more smoothly. It will also give the 

participants an opportunity to see the benefit of having at least two facilitators 

when delivering the Media-Smart Youth curriculum to young people. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

5 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Additional benefits of having two 

trainers include: 

 Helping the participants stay focused 

by assisting with small group activities 

 Preparing for the next activity 

 Bringing a diversity of ideas to the 

discussions 

The number of participants in the 

training depends on the size of the room 

and participant interest. The minimum 

suggested number for either training is 

10 participants, and the maximum 

suggested number for either training is 

50 participants. 

The number of participants in your full 

training will determine the size of the 

small groups for activities. Dividing 

participants into small groups of three to 

eight people will allow optimum interaction 

and participation during these activities. 

Some suggestions for small group sizes 

based on the total group size include: 

 Total participant count of 10 to 15: 

Divide into small groups of three to 

five people. 

 Total participant count of 16 to 35: 

Divide into small groups of six to 

seven people. 

 Total participant count of 36 to 50: 

Divide into small groups of eight to 

nine people. 

What Is Included in Each Training? 

Module Overview Objectives 

Welcome and 

Introduction to 

Media-Smart 

Youth 

This module gives participants a 

chance to get to know each other, 

provides background about the creation 

of the program, and introduces the 

major concepts within the curriculum. 

 Welcome and 

introduce trainers and 

participants. 

 Discuss an overview 

and objectives of the 

program. 

Overview of 

Curriculum 

Structure and 

Design 

This module gives participants a 

chance to learn the structure of the 

curriculum, including the icons, 

breakdown of activities, and useful 

resources. This segment also provides 

insight into the flexibility of the 

curriculum. 

 Review the curriculum 

structure and design 

so participants get a 

feel for how to use the 

Media-Smart Youth 

Facilitator’s Guide. 

Exploring Media This module provides an introduction 

into how the curriculum defines media 

and its purposes. Activities allow 

participants to brainstorm the many 

types of media and understand the 

connection between media and health. 

Participants take part in an activity 

adapted from the curriculum that 

introduces the program’s mediaanalysis tool, the 6 Media Questions. 

 Explore the concept of 

media. 

 Examine the link 

between media and 

health. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

6 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Module Overview Objectives 

Action Break 

(Note: The 

full-day training 

provides two 

Action Breaks.) 

This module gives participants a 

chance to experience one of the many 

activities that the youth do during 

Action Breaks in the curriculum. This 

quick, fun, and equipment-free activity 

shows how physical activity can be fun. 

 Participate in an 

activity that the young 

people will experience. 

 Engage in physical 

activity. 

Exploring 

Nutrition 

This module examines the nutrition 

concepts in the curriculum and reviews 

the parts of the Nutrition Facts label 

that the youth focus on during their 

activities. Participants are also involved 

in an activity that highlights the 

importance of whole grains and 

demonstrates how a whole grain is 

refined. 

 Discuss the nutrition 

concepts in the 

Media-Smart Youth 

program. 

Exploring 

Physical Activity 

This module helps define physical 

activity and its many facets beyond just 

“exercise.” Participants get a chance to 

practice taking their pulse, a key skill 

that youth use to gauge how hard their 

bodies are working. 

 Explore the concept of 

physical activity. 

Snack Break 

(Note: The 

full-day training 

provides two 

Snack Breaks.) 

Participants create and taste one of the 

many Snack Break recipes that the 

youth try during the Media-Smart Youth 

program. This module helps 

participants understand the importance 

of the Snack Break and the 

significance of the chosen snacks. 

 Participate in a Snack 

Break that the young 

people experience. 

 Provide examples of 

healthy snacks that 

are described in the 

curriculum. 

Exploring Media 

Production 

In this module, participants learn the 

basics of media production and how it 

applies to the Media-Smart Youth 

program in terms of the MiniProductions, which the youth do during 

each lesson, as well as the Big 

Production, a larger-scale media 

production that is the culminating 

project of the curriculum. 

Participants also take part in an 

adapted version of one of the MiniProduction activities to get a sense of 

how the youth use their creativity and 

learn about media throughout the 

program. 

 Explore how media 

production skills are 

built throughout the 

Media-Smart Youth 

program. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

7 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Module Overview Objectives 

Getting the 

Program Started 

In this module, participants reflect on 

the facilitation style modeled by the 

trainers and discuss how this same 

style is used when facilitating the 

Media-Smart Youth program. In 

addition, participants receive hints and 

tips for successfully delivering the 

curriculum based on experiences of 

past facilitators. 

 Learn the best 

methods for facilitating 

the program. 

 Review resources that 

may be needed to 

implement the MediaSmart Youth program. 

Question/Answer 

and Wrap-Up 

Time permitting, participants will have 

an opportunity to ask additional 

questions. 

 Answer outstanding 

questions and 

conclude the training. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

8 

Tips for Delivering the Trainings 

Because the facilitation style called for in the training mirrors the techniques 

suggested for use in the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide, you should be 

comfortable doing the following: 

Model Open and Non-Judgmental Behavior 

 Be clear about expectations. 

 Respect participants’ feelings and opinions. 

 Encourage each individual to participate, if he or she is comfortable 

doing so. 

 Give compliments and acknowledge answers. 

 Demonstrate acceptance for all participants. 

Facilitate with a Focus 

 Keep to the time schedule. 

 Keep participants comfortable and engaged. 

Ask Open-Ended Questions 

 Ask “what, when, why” questions instead of questions that can be 

answered with a “yes” or “no” answer. 

 Keep these examples of open-ended questions in mind: “What do you 

mean by...?” “What kind of fruits do you like?” “When is it easy for you 

to be physically active?” “How did you figure out that this food contains 

whole grains?” 
TRAINING OVERVIEW
 

Handle Sensitive Issues 

 During the program, be sure to create an accepting environment in which 

everyone feels comfortable participating and safe in expressing his or her 

thoughts. 

Lead by Example 

 It is important for the Media-Smart Youth facilitators to lead by example 

when facilitating so they can inspire young people with their enthusiasm. 

 It is equally important for training facilitators to also lead by example by 

participating in the Action Breaks, eating the food during Snack Breaks, 

and being involved in the activities as much as possible. 

Materials and Set-Up 

Based on group numbers determined from the chart listed earlier (page 6), 

set up tables with participants facing the front of the room where the trainer 

will stand and where large paper, an easel, TV, and video/DVD player will 

be set up. 

Ideal Training Set-Up 

 Large, open spaces available for movement and physical activity 

 Several tables for small group work 

 Wall space for large paper brainstorming 

 Equipment (TV, video or DVD player, computer) is not required, but 

enhances the visuals of the Media-Smart Youth training 

Materials 

A list of specific materials needed for each training module is included at the 

beginning of the module. 

Evaluation/Feedback 

The participant folder includes a feedback form. At the end of the training, 

have your participants fill out this form. The feedback they provide can help 

you adjust your training strategies to benefit future trainings. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

9 
Full-Day Training 
Full-Day Training
 

Preparation
 
Full-Day Training Preparation 

You should begin preparation for the Media-Smart Youth training well before 

your training day to ensure adequate time for obtaining supplies and materials. 

Whenever feasible, you should view the training room layout to designate 

space for Snack Breaks, Action Breaks, and other training activities (as noted in 

the Training Overview, page 3). You should also practice and become familiar 

with the training scripts prior to your training day to help make interaction run 

smoothly and enhance the Media-Smart Youth training. 

This section of the Media-Smart Youth Training Guide provides a comprehensive 

list of the required preparation and materials for the full-day training. This 

preparation section is unique to the full-day training and varies slightly from the 

preparation for the half-day training. For more detailed instructions, please see 

the “Trainer’s Preparation” section at the beginning of each training module. 

In this section, you will find the following information to help you plan for 

and conduct the full-day training: 

 General supply list 

 Grocery list for Snack Breaks 

 Large papers and small papers needed for training activities 

 Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and slide presentation CD-ROM 

 Handouts for participant folders 

General Supply List 

 1 copy of Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Facilitator’s Guide 

for each participant or each table 

 2-inch binder(s) (optional, but strongly recommended) or metal rings to 

hold guide together 

 6 Media Questions Poster (included in Media-Smart Youth Program Packet) 

 Media-Smart Youth video/DVD (included in Media-Smart Youth Program 

Packet) 

 Media-Smart Youth slide presentation CD-ROM (included in Training Packet) 

 TV/VCR or DVD player (optional, but strongly recommended) 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

11 
FULL-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

12 

 Laptop with Adobe® Reader® viewing capabilities (Adobe® Reader® 

software can be downloaded from the NICHD’s Web site at 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs.cfm); projector/screen 

(optional, but strongly recommended) 

 Name tags 

 Pens 

 Scissors 

 Sheets of large paper or flip chart 

 Easel 

 Markers (enough for all small groups) 

 Masking tape 

 Index cards/sheets of small paper 

 Examples of media from the following options (make sure that these 

examples reflect the cultural identity of the group): 

 Cover of a popular CD 

 Print ad 

 Poster 

 Empty food packages; see “Trainer’s Preparation” section at the beginning 

of the Exploring Nutrition module (page 62) for specific instructions 

 Rolls of ribbon or yarn in different colors—exact number of rolls 

determined by group size (maximum 14 rolls) 

 Stickers (4 small stickers for each participant) 

Grocery List for Snack Breaks 

Snack Break #1: Dip It! 

 Whole-wheat pita (or whole-wheat tortillas) (Estimate 3 triangles per 

person, 6 triangles per whole pita) 

 Salsa (estimate 1 large container with handle; if more than 40 participants, 

add an additional small jar) 

 Hummus (estimate 1 small container for every seven to eight people) 

 Disposable containers (estimate enough containers in which to place each 

food individually) 

 Small paper plates (estimate 1 for each participant) 

 Plastic spoons and forks (estimate enough for serving) 

 Antibacterial wipes or gel (estimate enough for entire group) 

 Napkins (estimate 1 for each participant) 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
FULL-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

13 

Snack Break #2: Mix It Up! 

 Whole-grain breakfast cereal, such as whole-wheat flakes or unsweetened 

shredded-wheat cereal (estimate 1 large box for 15 to 20 participants) 

 Low-fat granola (estimate 2 boxes for 15 to 20 participants) 

 Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (estimate 3 jars for 15 to 

20 participants) 

 Raisins (estimate 1 large canister and 1 medium bag for 15 to 

20 participants) 

 Other dried fruit, such as apples or apricots (estimate 2 bags for 

15 participants) 

 Plastic sandwich bags (estimate 1 per participant) 

 Disposable containers (estimate enough containers in which to place each 

food ingredient individually) 

 Plastic spoons and forks (estimate enough for serving) 

 Antibacterial wipes or gel (estimate enough for entire group) 

 Napkins (estimate 1 for each participant) 

Large Paper and Small Paper for Training Activities 

A Note to Trainers: Please review the “Trainer’s Preparation” at the 

beginning of each module for instructions on how to prepare large and 

small papers specific to the activities in that module; large and small paper 

quantities are determined by group size. 

Welcome and Introduction 

Prepare the following on sheets of large paper to post in the training room: 

 Agenda (see page 16 for content) 

 Parking Lot (heading only) 

 (Optional. If binders are provided, do not prepare this paper) 

Welcome! Please assemble your program materials: 

1. Unwrap your materials. 

2. Insert tabs. 

3. Insert ring. 

 What is your favorite... 

 TV show? 

 Magazine? 

 Food? 

 Physical activity? 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING FULL-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

14 

Exploring Media 

Prepare the following: 

 Write the heading “Types of Media” on sheets of large paper (number of 

sheets determined by number of groups). 

Exploring Physical Activity 

Prepare the following on sheets of large paper to post in the training room: 

	 Physical Activity Recommendations for Young People 

Health Experts recommend that young people should: 

 Be physically active for at least 60 minutes on most, if not all, days of the 

week.
 

 Try to do a variety of activities.
 

 Find enjoyable activities so they become a fun part of everyday life. 

	 Top 10 It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical Activity (heading on sheets of 

large papers determined by number of groups) 

Exploring Nutrition 

Prepare the following: 

 1 large sheet of paper for drawing the whole grain diagram in Lesson 4 and 

also found on page F-12 

 11 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper to write the nutrients in a whole grain 

Exploring Media Production 

Prepare the following: 

 Index cards or small sheets of paper for the Omission Mission activity 

(number of index cards determined by number of groups) 

Video/DVD Segments and Slide Presentations 

Welcome and Introduction 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #3: What Is Media-Smart Youth?
 

  Slide Presentation: Welcome and Introductions
 

Exploring Media 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #4: What Are Media?
 

 Video/DVD Segment #9: The Power of Advertising
 

 Video/DVD Segment #5: Sample Media
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
FULL-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

15 

Full-Day

TRAINING

 

A Note to Trainers about Segment #5: The Web site referred to in the 

“Football” television public service announcement (PSA) in Segment #5 of 

the video/DVD no longer falls under the auspices of the Media-Smart Youth 

program. Please do not use the “Football” PSA during this activity. You may 

play the segment entitled “Hello,” which is a radio PSA also included in 

Segment #5 of the video/DVD. 

Exploring Physical Activity 

This module uses the following: 

 Video/DVD Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence 

Exploring Nutrition 

This module uses the following: 

 Video/DVD Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

Exploring Media Production 

This module uses the following: 

 Video/DVD Segment #11: Big Production Montage 

Handouts for Participant Folders 

These handouts are available at the end of this training section. Add handouts 

to folders in the order shown. 

Left Pocket (front to back) 

1. Agenda 

2. Media-Smart Youth fact sheet 

3. Media-Smart Youth materials order form 

4. Ideas for Implementation handout 

5. Tips for Facilitating Media-Smart Youth handout 

6. Feedback Form 

Right Pocket (front to back) 

1. Stickers for activity in Exploring Media module 

2. Take Home a New Idea: Dip It! handout 

3. Media Detective Notepad sheet 

4. All About Nutrition handout 

5. Whole Grain Kernel diagram 

6. Nutrition Scavenger Hunt sheets 

7. Pulse Game sheet 

8. Take Home a New Idea: Mix It Up! handout 

9. Omission Mission sheet 

10. Role Game sheet 

11. Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

All designated lessons, activities, and video segments are from the 

Training Agenda 

Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

Welcome and Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 minutes 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 4: A Cool Wind Blows 

Overview of Structure & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 minutes 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Lesson 10: Dip It! 

Exploring Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 minutes 

 Lesson 2, Activity A: What Are Media? 

 Lesson 2, Activity B: Media & Health—What’s the Connection? 

 Video Segment #9 from Lesson 7, Activity A: The Power of Advertising 

 Lesson 3, Activity B: The 6 Media Questions 

 Video Segment #5 from Lesson 3, Activity B: Sample Media 

Exploring Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 5, Activity A: What Is Physical Activity? 

 Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried 

 Video Segment #7 from Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence 

Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 minutes 

Exploring Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 minutes 

 Lesson 6, Activity A, Option 2: What’s On the Label? 

 Lesson 4, Activity A: Hurray for Whole Grains! 

 Video Segment #6 from Lesson 4, Activity B: Eat It Up! 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 9: The Human Knot 

Exploring Media Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 minutes 

 Lesson 7, Activity C: Mini-Production: Omission Mission 

 Video Segment #11 from Lesson 9, Activity C: Big Production Montage 

 Lesson 10, Activity C: The Role Game 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Lesson 2: Mix It Up! 

Getting the Program Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 minutes 

 Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist (page 28) 

 Training Handouts 

Question/Answer and Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy/ 

16 FULL-DAY MEDIA-SMART YOUTH AGENDA
 
Introductions
 

Welcome and
 
Welcome and 

Introductions

Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

50 minutes

Activity Overview

This module gives participants the chance to get to know each other, 

provides background about the creation of the program, and introduces 

the major concepts within the curriculum.

Activity Objective

u Welcome and introduce trainers and participants

u Discuss the overview and objectives of the program

Materials Needed

q Large paper, markers, masking tape, easel (if available)

q TV/VCR or DVD player and Media-Smart Youth video/DVD

q Slide presentation CD-ROM, computer with Adobe® Reader® 

viewing capabilities, and projector/screen (Adobe® Reader® 

software can be downloaded from the NICHD’s Web site at http://

www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs.cfm)

q CD with fun music suitable for 11- to 13-year-olds and a CD player

Trainer’s Preparation

q In the front of the room, set up an easel with blank sheets of large 

paper to write on during the discussion. If you don’t have an easel, 

tape sheets of large paper to the wall in a place where everyone can 

see them. 

q Write the agenda on a sheet of large paper and 

post it on a wall (see page 16 for content).

q Write “Parking Lot” at the top of a sheet of large 

paper and post it next to the agenda.

AGENDA PARKING LOT

17

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

 (Optional: Do this step if binders are not provided or assembled.) 

Write on piece of large paper the following then post it with
 

agenda on wall:
 

“Welcome. Please assemble your materials.
 

1. Unwrap 

2. Insert tabs 

3. Insert ring” 

 Write the following questions on a sheet of large paper and place 

covered on wall near front of the room (keep this sheet covered 

until it is needed):
 

“What is your favorite . . . 

 TV show?
 

 Magazine?
 

 Food?
 

 Physical activity?”
 

 If you are using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or 

edia-Smart Youth? 

 to play the 

DVD player so it is ready to play Segment #3: What Is M

 Set up the computer and slide presentation so it is ready

Welcome and Introductions slideshow. 

 Play music for participants to enjoy as they enter. 

WELCOME. 

PLEASE 

ASSEMBLE 

YOUR MATERIALS 

1. UNWRAP 

2. INSERT TABS 

3. INSERT RING 

WHAT IS YOUR 

FAVORITE . . . 

 TV SHOW? 

 MAGAZINE? 

 FOOD? 

 PHYSICAL 

ACTIVITY? 

18 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

19 

20 

minutes Welcome and Introductions 

1.	 WELCOME participants: 

 INTRODUCE training staff and your organization. 

 SAY: 

We’re so glad you’re here and thrilled that you’re interested in learning 

more about Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active. 

Media-Smart Youth is an after-school program that empowers young 

people ages 11 to 13 to make healthful choices about nutrition and 

physical activity by helping them understand how media can influence 

their lives. It is designed to teach young people about the complex 

media world around them, and how it can affect their health. 

Media-Smart Youth was developed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver 

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), 

part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. 

The NIH is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting 

medical and behavioral research. The NICHD, one of 27 Institutes at the 

NIH, conducts and supports research on all stages of human 

development, from preconception to adulthood, to better understand 

the health of children, adults, families, and communities. 

The [your organization] has been using Media-Smart Youth since [date] 

[or some other description of the connection between the program and 

your organization.] 

2. SAY: 

Now I’d like to review the agenda for today and then have us get to know 

one another before we talk more about the program. 

3. CONDUCT a quick review of agenda (as posted on wall). 

4. POINT OUT the “Parking Lot.” 

SAY: 

We will take questions throughout the training, however, if something 

comes up and we can’t cover it at that point, we’ll put it up on the Parking 

Lot to discuss later in the training. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

20 

5. ASK participants to put their cell phones on “silent.” 

6. SAY: 

Let’s begin by introducing ourselves. 

7. ASK each person to introduce him or herself. Then, have them share 

something they enjoy about working with youth (depending on number 

of participants) or give one word to describe how working with youth 

makes them feel. 

8. THANK participants for sharing. 

9. SAY: 

Let’s do a short icebreaker so we can get to know each other better. 

10. UNCOVER the large paper with questions posted on wall. ASK 

participants to divide into groups of two or three people and take turns 

sharing with each other their answers to the following questions. 

 What is your favorite TV show(s)?
 

 What is your favorite magazine(s)?
 

 What is your favorite food(s)?
 

 What is your favorite physical activity, such as walking, playing a sport,
 

or anything that gets your body moving? 

11. ALLOW 5 minutes for small groups to talk with each other. After 

5 minutes, ASK groups to return to the table. ASK if anyone has any 

highlights from the conversation that they would like to share. 

12. THANK participants for sharing. TELL them that they’ve just been 

discussing the key content areas for the program—media, food, and 

physical activity—common issues in all of our lives. 

20 

minutes What Is Media-Smart Youth? 

1. SAY: 

About six years ago, the U.S. Congress asked four federal agencies within
 

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop education
 

programs to reinforce positive behaviors—such as being physically active
 

and eating healthful foods—among young people.
 

One of those agencies, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of
 

Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) created Media-Smart
 

Youth. So, why did the federal government develop this program? To
 

address three main concerns:
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Full-Day WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 TRAINING

A. We are all surrounded by media, and media can influence our 

lifestyles and habits in many ways. 

A Note to Trainers: You may choose to share one or all of the following 

statistics, as time allows, to further describe the concern. 

	 Every day, young people spend multiple hours using or being exposed 

to media. 

	 Young people encounter a barrage of marketing and advertising 

messages. 

	 Over the last three decades, the number of television commercials 

children viewed increased from about 20,000 per year to more than 

40,000 per year. 

	 The majority of these ads are for food—primarily candy, cereal, and 

fast food. 

B. During the past 20 years, some young people and adults in our 

society have begun to eat too much. The choices we make about 

food can affect our health now and in the future. 

A Note to Trainers: You may choose to share one or all of the following 

statistics, as time allows, to further describe the concern. 

 More than 15 percent of young people in the United States are obese 

and many more are at risk for becoming overweight or obese. 

	 Youth take in more calories than they need, but most don’t meet 

recommended intakes for several essential nutrients, including calcium, 

potassium, and dietary fiber. 

C. We don’t spend enough time doing physical activities that get our 

bodies moving and our hearts pumping. 

	 Nearly one-half of American youth ages 12 to 21 years are not 

physically active on a regular basis. 

2. SAY: 

What’s Media-Smart Youth really all about? (BEGIN slide presentation, 

 slides 1 and 2.) 

 It’s about youth ( slide 3), media ( slide 4), nutrition ( slide 5), 

and physical activity ( slide 6). 

 It’s about young people becoming more critical, creative thinkers 

( slide 7). 

 It’s about helping youth understand more about media so that they can 

use it to make the best choices ( slide 8). 

21 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

 It’s about helping young people feel comfortable with their own sizes,
 

shapes, and physical abilities ( slide 9). 

 This program is NOT about weight control or dieting or forcing anyone
 

to do sports ( slide 10). 

 It’s about science. The program has been rigorously reviewed, tested, and
 

evaluated ( slides 11 and 12). 

 A formal outcome evaluation showed a significant difference in 

knowledge and skills in nutrition, physical activity, and media analysis 

between young people who took part in the program and those who 

did not. The evaluation also showed a significant difference in the 

intention to eat or drink more foods with calcium and the intention to 

do more weight-bearing activities in the next month between young 

people who took part in the program and those who did not. 

	 Media-Smart Youth was developed as an after-school or out-of-school
 

program for young people ages 11 to 13. 

 The program focuses on this age group because:
 

— This is the age at which youth are becoming more autonomous 

and are making their own decisions, particularly in regard to 

food. 

— This age is when some of the biggest changes occur in young 

people’s development. They are trying new things and taking 

new risks. 

— This is the age at which youth can begin to think more critically 

and to develop these critical thinking skills. 

 It works in rural, urban, and suburban settings ( slide 13). 

	 It’s flexible enough to meet the needs of all types of youth-serving 

organizations and the diversity of the young people they serve 

( slide 14). 

 It combines youth-development principles and practices with evidence-based 

recommendations about nutrition and physical activity ( slide 15). 

	 It’s consistent with national learning standards ( slide 16). 

	 And finally, Media-Smart Youth is just a click away! Copies of the MediaSmart Youth Program Packet, which includes the video/DVD, some of which 

you’ll see today, can be ordered from the NICHD Information Resource 

Center. The Web address is on the bottom of your agenda and ordering 

information can also be found on the Media-Smart Youth fact sheet. 

Training Guides, which include guides for both the half-day and full-day 

trainings, are available through this source, as well ( slide 17). 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

22 
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

10 

minutes What Do Youth Do When They Are Part of the Program? 

1. SAY: 

Youth do several things as part of this program. 

 In the Media-Smart Youth program, youth spend time exploring different 

kinds of media and finding out how media affect what they do. 

 They also learn about nutrition and physical activity and some of the 

challenges involved in making smart food and activity decisions. 

2. SAY: 

Now we’re going to watch a short video segment so you can see the 

program in action. 

3. SHOW Segment #3: What Is Media-Smart Youth? 

4. ASK whether participants have any comments or questions. THANK 

participants for their participation. 

5. SAY: 

In today’s training, you’ll learn more about the program’s key content areas 

and how the program engages youth. 

Much of what we’ll be doing today will allow you to experience several 

aspects of the curriculum first hand. 

So, with that, it’s time for an Action Break. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

23 
24 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Action Break: A
 

Cool Wind Blows
 
Action Break 


25 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

t 

A Cool Wind Blows 

Time: 10 minutes 

1. TELL participants that physical activity

is anything that gets your body 

moving and that later in the training 

they will learn more about physical 

activity. The Action Breaks throughout

the curriculum are great examples of 

this concept and provide the youth 

with easy ways to incorporate 

physical activity into their lives. 

2. SAY: 

This Action Break is called “A Cool 

Wind Blows,” and it comes from 

Lesson 4 in the curriculum. 

Doing the Action Break 

1. ASK participants to bring their chairs 

to the back of the room and to set up

the chairs in a half-circle or full circle. 

PULL out one chair so that there is 

one fewer chair than participants. 

2. CHOOSE one participant to remain 

standing in front of the chairs, facing 

the group. ASK remaining participants

to sit on the chairs. 

3. TELL participants that you will call out

a statement that describes some 

members of the group. Be sure to 

begin the statement by saying, 

“The cool wind blows for anyone 

who_______________,” filling in the 

blank with any descriptive quality 

about some members of the group. 

For example, you may choose to say, 

“The cool wind blows for anyone 

who played basketball yesterday.” If 

any of the participants played 

basketball the previous day, the wind 

makes them move—those who played 

basketball must get out of their seats 

and move to a completely different 

empty seat in the circle of chairs. 

EXPLAIN that the goal is to find a seat 

before all the seats are gone. 

Rules: 

 Participants cannot move to a seat 

on either side of the one they just 

stood up from (unless only two 

participants who are sitting next to 

each other stand up). 

 They cannot push or hurt each 

other to get a seat. 

4. EXPLAIN that there will always be 

one participant who doesn’t find a 

seat. That person should then stand in 

the middle of the circle and say 

another statement that describes 

members of the group, such as, “The 

cool wind blows for anyone who had 

breakfast this morning,” and so on. 

5. The facilitator can call out, “Tornado!” 

at any time and everyone (including 

the participant who was standing in 

the middle at the time) must find a 

different seat. 
Action Break 


A Cool Wind Blows (continued) 

6. ENCOURAGE participants to think of 

descriptive qualities that relate to 

media, food, and physical activity. 

Note: Try to mention concepts that 

relate to the participants’ daily lives. 

Some examples include: 

 Anyone who listened to music 

today. 

 Anyone who drank at least one 

soda yesterday. 

 Anyone who saw a movie in the 

last month. 

 Anyone who drank fat-free or 

low-fat milk today. 

 Anyone who did a physical 

activity yesterday. 

 Anyone who likes grapes. 

 Anyone who likes to play soccer. 

 Anyone who went to the gym in 

the last week. 

7. MAKE SURE the game moves quickly 

so participants are moving often. 

8. ASK participants if they had fun. ASK 

if they think the game, “A Cool Wind 

Blows,” counts as physical activity. 

TELL them that it does count— 

anything that has them moving 

quickly, jumping around, and getting 

out of breath is a great way to be 

physically active and have fun, too! 

EXPLAIN that they will learn more 

about physical activity later in the 

training. 

26 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Overview of
 

Structure & Design
 
Overview of 

Structure & Design Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

40 minutes

Activity Overview

This module gives participants a chance to learn the structure of the 

curriculum, including the icons, breakdown of activities, and useful 

resources. This segment also provides insight into the flexibility of the 

curriculum. 

Activity Objective

u Review the curriculum structure and design so participants get a feel for 

how to use the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide

Materials Needed

q Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide—one assembled copy for each 

participant and for the trainer 

Trainer’s Preparation

q Place one copy of assembled (either via a ring or binder) Facilitator’s 

Guide at each participant’s place (or hand out the binders during 

registration/check-in).

27

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 


28 

38 

minutes Overview 

1.	 SAY: 

Now let’s walk through the curriculum structure and design so you get a feel 

for how to use the Facilitator’s Guide. 

2. SAY: 

Media-Smart Youth integrates four content areas throughout the program. 

 The first few lessons focus on media, the next set on nutrition, the next 

set on physical activity, and the last focuses on media production. 

 All four areas are fully integrated through each lesson—using repetition to
 

reinforce the connections between media and health.
 

 We will look more closely at each of these content areas later today. 

3. SAY: 

Media-Smart Youth has 10 structured, interactive lessons. 

	 Each lesson is 90 minutes in length. 

	 Each lesson has a similar structure:
 

 Activity A (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

 Snack Break (10 minutes)
 

 Activity B (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

 Action Break (10 minutes)
 

 Activity C (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

	 The Snack Break is a great time to expose youth to new foods and
 

encourage youth to taste them, and to reinforce the concepts learned
 

throughout the program.
 

	 Action Breaks provide youth with a chance to get their bodies moving in
 

a range of fun activities that encourage teamwork and friendly
 

competition.
 

	 The activities are highly interactive. Activities A and B focus on one of the
 

curriculum’s main topics. In Activity C, participants do a Mini-Production,
 

which gives them a chance to reflect on what they’ve learned in Activities
 

A and B and to build their media-production skills. 

The program includes creating a Big Production. 

	 After the 10 lessons are complete, young people have the opportunity to
 

create a Big Production—a media production encouraging other young
 

people to take an action for better nutrition or increased physical activity.
 

	 There is no specific direction for the Big Production included in the
 

Facilitator’s Guide because different youth may choose different projects.
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

 Youth can choose to make a video, poster campaign, newsletter, radio 

show, or other form of media. Lesson 9 helps youth decide on a format. 

 We’ll talk more about the Big Production later today. 

The Media-Smart Youth curriculum is flexible. 

	 The curriculum can be organized and delivered in many ways to meet your 

needs and the needs of your participants. 

 For example, if your group is hungry and would benefit from a snack 

before you start the activities, begin with the Snack Break and then do 

Activity A. 

 If you only have 60 minutes to work with your group, do Activity A, 

Snack Break, and Activity B, and then do the Action Break and Activity C 

in a separate session. 

 The schedule of lessons is also flexible. The lessons may be done once or 

twice a week, once a month, all within two weeks in a summer- camp 

style, or on other schedules. 

	 Please note that the content in the lessons is connected and builds on 

previous lessons. It is not recommended to cut out activities entirely. 

Strive for the recommended number of youth participants per 

workshop. 

	 The recommended group size for the program is 15 young people because 

this is a good number for doing interactive learning. 

	 Keep in mind that there is often attrition or young people who drop out 

because of other commitments, so you may want to recruit more than 15 

youth. 

	 Having fewer than 8 to 10 young people makes it challenging to break into 

smaller groups and can limit the diversity of perspectives in the discussions. 

	 The ideal group size varies and depends upon the number of adults who 

can facilitate and the size of your space. The more adults and space, the 

more young people you can accommodate. 

The structure of Media-Smart Youth is consistent. 

	 The structure of Media-Smart Youth is consistent and easy to follow as you 

take youth through the program. 

4. SAY: 

Let’s do a page-through. Follow along with me in your Facilitator’s Guide. 

 Where do you find the Introduction and Overview section? (TAB) 

 This section provides information about the curriculum, how and why 

Media-Smart Youth was developed, and hints for facilitating the 

curriculum. 

 Let’s quickly page through this section. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

29 
OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 


30 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

— An At-a-Glance overview of the curriculum lessons is on page 3. 

— A history of the program is on pages 4 through 6. 

— Pages 8 to 14 give you information to help you decide how to 

schedule the program, where to host the lessons, how to recruit 

and retain youth, and how to get others involved. There’s also 

information on engaging a media partner if you choose to do so. 

— Pages 15 to 21 give a quick overview of the structure of the 

lessons, which we will go over in a few minutes. 

— Page 22 has a suggested general shopping list for items that could 

be used throughout each lesson. 

— Pages 23 to 27 have information on how best to facilitate this 

curriculum and how many facilitators are ideal or feasible given 

the size of your group. 

— And, finally, page 28 has a checklist to help you get started! 

5. SAY: 

If you remember just one thing from this session today, please remember to
 

review the Introduction and Overview section of the Facilitator’s Guide
 

before you plan your program. It will likely answer many of your questions.
 

6. SAY: 

Now, let’s do some searching. Feel free to shout out the answers as I ask the
 

questions!
 

 Can someone find a Lesson Overview? (Page 43, Lesson 1)
 

 It provides an overview of the lesson and what you need to prepare
 

for it.
 

 It lists materials needed.
 

 All materials should be prepared and set up ahead of time to make
 

facilitation easy. 

 Can someone find an Activity Overview? (Page 49, Lesson 1)
 

 Materials are listed in the front of each lesson and are broken down
 

at beginning of each activity.
 

 The “Facilitator’s Preparation” outlines the steps for the activities. 

 Can someone find a Snack Break? (Page 54, Lesson 1)
 

 Snacks from the Snack Break incorporate at least one of the four
 

Media-Smart Youth nutrition concepts to reinforce the topics youth
 

have discussed.
 

 These breaks are a great time to expose youth to new foods and get
 

them to feel comfortable tasting new things.
 

 Can someone find an Action Break? (Page 58, Lesson 1) 

 Action Breaks provide youth with a chance to get their bodies moving
 

and release energy.
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

 Action Breaks reinforce the concept that any movement can be 

physical activity. Youth learn different activity options they may not 

have thought of as physical activities. 

	 Can someone find an Activity C? (Page 59, Lesson 1) 

 Each Activity C (with the exception of Lesson 1) is a Mini-Production. 

 The Mini-Production is a hands-on activity in which youth create 

media messages for their peers by using and exploring various media 

formats for their Big Production, such as jingles, billboards, and radio 

scripts. 

 Mini-Productions reinforce the content they learned from Activities A 

and B. 

 Can someone find a Finishing Up the Lesson? (Page 65, Lesson 1) 

 At the end of each lesson, the facilitator thanks youth for participating 

and asks them to share something fun or interesting they learned 

during that lesson. 

 The purpose is to reinforce and summarize topics learned and to have 

youth reflect on their participation. 

 Can someone find a Take Home a New Idea? (Page 66, Lesson 1) 

 Youth receive a sheet at the end of each lesson to take home to their 

families. 

 The sheet contains two to four ideas on how youth can share what 

they learned during the day’s lesson with their families to spark 

discussion and reinforce making healthy choices at home. 

 The sheet also has the recipe for that lesson’s Snack Break so youth can 

make it at home with their parents. 

 We have included the Take Home a New Idea! sheets related to the 

two snacks you will try during today’s training in your folder. You can 

share them with your friends and family. 

 Can someone find one of the Notes to Facilitators? (Page 72, Lesson 2) 

 These notes are the green boxes that contain additional information 

for facilitators. 

 These notes are items to keep in mind as you are working through the 

lesson. 

 As much as possible, you should incorporate these notes into your 

facilitation. 

7. SAY: 

At the end of some lessons you will see Look Ahead Alerts that point out 

things to look for in future lessons. (Page 95, Lesson 3) 

8. SAY: 

Turn to Lesson 6: Visiting the Grocery Store. In the pilot test, facilitators 

found that making the extra effort to go to the grocery store was well worth 

it. The youth had a fun, hands-on experience that helped reinforce the 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

31 
OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 


32 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

lessons they were learning. We know the visit is not always possible, so there
 

are two separate lesson plans. Option 1 is taking the youth to the store.
 

Option 2 is bringing the store to the youth. But experience indicates that
 

Option 1 is very enriching.
 

9. SAY: 

Icons are used in the Facilitator’s Guide to help facilitators identify what to 

do on the page. Can you find an example in the Facilitator’s Guide of: 

 Pad and pencil: (page 93, Lesson 3) Appears on the front page of the 

lesson next to the list of lesson activities. 

 Clock: (page 93, Lesson 3) Indicates the suggested length of time for an 

activity. 

 Light bulb: (page 93, Lesson 3) Indicates the content overview or main 

concept for the lesson or an activity. 

 Bull’s eye: (page 93, Lesson 3) Indicates the learning objectives of a 

lesson or activity. 

 Easel with paper: (page 94, Lesson 3) Indicates any facilitator’s 

preparation that may be needed. 

 Crayons: (page 94, Lesson 3) Indicates any materials that may be 

needed. 

 Globe: (page 94, Lesson 3) Indicates a good opportunity to be sensitive 

to the diversity of the group in the discussion or activity. 

 Talking head: (page 98, Lesson 3) Appears next to italicized text that 

you can paraphrase or read to the youth as written. 

 Video/DVD: (page 107, Lesson 3) Indicates when to show a MediaSmart Youth video segment.
 

 Fruit bowl: (page 101, Lesson 3) Appears next to a Snack Break.
 

 Two youth dancing: (page 110, Lesson 3) Appears next to the Action
 

Break and next to other information in the Guide related to youth being 

active. For example, during discussion, you could have youth jump out 

of their seats or do a jumping jack or push up if they want to answer a 

question (page 157, Lesson 5). 

10. SAY: 

Now go to the Appendices tab. 

EXPLAIN the following concepts: 

	 The curriculum includes Appendices A through K. Many will be helpful
 

during the program, particularly Appendix K, the Glossary. Others
 

provide information that will be helpful in planning the program.
 

A. Sample Permission Forms 

 These forms are for the workshop and for the grocery store field trip. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

B. Additional Snack Break Options 

 If one of the Snack Breaks won’t work for your group, there are other 

options in this section. 

C. Additional Action Break Options 

 If one of the Action Breaks won’t work for your group, there are 

options in this section. There is also information about adapting 

physical activities for youth with physical disabilities. 

D. The Video/DVD-At-A-Glance 

 Appendix D includes a description of each video segment. 

 The video is NOT required to implement the curriculum. It merely 

complements the content and may help you explain different concepts. 

E. Doing the Big Production 

 This section includes guidance on how to do the Big Production in 

various formats. 

F. The Big Production Toolbox 

 This appendix includes tools for doing the Big Production, such as 

script templates. 

G. Media, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Resources 

 This section highlights resources that can provide more information on 

the curriculum content areas. 

H. Promotion Kit 

 This item features tools to help you promote the program in your 

community, such as a sample press release and message points. 

I. Educational Content Standards Linked to Lesson Activities 

 This chart identifies the National Standards of Learning Benchmarks 

that Media-Smart Youth covers in various content areas. 

J. Sample Media-Smart Youth Certificate of Participation 

 This blank certificate is provided for facilitators to copy for participants 

who complete the program. 

K. Glossary 

 This glossary includes key words that are bolded the first time they 

appear in the Facilitator’s Guide. Use it for quick and easy reference. 

11. DISCUSS the Pre- and Post-Curriculum Activities. 

SAY: 

The curriculum includes optional Pre- and Post-Curriculum Activities that may 

help you gauge how much youth know when they enter the program and 

how much they learned in the program. These activities are one of many 

ways to assess the outcomes of the program. The correct answers to the 

questions in the activities are provided with the Facilitator’s Guide and are 

also posted online at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/MSY. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

33 
Full-Day

TRAINING OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN 


34 

2 

minutes Closing the Activity 

1. SAY: 

I know we covered a lot of information in a short period of time. Don’t 

feel that you have to remember it all at once! The Introduction and 

Overview section of the Facilitator’s Guide is filled with information to help 

you plan for and implement the Media-Smart Youth curriculum. The 

appendices also have a wealth of resources to help you. 

Again, if you remember only one thing today, please remember to review
 

the Introduction and Overview section before you plan your program. It is
 

on pages 1 through 28 of the Facilitator’s Guide ( slide 11).
 

2. SAY: 

Now it’s time for a Snack Break. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Snack Break:
 

Dip It!
 
Snack Break 


t 

Dip It! 

Time: 15 minutes 

1. SAY: 

The Snack Breaks are a great time to expose youth to new foods, encourage 

them to taste foods they haven’t tried before, and try foods in a new 

environment. The Snack Breaks also reinforce the nutrition concepts they discuss. 

2. TELL participants that this Snack Break is called “Dip It,” and it comes from 

Lesson 10 in the curriculum. It incorporates whole-grain foods—whole-wheat 

pita and whole-wheat tortillas—and low-fat dips—salsa and hummus, which is 

made from chick peas (also called garbanzo beans). 

3. Trainers should demonstrate putting the snack together. TELL participants to 

arrange the pita bread and tortilla triangles on paper plates. POINT OUT the 

dips for the participants to try, along with serving spoons. TELL participants to 

put some pita bread or tortilla triangles on their plates, along with a spoonful 

of each dip. 

4. REMIND participants that the recipe for this Snack Break is included on the 

Take Home a New Idea! handout that is included in their folders and comes at 

the end of every lesson. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

35 
36 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Exploring
 

Media
 
37

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

Exploring Media Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

1 hour 25 minutes

Activity Overview

This module provides an introduction on how the curriculum defines 

media and its purposes. Activities allow participants to brainstorm the 

many types of media and understand the connection between media and 

health. Participants take part in an activity adapted from the curriculum that 

introduces the program’s media-analysis tool, the 6 Media Questions. 

Activity Objective

u Explore the concept of media 

u Examine the link between media and health

Materials Needed

q The 6 Media Questions poster

q Examples of media from the following options: a cover of a popular CD, 

a print ad, or a poster (make sure that these examples reflect the cultural 

identity of the group); you will need one example for each small group

q Media Detective Notepad sheets (one copy for each participant)

q Pencils/pens (one for each participant)

q Watch/timer

q Masking tape

q TV/VCR or DVD player and Media-Smart Youth video/DVD for showing 

Segments #4, #5, and #9

q Stickers, all identical in size, shape, and color (for example, colored circles 

or stars, seasonal stickers (such as snowmen or pumpkins), or other fun 

stickers); you will need enough so that each participant can have four 

stickers

q Scissors (one pair)
EXPLORING MEDIA
 

38 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

Trainer’s Preparation 

 Set up multiple workstations in different spaces around the room 

where participants can work in small groups. There should be one 

workstation for each small group. The number of small groups 

depends on the size of your workshop (see page 6 of this Training 

Guide for suggestions on dividing your group into small groups). 

Each workstation should have markers and a few sheets of large 

paper for the group to write on. At each workstation, take one 

sheet of large paper and write the heading: “Types of Media.” 

 Post four pieces of large paper around the front 

of the room. At the top of each piece of paper, 

write one of the following statements: 

 “Watched TV Yesterday” 

 “Played Video Games Yesterday” 

 “Surfed the Internet Yesterday” 

 “Listened to the Radio Yesterday” 

 Provide four stickers to each participant in their 

folders. 

 On a note card or piece of paper, write the 

following fact about media use among children 

in the United States: 

Young people ages 11 to 14 spend an average of 6 hours and 

45 minutes a day using media. This is more time than they spend 

doing anything else except sleeping.1
 

 Post the 6 Media Questions poster in the room. 

 Photocopy the Media Detective Notepad sheet (one copy for each 

participant). 

 Find several examples of media from the following options: a cover of a 

popular CD, print ads, and other types of media; you will need one 

example for each small group. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player 

so it is ready to play Segment #4: What Are Media? 

TYPES OF MEDIA 

PLAYED 

VIDEO GAMES 

YESTERDAY 

WATCHED TV 

YESTERDAY 

SURFED 

THE INTERNET 

YESTERDAY 

LISTENED TO 

THE RADIO 

YESTERDAY 

1 Source: Roberts, D., & Foehr, U. (2004). Kids & Media in America. United Kingdom: 

Cambridge University Press. 

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39 

2 

minutes Introduction 

1.	 TELL participants that in this session they will explore the concept of 

media and examine the link between media and health. 

2. SHARE with participants a few key points about the way media is 

presented in the curriculum: 

 The Media-Smart Youth program does not view media as “good” or 

“bad.” Media is a well-established part of our culture and is a tool for 

communication. 

 Media can have a powerful effect on people’s attitudes, behaviors, and 

health, including their food choices and body image. 

 Media-Smart Youth seeks to increase young people’s awareness about 

the media in their lives. 

	 Media-Smart Youth teaches young people to think about the media 

messages they receive and to make their own decisions about the 

media they experience. 

3. EXPLAIN: Keep in mind that even though Media-Smart Youth focuses on 

young people and the media, the connections between media and health 

apply to adults, too. 

4. SAY: 

In this session, we will:
 

 Define media and the main purposes of media.
 

 Discuss media use by young people and the connection between media
 

and health. 

 Practice analyzing media using a tool called the 6 Media Questions. 

5. TELL participants that this session includes actual activities from the MediaSmart Youth curriculum. EXPLAIN that because this is a training for 

facilitators, small adaptations were made to some of the activities, but that 

overall, these activities are very similar to the ones they will deliver to 

youth. This practice will give facilitators a chance to learn the content, and 

to gain a first-hand understanding of the interactive teaching style used 

throughout the curriculum. 

15 

minutes Brainstorm Media 

1.	 SAY: 

Let’s begin by defining media. What are media? 

	 LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, guide them to the 

following types of responses: 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
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 Media are ways of communicating or expressing information or ideas 

to people. Examples include newspaper, TV, radio, billboards, letters, 

telephones, and the Internet. 

2. TELL participants they are going to make a list of all the different kinds of 

media people come across every day. 

3. DIVIDE the participants into small groups and put one group at each 

workstation. 

4. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on a piece of large paper. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity in 

the time available.
 

 Presenter(s) will read the list when the group is done.
 

5. ASK each group to work together to brainstorm all the different kinds of 

media formats they can think of. Their lists should include any and all kinds 

of media. ASK participants to write all their ideas on the large paper titled, 

“Types of Media.” 

A Note about Engaging Participants 

To add energy and suspense to the activity, turn it into a friendly contest. For 

example, see which team has the longest list when the 5 minutes for this 

activity is up. Give a round of applause to the group that wins and invite 

those participants to present their list first. 

6. ALLOW 5 minutes for participants to brainstorm and write down their 

ideas. TELL participants when they have 1 minute left to finish their lists. 

At the end of 1 minute, have participants count the number of items on 

their lists. 

7. TELL participants that each group will have 1 minute to present its list to the 

entire group. 

8. ASK participants to count the number of items on their lists. ASK the group 

with the longest list to present first. ASK participants to gather around the 

first group’s paper and listen as the presenter reads the group’s list out loud. 

ASK the remaining groups to present the ideas on their lists that were not 

included in the first group’s list. 

9. SUGGEST any media you think of that may be missing from the lists, 

including: 

 Newspapers 

 TV
 

 Radio
 

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 Books 

 Magazines 

 Music 

 Internet 

 Billboards 

 Movies 

 Videos 

 Art (for example, paintings, photos, sculptures, etc.) 

 Theater 

 Dance 

 Performance art 

 Video games 

 Comic books/graphic novels 

 Ads/commercials 

 Infomercials 

 Public service announcements (PSAs) 

 Signs on the outside or inside of buses or at bus stops 

 Radio contests 

 Art contests 

 Sports sponsorships 

 Signs on the sides of trucks and vans 

 Food or drink packages (for example, cereal boxes) 

 Mail/e-mail/instant messaging 

 Telephone and text messages 

 Flyers or brochures 

10. CONGRATULATE groups on creating such long lists and thinking of all 

the different types of media. 

10 

minutes Finding the Purpose 

1.	 EXPLAIN that all media products have a purpose, or a reason why they 

are created. ASK participants what the three main purposes of media are. 

2. INVITE participants to look at the examples of media on their lists to help 

them think about purpose. 

3. LISTEN to ideas from the participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following responses:
 

 To persuade (for example, magazine and TV ads)
 

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42 

 To inform (for example, TV or radio news)
 

 To entertain (for example, comic books or movies)
 

4. SAY: 

The first letter of each purpose word forms the acronym “PIE.” This acronym 

may be an easy way for you to remember the three purposes of media. 

Keep in mind that some types of media may have more than one purpose. 

ASK participants to return to their seats. 

5. SAY: 

We are going to watch a video segment about various media and their 

purposes. 

SHOW Segment #4: What Are Media? 

6. ASK: 

 Why is it helpful to know the purposes of different kinds of media? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Knowing the purpose helps us to be more aware of how media are 

used and how media may affect us.
 

 Knowing the purpose helps us to think critically about what we see
 

and hear in the media.
 

5 

minutes Quick Group Research 

1.	 SAY: 

Now that we’re clear about what media are, and what their purposes are, 

let’s think about our own media use for a moment. We’re going to do some 

quick research about media use within our group. 

The research we’re going to do now will be anonymous, so no one should
 

write down his or her name. Instead, you will use stickers to record your
 

answers to a few questions about media use. 

2. ASK participants to think about how they spent their day yesterday. 

EXPLAIN that several sheets of large paper are posted around the room, 

and each sheet has a different statement written on it. TELL participants to 

read each statement and put one sticker on the page if the statement is true 

for them. If the statement is not true for them, they should go to the next 

statement. TELL participants that the stickers may be found in each of their 

folders. 

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3. SAY: 

You have 2 minutes for this research process, so move quickly! I’ll call “Stop” 

when the time is up. You can read the statements in any order you wish. 

No talking during this exercise. This is a silent, individual activity. When 

doing research, we want to reduce bias—or the influence that you have on 

each other’s answers. 

4. ALLOW 2 minutes for participants to do the research activity. 

5. ASK for volunteers to count the “data” from this quick research. ASK each 

volunteer to count the stickers on one of the large paper sheets and write 

the total on the bottom of the page. 

6. SAY: 

This information gives us a sense of just some of the media our group used 

yesterday. Keep in mind that we didn’t include a lot of different forms of 

media for the sake of time. 

7. ASK participants: 

 Do you think this media use is typical among your peer group? 

LISTEN for responses. 

8. SAY: 

Okay, now that we know more about our group’s media habits, let’s think 

about young people’s media habits. 

15 

minutes Exploring the Connection Between Media and Health 

1.	 REMIND participants that the Media-Smart Youth program does not view 

media as “good” or “bad.” Media-Smart Youth teaches young people to 

think about the media messages they receive and encourages them to 

make their own decisions about the media they experience based on 

critical-thinking skills. 

2. TELL participants that the next activity is designed to help them understand 

the prevalence of media in young peoples’ lives. This part of the activity 

focuses on the media behaviors of young people. 

3. ASK participants how much time each day they think young people, ages 11 

to 14, spend on average using media, not including any time spent at 

school. EXPLAIN that using media includes behaviors such as playing video 

games, listening to music, reading, using the computer, and watching TV, 

videos, and DVDs. 

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44 

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4. LISTEN for ideas from the group. ALLOW participants to try to answer the 

question. 

5. ASK for a volunteer to read the note card with a fact about media use: 

Young people ages 11 to 14 spend an average of 6 hours and 45 minutes a
 

day using media. This is more time than they spend doing anything else
 

except sleeping. 

6. DISCUSS this statistic and the connection between media and health with 

participants. ASK: 

 What influences in all of our lives—both young people and adults— 

might contribute to this amount of media use?
 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Media are all around us—embedded in our culture.
 

 There are many different kinds of media available now.
 

 People talk about, share, and promote media with their friends.
 

 Media producers and companies use persuasive techniques to
 

encourage consumers to buy their products. 

 Media use can be fun and social (such as going to movies with peers, 

playing video games with friends, listening to music, and other 

activities). 

 Media use offers instant gratification (for example, instant messaging, 

cell phones, iPodTM, etc.). 

 Some media are associated with images that are appealing to people 

(for example, it is “cool” to have an iPodTM and iPodTM accessories). 

 Many people rely on media as part of their lifestyle. For example, 

some people like to have a cell phone with them at all times when 

away from their family, or have a BlackBerry® with them when 

they are away from the office or on vacation. 

7. SHOW Segment #9: The Power of Advertising. 

8. DISCUSS the video segment with participants. 

ASK: 

 What’s the connection between media and health? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Media are everywhere and can have a powerful effect on attitudes,
 

behaviors, and health.
 

 Many media ads promote foods that are high in fat and added
 

sugar, and that do not have much nutritional value.
 

 Many people like to snack while they use media and do not realize
 

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45 

how much they are eating. They often choose high-fat, high-sugar 

foods that taste good and fill them up, but may not have much 

nutritional value. 

 Many media ads aimed at young people (and adults) make foods very 

tempting. TV ads often link eating with “fun” and “excitement,” which 

can lead away from eating to satisfy hunger. People are more likely to 

overeat if they eat when they are not hungry. 

 Media offer attractive role models who can inspire us to take care of 

our bodies by eating smart and being active. But media also portray 

body sizes and shapes that are unrealistic and have little to do with 

being healthy. 

 Media keep us busy but not necessarily active. People often choose to 

use media instead of being physically active. 

 Media often portray sports as fun and exciting. Even though that 

portrayal encourages an interest in sports, some people watch sports 

on TV instead of being active themselves. 

9. EXPLAIN that even though this discussion focuses on the media behaviors of 

young people, most of these points about the connection between media 

and health apply to adults too. 

10. SAY: 

Next we’re going to practice analyzing media using the 6 Media Questions 

tool. This is the primary media-analysis tool used in Media-Smart Youth. 

10 

minutes The 6 Media Questions 

1. SAY: 

All media have a message. 

2. ASK participants: What does “message” mean? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the following 

response: 

 The message is the specific point or statement made by a media product, 

such as the main idea of a TV ad or a key point in a news story. 

3. SAY: 

All media have messages to express, and media messages are communicated 

in many ways—some obvious, some subtle. 

Understanding the messages in media is an important part of becoming 

media smart. Once you identify a media message, you can decide what you 

think of it. 

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA
 

In fact, 6 key principles—we call them the 6 Media Questions—help us 

understand the messages in the media we use. The 6 Media Questions are basic 

questions you can use to analyze media. 

4. INTRODUCE the 6 Media Questions poster on the wall. ASK for a volunteer 

to read each question. After each question is read, ASK for a volunteer to 

explain what the question means. Some additional questions for this review 

include: 

 What is this question asking you to think about? 

 What does this question mean to you? 

5. CLARIFY the concepts in each media question as needed. USE the 

Understanding the 6 Media Questions table below for definitions of these 

concepts and examples of each. 

Note: The table below is for trainer reference only. It provides further 

information to help trainers review and define the 6 Media Questions with 

participants. 

Understanding the 6 Media Questions 

What do you think about this media product? Answer the following questions to help 

you decide: 

The 6 Media Questions What Does It Mean? 

1. Who is the author or 

sponsor? 

This question is asking you to identify who wrote, 

created, or sponsored the media product, such as a 

newspaper journalist, a musician, or a food company. 

2. Who is the audience? This question is asking you to identify the group, such 

as young people, parents, older adults, or any other 

group, you think the media product is meant for. In 

other words, who does the creator/sponsor want to 

see, hear, or use this product? 

3. What is the purpose? This question is asking you to identify the reason this 

media product was created (such as to inform, 

entertain, or persuade). 

4. What is the message? This question is asking you to identify the message 

that this specific media product is trying to get 

across. The message is the main statement, point, or 

opinion that is being expressed in the media. In other 

words, what is the media product telling you? Once 

you know what the message is, you can decide what 

you think about it and whether you agree with it. 

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The 6 Media Questions What Does It Mean? 

5. What information is 

missing? 

This question is asking you to identify information 

that is not included in the media message, but that 

is still important. The act of leaving out information 

is also known as “omission.” For example, a food ad 

might leave out information about ingredients, or a 

news story might present only one point of view 

about an issue. 

6. What techniques are 

used to attract your 

attention? 

This question is asking you to identify the specific 

techniques the media product uses to grab your 

attention and draw you in. The techniques used in 

media—such as sound, color, humor, or use of wellknown personalities—are important because they 

make the media more interesting and attractive. 

Different techniques work with different audiences. 

20 

minutes Using the 6 Media Questions 

1.	 TELL participants that they will now have a chance to practice using the 

6 Media Questions. 

SAY: 

I am going to divide you into small groups. Each group will get a media 

example. 

Each group will work together to analyze its media example by answering 

the questions on the Media Detective Notepad sheet. The sheet is in your 

folders. Groups will have 5 minutes to analyze the media example. Then 

each group will take turns presenting its ideas to all of us. 

2. REMIND participants that only one person in each small group needs to 

write down the answers for the group. Other group members can also 

write the answers on their Media Detective Notepad sheets if they like, but 

they do not have to do so. 

3. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on the Media Detective 

Notepad sheet. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity 

in the time available. 

 Presenter(s) will read the answers when the group is done. 

4. DIVIDE participants into small groups of five to seven participants. 

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5. GIVE each group one of the following media examples to analyze: a cover 

of a popular CD, a print ad, or other media item. 

6. ALLOW groups to work for 5 minutes. VISIT each group and PROVIDE 

help as needed. TELL groups when they have 1 minute left to finish their 

sheets. 

7. ASK the groups to take turns presenting their media example and answers 

from the Media Detective Notepad sheet. TELL each group that it has 

2 minutes to present its example and answers. CLARIFY any questions that 

participants have. 

7 

minutes Reviewing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) 

1. SAY: 

Now we’re going to watch an example of another type of media. Then 

we’ll talk about this example and practice applying the 6 Media Questions 

once again. 

2. SHOW the video media sample from Segment #5: Sample Media. After 

you play the sample, ASK participants the 6 Media Questions in 

connection with what they just viewed. DISCUSS the answers as a group. 

A Note to Trainers about Segment #5: 

The Web site referred to in the “Football” television PSA in Segment #5 of 

the video/DVD no longer falls under the auspices of the Media-Smart Youth 

program. Please do not use the “Football” PSA during this activity. You may 

play the segment entitled “Hello,” which is a radio PSA also included in 

Segment #5 of the video/DVD. 

 Who is the author or sponsor of this ad? 

 Who is the audience for this ad? 

 What is the purpose of this ad? 

 What is the message in this ad? 

 What information is missing from this ad? 

 What techniques are used to attract your attention in this ad? 

3. ASK participants: 

 To review—what is the difference between the purpose and message of 

media? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Purpose tells you generally what the media was created to do, such 

as persuade, inform, or entertain. 
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49 

 Message is the specific main point or statement made by a media 

format, such as the main idea of a TV story or a key point in a news 

article. 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1.	 CONGRATULATE participants for being observant about media. ASK 

whether they have any comments or questions. 

2. SAY: 

Throughout the Media-Smart Youth program, you will lead youth as they 

use the 6 Media Questions to analyze media and to create their own 

media. Knowing how to use the 6 Media Questions is an important step in 

becoming media smart. 

3. TELL participants that this concludes the discussion about media and that 

next they will be learning about the second content area, physical activity. 

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GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Exploring
 Physical Activity
 
Exploring 

Physical Activity Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

30 minutes

Activity Overview

This module helps define physical activity and its many facets beyond just 

“exercise.” Participants get a chance to practice taking their pulse, a key skill 

that youth can use to gauge how hard their bodies are working.

Activity Objective

u Explore the concept of physical activity

Materials Needed

q Large paper and markers (at least one sheet for each group)

q Masking tape

q Watch/timer

q Easel (if available)

q The 6 Media Questions poster

q Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and TV/VCR or DVD player

q Pulse Game sheet (one for each participant) 

Trainer’s Preparation

q Post the 6 Media Questions poster in the room.

q Set up workstations (quantity based on number of groups) in different 

areas of the room where the participants can work in small groups.

q Photocopy the Pulse Game (one for each participant).

q Write “Top 10 It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical Activity” on 

sheets of large paper and post in each workstation (one per small 

group). Make sure each group has markers to write with.

TOP 10 IT’S HARD 

TO BELIEVE, 

BUT IT’S 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

51

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 Write the “Physical Activity Recommendations for 

Young People” (see right for content) on a sheet of 

large paper in front of the room. Cover this sheet 

until it is needed in the discussion. 

 Write the “Levels of Intensity” information (shown 

below) on a sheet of large paper in front of the 

room. Cover this sheet until it is needed in the 

discussion. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up 

the VCR or DVD player so it is ready to play 

Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried. 

Physical Activity 

Recommendations for 

Young People 

Health experts recommend that 

young people should: 

 Be physically active for at 

least 60 minutes on most, if 

not all, days of the week. 

 Try to do a variety of activities. 

 Find enjoyable activities so 

they become a fun part of 

everyday life. 

Levels of Intensity 

 Low: fewer than 120 beats 

per minute 

 Moderate: between 120 and 

150 beats per minute 

 Vigorous: more than 150 

beats per minute 

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4 

minutes Introduction 

1.	 TELL participants that in this session they will explore the concept of physical 

activity. 

2. SAY: 

In this session, we will:
 

 Define physical activity and discuss what it does for our bodies.
 

 Brainstorm ways to incorporate physical activity into our daily lives. 

 Practice how to calculate our pulse rates while at rest and after varying
 

levels of physical activity. 

3. TELL participants that the program wants youth to understand what it means 

to be physically active and to be able to explain why physical activity is 

important for good health. 

SAY: 

The program focuses on the following concepts:
 

 Physical activity is anything that gets the body moving.
 

 Exercise is just one form of physical activity and often suggests structured
 

workouts, such as jogging and weight lifting. 

 One key to being physically active is to find ways to make physical activity 

a natural part of our daily lives. 

4. TELL participants that this session includes actual activities from the MediaSmart Youth curriculum. EXPLAIN that because this is a training for facilitators, 

small adaptations were made to some of the activities, but that overall, these 

activities are very similar to the ones they will deliver to youth. This practice 

will give facilitators a chance to learn the content, and to gain a first-hand 

understanding of the interactive teaching style used throughout the curriculum. 

SAY: 

Let’s begin learning about physical activity! 

53 

5 

minutes What Is Physical Activity? 

1.	 SAY: 

As I mentioned earlier, physical activity can be defined as anything that gets 

your body moving. 

ASK participants: 

 What are some examples of physical activity?
 

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54 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Going up and down stairs; playing soccer, basketball, or football; 

swimming; biking; jumping rope; dancing; throwing a ball; doing sit-ups; 

playing FrisbeeTM; walking the dog; or washing the floor. 

2. SAY: 

Physical activity is a broad term that refers to all kinds of activities: slow, fast, 

easy, hard, simple, complicated, alone, or in a group. If it gets your body 

moving, then it’s physical activity! Sports and exercising are just one form of 

physical activity. There are also many other ways to be active. 

3. ASK participants: 

	 What does physical activity do for you and your body?
 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Keeps your body healthy
 

 Makes your bones and muscles strong
 

 Makes you feel energetic
 

 Builds strength and endurance
 

 Helps your mental health
 

 Helps you feel good about yourself
 

 Gives you something to do when you are bored
 

 Creates a fun way to meet others or spend time with friends
 

 Helps to relieve stress
 

 Helps you sleep better
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

10 Creating a “Top 10 It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical 

minutes Activity” List 

1.	 SAY: 

Now you’re going to work in teams to create a Top 10 It’s Hard To Believe, But 

It’s Physical Activity list. These lists should include any activity that gets your 

body moving, especially everyday activities. Don’t include traditional sports or 

exercises, such as basketball or weight lifting. You can be as imaginative as you 

want, as long as the activity gets your body moving! 

2. ASK participants for an example of an activity that would go on this list. Some 

examples might include: sweeping, vacuuming, or building a snowman. 

3. DIVIDE the participants into small groups (approximately seven to eight 

participants per group). 
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4. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on large paper. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity in 

the time available.
 

 Presenter(s) will read the list when the group is done.
 

5. ALLOW the groups 3 minutes to create their lists on the large paper. TELL 

participants when they have 1 minute left and when it is time to stop. 

6. ASK each group to present its list to the larger group, counting down from 

10 to 1. TELL all participants to drum their hands on the table right before 

each group reads its number 1 “It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical 

Activity” idea from the list. 

7. After each group has presented, CONGRATULATE the participants for 

having such creative and clever ideas. 

8. DISCUSS the lists briefly. ASK: 

	 Which activities on the list surprised you because you never thought of 

them as physical activity before today? 

9. SAY: 

Many health experts believe that young people are not as active as they 

should be. Experts have come up with some recommendations to help young 

people be more physically active. Each set of recommendations is slightly 

different, but they all agree that young people should be active every day 

and should do a variety of different activities. 

10. UNCOVER the paper with “Physical Activity Recommendations for Young 

People” written on it. 

11. ASK for a volunteer to read the three recommendations. 

1. Be physically active for at least 60 minutes on most, if not all, days of the 

week. 

2. Do a variety of different activities. 

3. Find activities that they enjoy doing so that the activities become a regular 

part of everyday life. 

12. SAY: 

As your Top 10 lists show, being active doesn’t mean you have to play an 

organized sport. Of course, you can play an organized sport if you like, or 

you can play sports casually with friends. But, you can be active in many 

other ways as part of your daily life. Just keep in mind that being active in 

any way is important. 
Full-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 

56 

10 

minutes The Pulse Game: Learning to Take Your Pulse 

1. TELL participants that they will do a short activity called the Pulse Game. 

2. ASK the following questions: 

 What is your pulse? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following responses: 

 Your pulse is the throbbing of your arteries as your heart pumps 

blood through them.
 

 Your pulse tells you how fast your heart is beating; pulse is also
 

known as “heart rate.” 

 Your pulse can give you information about how hard your body is
 

working. 

 How do you take your pulse? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following response:
 

 Take your pulse by putting your index and middle finger on the
 

inside of your wrist, or on the side of your neck, and counting the 

number of beats per minute that you feel. 

3. ASK participants to take the Pulse Game sheets out of their folders. 

4. SAY: 

Resting heart rate is the number of times a person’s heart is beating per 

minute when that person has not been moving or active. The resting heart 

rate is different from your exertion heart rate (also called the activity pulse 

rate), which is what we’ll take later. Let’s practice by taking our resting 

heart rate together. 

DEMONSTRATE for participants the way to take a pulse as you guide
 

them through the steps.
 

SAY: 

Here’s how we’ll do it: 

 Sit down quietly and relax. 

 Put your index and middle finger on the 

inside of your wrist of your opposite hand,
 

below the base of your thumb. Or place your
 

fingers on the side of your neck, in the soft
 

hollow area next to your windpipe. Now feel
 

for your pulse. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

57 

 Don’t use your thumb to feel for your pulse because it has its own pulse. 

 I’m going to count 6 seconds on my watch/timer while you count your 

pulse rate. 

 When I say “Go,” begin silently counting the number of beats you feel. 

 When I say “Stop,” stop counting. 

 In the box under Step 1 on the Pulse Game sheet, write down the 

number of beats you counted during the 6 seconds. 

5. ASK if participants have found their pulse. HELP participants if necessary. 

6. TELL participants when it is time for them to begin counting their pulse. 

ALLOW 6 seconds to pass on your watch/timer. TELL participants to stop 

counting. 

7. ASK participants to write down the number of beats they counted during 

the 6 seconds in the Step 1 section of the Pulse Game sheet. ASK them to 

multiply that number by 10 (add a zero). EXPLAIN that the resulting 

number is their resting pulse rate. 

8. SHOW participants the large paper with the Levels of Intensity 

information written on it. TELL them to find their level of intensity and 

mark it on their paper in the far right column. 

A Note About the Levels of Intensity 

The ranges reflected on the levels of intensity are appropriate for most 

youth ages 11 to 13; however, they may vary depending on how physically 

fit a young person is. The body of a person who is very physically fit will not 

have to work as hard at the same activity as the body of a person who is 

not physically fit. For this reason, discourage comparisons of pulse rates 

and instead emphasize that this is an individual activity. 

9. SAY: 

The resting heart or pulse rate for youth older than 10 years of age and for 

adults is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Between 60 and 

100 is an average, and people change from day to day and throughout the 

day depending on what they are doing. 

The pulse rates that each of you calculate today are specific to the 

particular setting you are in, and may be influenced by many factors, 

including the tempo of the music. Keep in mind that the heart rates you 

write down do not reflect your ability to do any physical activity. 

10. EXPLAIN to participants that they will now try out different kinds of 

physical activities in two separate groups. Each group will do a specific 

physical activity. 
EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 

58 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

11. SAY: 

You are going to see how different activities and the way you do each of 

them affect your pulse rate. I will divide you into two groups and ask each 

group to do a different physical activity for 1 minute. After you finish doing 

the activity for 1 minute, you will immediately take your pulse. 

I will keep time and will let you know when to start and stop the activity,
 

and when to take your pulse rate. When you are done calculating your 6-

second pulse, write it in the second column on the Pulse Game sheet,
 

multiply it by 10, and write this number in the column—Beats Per Minute—
 

on the table. 

Then, you will determine the level of intensity you used for the activity. Two
 

people can experience a different level of intensity when doing the same
 

type of physical activity because the way you do an activity affects how
 

hard your body is working. 

After you finish the first activity, I will tell each group to do a new physical
 

activity. You’ll do a total of two activities for 1 minute each, and you’ll
 

calculate your pulse rate after each one.
 

12. DESCRIBE the two activities. ACT OUT each physical activity so the 

participants are clear about what they should do. 

 Walking: Participants should walk around the room for 1 minute. If 

space is limited, participants can also walk in place.
 

 Pretending to jump rope: Participants should find a comfortable spot
 

to stand, pretend they are holding a jump rope, and jump for 1 minute.
 

Even though they are only pretending to hold a jump rope, they should
 

be sure to do as many real jumps as they can do for a full minute.
 

13. DIVIDE participants into two groups and tell the jump ropers to stand in 

front of their chairs. STAND in the front or middle of the room to count 

time for the participants and give directions. 

14. PLAY music from Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried while the groups 

do their activites. TURN OFF the music after each physical activity while 

participants calculate their pulse rates. 

	 For the first minute, TELL Group 1 to walk and Group 2 to pretend
 

jump rope. When there are 10 seconds left in the minute, TELL the
 

walkers to walk towards their chairs.
 

	 When participants finish the activity, TELL them to stand still and
 

immediately take their pulse rates. CALL OUT start and stop times for
 

participants to count their pulse rates (6 seconds). 

	 REMIND participants to record their pulse rate on their Pulse Game
 

sheets.
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

	 Next, TELL the groups to switch activities. Group 1 will now pretend to 

jump rope and Group 2 will walk. After 1 minute, ASK each person to 

take their pulse and record their pulse rates. 

15. ASK all the participants to come back together to talk about what they’ve 

learned. ASK participants: 

 What did you discover about the different physical activities? 

 Do you think that the same activity could be moderate or vigorous 

depending on how you do it? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following responses:
 

 The way you do an activity affects how hard it is; for example, if you 

walk slowly, your body might be working a little; but if you walk 

very quickly, your body will work harder. 

 As the “Levels of Intensity” chart shows, the harder you are breathing, 

the more vigorous the workout. 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1.	 CONGRATULATE participants on their great work and THANK them for 

participating. ASK whether they have any comments or questions. 

2. TELL participants that this concludes the discussion on physical activity and 

that next they will learn about the nutrition concepts in Media-Smart Youth. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

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60 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Nutrition
 

Exploring
 
Exploring 

Nutrition

Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

1 hour 15 minutes

Activity Overview

This module examines the nutrition concepts in the curriculum and reviews 

the parts of the Nutrition Facts label that the youth focus on during their 

activities. Participants are also involved in an activity that highlights the 

importance of whole grains and demonstrates how a whole grain is refined. 

Activity Objective

u Discuss the nutrition concepts in the Media-Smart Youth program

Materials Needed

q All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth 

worksheet

q A 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper for each of the 

following terms, written in black marker: 

ENDOSPERM, B VITAMINS, IRON, BRAN, 

GERM, FIBER, ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E

q A 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper for each of the 

following terms, written in red marker: 

IRON, B VITAMINS

q Large paper containing an enlarged sketch of 

a whole grain, based on the drawing on 

page F-12 of the Full-Day Training Guide 

q Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets (one copy for 

each participant)

q Pencils/pens (one for each participant) 

q Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and TV/VCR 

or DVD player

q Empty food packages (see box on next page 

for details) 

ENDOSPERM

B VITAMINS

thiamin, niacin, 

riboflavin, 

folic acid

IRON BRAN

GERM FIBER

ANTIOXIDANTS VITAMIN E

61

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

Provide each group with a set of the following food packages: 

1. Breakfast Cereal 

 A box that contained a sweetened, corn- or rice-based cereal 

 A box that contained an unsweetened, wheat-based cereal 

 A box that contained a sweetened, corn- or rice-based cereal and 

includes the words, “Made with Whole Grains” on the packaging 

Note: Only one box with the label, “Made with Whole Grains” is needed 

for the trainer’s demonstration. 

2. Bread 

 A bag from a loaf of whole-grain bread 

 A bag from a loaf of white bread 

3. Milk and Milk Products 

 A small carton that contained 2% milk 

 A small carton that contained fat-free milk 

 A package that contained regular cheddar cheese 

 A package that contained reduced-fat cheddar cheese 

62 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

Trainer’s Preparation 

 Photocopy enough of the All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth to 

have one for each participant. 

 Photocopy enough of the Option 2 Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets and 

include in participant folders. 

 Draw a sketch of an enlarged whole grain on a large paper, based on the 

whole-grain diagram provided on page F-12 of the Full-Day Training 

Guide. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player 

so it is ready to play Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

 Distribute a set of the empty food packages—cereal, bread, and milk and 

milk products—to every small group. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

25 

minutes Introduction 

1. SAY: 

In this session, we will identify the nutrition concepts described in the 

Media-Smart Youth program. You will learn some of the tools that the 

young people use to make better nutrition choices by participating in some 

of the same activities that they go through. 

Media-Smart Youth is not a weight-loss program or a diet. Try to avoid 

terms such as “diet” because making healthy choices according to nutrition 

guidelines will help everyone get healthier, not just people who have to 

lose weight. 

All foods eaten in moderation can be part of healthy diet, so do not use the 

phrase “junk” food. You should also stay away from “good food” or “bad 

food” descriptions of any particular food. There is never a food or food 

group that must be eliminated completely from anyone’s diet. 

Due to the complexities of nutrition, it’s impossible to cover all aspects of a 

healthful diet in a program that focuses on other topic areas. 

Because we can’t cover all topics in nutrition, the curriculum covers four 

basic nutrition content areas and encourages the young people to include 

more of these in their daily eating. Those are: 

 Eating more fruits and vegetables 

 Choosing whole grains 

 Increasing foods and drinks that contain calcium 

 Reducing snacks and drinks with fat and added sugar 

A handout titled All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth is also included 

in your folders to provide more information on the curriculum’s nutrition 

concepts. 

SAY: 

Eating More Fruits and Vegetables 

	 Fruits and vegetables are low-calorie snacks that fill you up and are rich 

in a variety of nutrients and dietary fiber. 

	 Young people should eat more fruits and vegetables and should eat a 

variety of different colored fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients that 

these foods offer. 

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Full-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

Choosing Whole Grains 

	 As often as possible, young people should choose foods made with 

whole grains instead of those made with refined grains. 

	 Whole grains are a great source of fiber and of nutrients, such as iron 

and B vitamins. 

	 Refined grains have been stripped of the bran and germ, the parts of the 

grain that contain most of the fiber and nutrients that grains offer. 

	 Young people learn to identify whole grains by reading key words on a 

food’s ingredients list and by paying attention to the amount of fiber on 

the Nutrition Facts label. They also do an activity in which they learn 

how a whole grain becomes a refined grain. 

Increasing Foods and Drinks that Contain Calcium 

	 Getting enough calcium during the tween (ages 9 to 12 years) and teen 

years is very important for building strong bones and teeth. 

	 According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fat-free or low-fat 

milk, yogurt, and cheese are the best dietary sources of calcium. 

	 Because some milk products are high in fat, it is important to choose fatfree or low-fat versions of these products. 

	 For those who don’t like or can’t digest milk products, there are many 

sources of calcium that are not milk products. Foods that have naturally 

occurring calcium (such as dark-green leafy vegetables and beans) and 

foods that are fortified with calcium (such as some breakfast cereals and 

orange juice that have calcium added to them) are excellent sources of 

calcium. 

	 Young people learn to identify the amount of calcium in a product by 

learning to read the Nutrition Facts label. 

Reducing Foods and Drinks with Fat and Added Sugar 

	 Eating foods and drinks that are high in fat and added sugar can fill us 

up without offering important nutrients. 

	 It’s important for youth to fulfill their hunger cravings while also giving 

their bodies essential nutrients and staying within their calorie needs. 

	 Foods that have natural sugars, such as fruit, have more nutrients than 

do foods that are high in added sugar, which is why natural-sugar foods 

are better for your health. 

	 Young people learn to identify foods that are high in fat and added 

sugar by learning to read the Nutrition Facts label and identifying 

“sugar” words in the ingredients list. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators

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| MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

65 

8 

minutes Doing the Activity 

1.	 SAY: 

In the rest of this session, you will: 

 Practice reading a Nutrition Facts label with an eye for the important 

identification tool: “% DV” or percent daily value. This tool will help 

you identify amounts of calcium, fat, fiber, and other nutrients in the 

foods you choose. 

 Identify key words in an ingredients list. 

 Watch a video about making healthy snack choices. 

 Demonstrate how a whole grain loses its nutrients during the refining 

process. 

2. SAY: 

Lesson 6 of the curriculum offers two options for Activity C—taking the 

youth on a grocery store field trip or bringing the grocery store to the 

youth. The Facilitator’s Guide includes two entirely separate lesson plans in 

the Lesson 6 tab for your convenience. Option 1, the grocery store trip, 

provides youth with a meaningful, hands-on shopping experience to help 

reinforce the lessons they are learning. For groups who cannot go on this 

field trip, Option 2 allows you to create a “virtual tour” for youth at your 

program site. Today we’ll be doing the version that you would do if you 

could not go to the store: Option 2. 

3. SAY: 

Now we’ll be looking at ingredient lists and Nutrition Facts labels of 

different food packages. The Nutrition Facts label is a tool that young 

people can use to identify: 

	 Serving size 

	 Amounts of:
 

 Fat
 

 Added sugar
 

 Calcium
 

 Fiber
 

 Whether a product is a whole grain 

You’ll also look at how food manufacturers use product packaging to 

influence the foods that people buy. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

20 

minutes Nutrition Facts Label and Ingredients List 

1. ASK participants: 

 What is a Nutrition Facts label? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 The Nutrition Facts label is information on a package of food that 

lists the nutrient content of that particular food or drink. It provides 

information about serving size, calories, fat, fiber, sugars, protein, 

and other nutrients. Nutrition information is based on a single 

serving size. 

 What is a serving size? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 A serving size is a measured amount of food or drink, such as one
 

slice of bread, 1⁄2 cup of cut-up fruit, or 8 ounces of milk. 

 Nutrition recommendations use serving size as a way to help people 

know how much of different foods they should eat to get the 

nutrients they need. 

 The nutrient information provided on a Nutrition Facts label is based 

on a single serving size for that particular food or beverage. Serving 

sizes on a Nutrition Facts label are not always the same as serving 

sizes in nutrition recommendations. 

 What is % DV (percent daily value)? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 % DV is a number that helps you know if there is a lot or a little of
 

a certain nutrient in a serving of food. This is an important 

identification tool for helping you use the Nutrition Facts label to 

make better nutrition choices. 

 The “5–20” guide helps youth make sense of the % DV. For
 

example, 5% DV or less is low. 20% DV or more is high. So if you
 

want to choose foods that are lower in fat, look for a % DV that is
 

close to 5. If you want to eat foods that are higher in certain
 

nutrients, such as fiber, look for % DV that is closer to 20.
 

 The amount of sugar is listed in grams (g) and does not include a 

% DV. The higher the number of grams, the more sugar is in the
 

food or drink.
 

2. DIVIDE participants into small groups. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators

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| MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

3. EXPLAIN to participants that they should look for the Scavenger Hunt Guide 

sheets in their participant folders, and they will fill out the sheets using the 

packages at their tables. 

4. SAY: 

You will have 5 minutes to complete each scavenger hunt. After 5 minutes, I 

will say “Stop—next scavenger hunt” and you will move to the next set of 

food packages. It’s okay if you don’t finish the sheet; we want to move 

quickly between food packages. 

5. START the scavenger hunt. TELL participants when they have 1 minute 

remaining for each of their scavenger hunts. 

6. When all the groups have worked on all of the food packages, ASK everyone 

to return to the beginning of their Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets. 

7. REVIEW the Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets out loud with the rest of the 

group. 

SAY: 

	 Let’s look at the breakfast cereal scavenger hunt. 

 How much fiber does the sweetened cereal have? (Answer: 1 gram 

per 3⁄4 cup) 

 How about the whole-grain cereal? (Answer: 6 grams per 1 cup) 

 If you were looking at fiber, which would be a better choice? 

(Answer: Whole-grain cereal) 

	 Now let’s look at the bread scavenger hunt. 

 How much fiber does the white bread have? (Answer: 0 grams per slice) 

 How about the whole-wheat bread? (Answer: 3 grams per slice) 

 If you were looking at fiber, which would be a better choice? 

(Answer: Whole-wheat bread) 

	 Finally let’s look at the milk and milk products scavenger hunt. 

 How much fat did the 2% milk have? (Answer: 5 grams) 

 How about the fat-free milk? (Answer: 0 grams) 

 Which has more calcium? (Answer: Both have the same amount, 

30% DV) 

 If you were looking at getting less fat and more calcium, which would 

be a better choice? (Answer: Fat-free milk) 

8. SHOW the box for the cereal “made with whole grain.” 

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TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

68 

SAY: 

It’s important to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label even if there are
 

cues on the packaging that tell you something about the nutrition content of
 

a product. For example, some cereal companies advertise that all their cereals
 

are made with whole grain. But “made with whole grain” doesn’t mean that
 

all of the grain is whole. 

9. ASK someone to read the fiber content of a serving of the cereal. 

10. SAY: 

Just because a product packaging tells you one thing, the reality may be 

different, so you need to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label. 

11. ANSWER any questions they may have. 

12. ASK: 

	 Will someone share one thing they learned about reading the Nutrition
 

Facts label? 

LISTEN for responses. ANSWER any questions.
 

10 

minutes Whole-Grain Demonstration 

1. SAY: 

At the beginning of this section, we briefly mentioned the difference between
 

whole grains and refined grains. 

2. SHOW participants the picture of a whole grain on the large paper. NOTE 

that a whole grain contains all the parts of the grain—the bran, endosperm, 

and germ. 

3. EXPLAIN that a “refined grain” is a whole grain that has gone through a 

milling process. In this process, the whole-grain kernels are cleaned and 

moistened. Then they are crushed between heavy rollers, which separate the 

bran and germ from the endosperm. The endosperm particles are ground 

some more and sifted to make white flour. NOTE that removing the bran 

and the germ also removes many of the nutrients in the grain. Most refined 

grains are enriched, which means that some of these nutrients are added 

back in, but refined grains still have fewer nutrients than the whole-grain 

form. 

4. TELL participants that they will now do a demonstration that puts this 

explanation into action. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

5. ASK for 11 volunteers to come to the open space in the room and help with 

the demonstration. The rest of the group should stand to the side and 

watch. 

6. SAY: 

You will now pretend to be a whole grain so that you can see how the 

milling process works. First, we’ll be a whole grain and we’ll just get 

cleaned, not refined, so we’ll still be a whole grain at the end. Then we’ll go 

through a milling process to be a refined grain. 

7. HAND OUT the prepared signs. Each participant should hold a sign 

indicating what part of the whole grain he or she is: FIBER, BRAN, 

ENDOSPERM, GERM, ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E, B VITAMINS, or 

IRON. ASK the participants to stand in a tight cluster together at one end 

of the space. EXPLAIN that, together, they are a whole grain. ASK the 

participant or participants holding the BRAN signs to stand at the outside 

of the cluster because they are the outer covering of the whole grain. 

8. TELL participants that the milling process has begun. ASK the group to 

slowly shuffle toward the other end of the room. REMIND them to stay as 

close together as they can. When they get to the other end of the room, 

TELL them to stop. Ta-da! They are still a whole grain, ready to be made 

into bread, pasta, cereal, or other whole-grain products. 

9. TELL participants to return to the place where they started (they do not 

have to stay in their cluster as they return to the starting place). EXPLAIN 

that they are now going to demonstrate what happens when a whole grain 

is milled into a refined grain. 

10. ASK all participants but two (one holding the red IRON sign, and one 

holding the red B VITAMINS sign) to stand in a tight cluster together at 

one end of the space. EXPLAIN that, together, they are a whole grain. 

Each participant in the cluster holds a sign indicating what part of the 

whole grain they are: FIBER, BRAN, ENDOSPERM, GERM, 

ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E, B VITAMINS, or IRON. The two other 

participant stand about two-thirds of the way down the space. They are 

the nutrients added back during the refining process. 

11. TELL participants that the milling process has begun. ASK the group to 

begin to shuffle toward the other end of the room. REMIND them to stay 

as close together as they can. When the group is about one-third of the 

way across the space, TELL the cluster to stop. 

12. ASK the BRAN, GERM, FIBER, B VITAMINS, IRON, ANTIOXIDANTS, and 

VITAMIN E participants to leave the cluster and stand to the side. The one 

person remaining in the cluster (endosperm) continues on toward the 

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TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

70 

other end of the room. When the participant reaches the two participants
 

holding the red B VITAMINS and IRON signs, TELL him/her to stop.
 

13. ASK the participant holding the B VITAMINS and IRON signs to join the 

ENDOSPERM person in a tight cluster. TELL the cluster to continue 

shuffling. When they get to the other end of the room, TELL them to 

stop. Ta-da! They are now an enriched refined grain ready to be made 

into bread, pasta, cereal, or other refined-grain products. 

14. ASK participants to return to their seats. CONDUCT a quick debriefing, 

using the following questions: 

 What do you think about what happens to a whole grain during the 

milling process?
 

 Has this demonstration changed your opinions about grain foods? If so,
 

how?
 

15. TELL participants that the Whole-Grain Demonstration activity comes 

from Lesson 4 in the Media-Smart Youth curriculum. 

10 

minutes Reducing Snacks and Drinks with Fat and Added Sugar 

1.	 SAY: 

Now we will watch a video that focuses on reducing snacks and drinks with
 

fat and added sugar. 

2. PLAY Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

3. ASK the participants: 

	 What are some of the ways that you can reduce fat and added sugar in
 

the foods you eat?
 

If necessary, GUIDE them to the following responses: 

 Choose alternatives that are lower in fat or added sugar.
 

 Choose smaller amounts of foods that are high in fat or added sugar.
 

 Choose less often foods that are high in fat or added sugar.
 

	 Which of these approaches for reducing fat and added sugar would you
 

be most likely to try? Please give specific examples. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION 

71 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

2 

minutes Closing the Activity 

1. ASK: 

Do you have any questions about the nutrition concepts discussed in 

Media-Smart Youth? 

ANSWER any questions. 

2. CONGRATULATE participants on their great work in this session. 

3. SAY: 

Now it’s time for an Action Break! 

Full-Day

TRAINING 
72 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Action Break:
 

The Human Knot
 
Action Break 


The Human Knot 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

73 

t Time: 10 minutes 

1. TELL participants that this Action 

Break comes from Lesson 9 in the 

curriculum. 

2. TELL participants to stand in a circle 

facing each other. HAVE participants 

form into groups of no fewer than 

five and no more than 10 people. If 

your group has more than 10, make 

two circles. 

3. TELL each person to reach out and 

grab the hands of two people across 

from them, not next to them. 

Participants must hold the hands of 

two different people. 

4. When everyone is holding two other 

people’s hands, INSTRUCT 

participants to remain holding hands 

until the game is over. They must not

break the “knot.” 

5. EXPLAIN that they must find a way 

to “untie the knot” and return to 

their original circle with everyone still

holding hands. They can twist, turn, 

step over hands, and go under armsanything to untie the knot, except 

letting go. If they let go, they must 

rejoin hands and reconnect the circle 

as it was before they disconnected 

and start over. 

6. When they are finished, ASK 

participants whether they think this 

was physical activity (yes). ASK if it 

was easy or hard to play this game. 

7. SAY: 

See...doing something fun helps make 

it easy to be physically active. 

ENCOURAGE participants to try this 

activity with their family, friends, or 

sports teams. 

8. SAY: 

Many of the Action Breaks are 

designed to tie into the lessons, and 

help young people reflect on the 

learning objectives of the curriculum. 

For example: Lesson 9 taps into the 

initial stages of the Big Production 

planning process, which encourages 

teamwork and utilizes the skills of the 

entire group. Like the Big Production 

planning process, the Human Knot 

represents a connection of the whole 

group and requires team effort to 

successfully “untie the knot.” 
74 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Exploring 


Media Production
 
Exploring Media ProductionFull-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

1 hour and 10 minutes

Activity Overview

In this module, participants learn the basics of media production and how it 

applies to the Media-Smart Youth program in terms of the Mini-Productions, 

which the youth do during each lesson, as well as the Big Production, a largerscale media production that is the culminating project of the curriculum. 

Participants also take part in an adapted version of one of the Mini-Production

activities to get a sense of how the youth get to use their creativity and learn 

about media throughout the program.

Activity Objective

u	Explore how media production skills are built throughout the Media-Smart 

Youth program

Materials Needed

q Pencils/pens (enough for each participant)

q Omission Mission Script Starter sheets

q Two small pieces of paper

q Masking tape

q Production Network sheet (two copies)

q Rolls of streamers (or string or yarn) in different colors (the number of rolls 

should equal one-half of the number of participants)

Trainer’s Preparation

q Photocopy the Omission Mission Script Starter sheet (several copies for each 

group).

q On sheets of small paper, write “High in added sugar” on one half; on the 

other half, write “Fortified with 8 vitamins and minerals.” Fold each piece of 

paper. You will give one to each small group. These statements are the facts 

that each group will leave out of its ad. 

75

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

 Photocopy the Production Network sheet. Keep one copy for yourself. Cut 

along the dotted lines so each role and each definition is on its own piece 

of paper. Divide the slips of paper into two separate piles—one for 

“definitions” and the other for “roles.” Mix up each pile. 

 Arrange the room so that participants can easily toss rolls of streamers (or 

string or yarn) without obstructions. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player 

so it is ready to play Segment #11: Big Production Montage. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators

76 

| MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

77 

13 

minutes Introduction 

1. TELL participants that in this session they’ll explore the final content area of 

Media-Smart Youth—Media Production. The production component gives 

youth a chance to apply what they’ve learned about media, nutrition, and 

physical activity by creating media messages and products for their peers. 

2. SHARE with participants that the program incorporates media production 

in two different ways—the first is through Mini-Productions and the 

second is through the Big Production. The 6 Media Questions, which 

they’ve already been introduced to, is the tool that youth use to help 

create and analyze media products. 

3. SAY: 

In this session, we will:
 

 Discuss the concept of “message.”
 

 Create our own Mini-Production.
 

 Review aspects of doing the Big Production and explore all the roles that
 

youth can take on as part of media production. 

PART 1: Learning About Messages 

1. SHARE that one of the most important concepts youth learn throughout 

the workshop and during these media production activities is “message.” 

Message is the foundation for them to be able to understand and apply 

the 6 Media Questions, for both understanding media and creating their 

own media products. 

2. SAY: 

As youth create their Big Productions, guiding them to think about and 

create specific versus general messages will be important. 

This concept may be difficult for youth to grasp, but it’s important for
 

helping them think about their nutrition choices and physical activity
 

behaviors. Here are some examples:
 

 General message: “Eat Healthy” or “Be Active”
 

	 Specific message: “Eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables each day” or 

“Walk at least 20 minutes every other day” 

PART 2: Creating a Mini-Production 

1.	 SAY: 

Let’s look at the Mini-Productions in Media-Smart Youth. 

 Mini-Productions are the final activity—Activity C—in each lesson. 

	 You will guide youth in these Mini-Productions to create various media, 

such as skits, billboards, songs, ads, and news reports. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

78 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

	 Page 3 in the Facilitator’s Guide shows all the different Mini-Productions
 

included in Media-Smart Youth.
 

2. SAY: 

We’re going to do a Mini-Production now to give you a chance to 

experience this kind of activity. 

3. ASK participants: 

 Media Question #5 focuses on a concept called “omission.” What does 

omission mean? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following type of response:
 

 To leave something out or to fail to include a specific fact or piece 

of information. 

	 Why might media producers leave out some of the facts about an issue,
 

story, or product in their media product? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Ads are brief. Media producers might not have enough time to
 

include all the facts.
 

 Producers want to include only the information they think is most
 

important to their purpose and message. 

 Advertisers often want to stress a specific point that might sound
 

good to an audience.
 

 Advertisers may want to ignore or gloss over a particular feature
 

about a product that might not sound appealing to a target
 

audience.
 

4. SAY: 

Now how about some examples of media products that leave out certain 

information? I’ll share one with you, and then you can give me one more 

example. 

Note: Trainer may pick one of the following and then GUIDE participants 

to other similar responses. 

	 A local news show may not cover some types of news stories because 

its producers do not think these stories are important to the audience. 

 A television show may not reflect the real impact of the situations it
 

shows because those storylines may not be funny or interesting to the
 

audience. A good example of this situation is when a main character on
 

a show has a baby. Even though the main character and the baby live
 

together and the show focuses on the main character’s daily life, the
 

baby may be only a very small part of the show. The show doesn’t
 

reflect the reality of life with a baby.
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
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TRAINING 

79 

	 A product that is called “Cool Fruit Thirst Quencher” may not mention 

in its ad that it contains only 10-percent fruit juice. The advertisers do 

not mention this fact because it probably would not help them sell the 

product. 

	 An ad for a car may focus on how fast and powerful the car is, but not 

mention anything about the car’s safety features because the target 

audience is most interested in buying a car that offers speed and a 

powerful engine. 

5. LISTEN to one example from the group. SAY: 

That’s great. If others thought of different ideas, keep those in mind as we 

do this next activity. 

25 

minutes Doing the Activity 

1.	 SAY: 

Advertisers need to include information in their ads that will persuade 

people to buy or support their product, service, or idea. 

Now you are going to work in groups to create a radio ad for a product. 

You want to persuade your target audience to buy it, which means you 

need to decide what information to put into your ad and what information 

to leave out. 

2. TELL participants to find their Omission Mission sheets in their folder. 

3. SAY: 

The information you’ll need to create your ad is on this sheet and we’ll 

review it now: 

	 The Yummy Cereal Company has just developed a new breakfast cereal 

for youth called Happy Rectangles. 

 The Yummy Cereal Company has hired your advertising firm to create a 

30-second ad that promotes this cereal. 

 The Yummy Cereal Company has two main target audiences for its 

ads—young people and parents. 

 The Yummy Cereal Company wants the audience to know it is the 

sponsor of the ad. 

Happy Rectangles cereal is: 

 Made from corn and oats 

 A fun, 3-D rectangle shape 

 High in added sugar 

 Fortified with 8 vitamins and minerals 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

80 

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TRAINING 

There is one catch: You have to leave out a fact about Happy Rectangles
 

cereal from your ad. After you divide into your groups, I am going to give
 

each group a folded piece of paper with a different fact written on it. This
 

fact is the one that your group will leave out of your ad. Do not share your
 

fact with the other group! Your job is to create an appealing radio ad
 

about Happy Rectangles cereal based on all the facts I have given you,
 

except the one written on your group’s piece of paper. 

4. TELL participants that each group will have 15 minutes to develop an ad 

and to rehearse it. Then each group will present its ad to the other groups, 

who will try to guess what fact is missing. 

5. SAY: 

Don’t forget to include the name of the author or sponsor in your ad. 

Sponsors are often named at the end of a radio or TV ad, at the beginning 

and end of a radio or TV show, and in the small print at the bottom of a 

print ad. 

6. DIVIDE the participants into small groups of five to seven participants. 

7. GIVE each group a folded piece of small paper. One half of the papers 

should say, “High in added sugar.” The other half should say, “Fortified 

with 8 vitamins and minerals.” 

8. ASK the groups to begin work. TELL participants when they have 

5 minutes and then 1 minute left. ASK one group to come to the front of 

the room and read its ad. ASK the other group to guess what important 

fact was missing. 

9. After the first group’s presentation, ASK the second group to present its ad 

and allow the first group to guess the missing fact. 

10. ASK participants: 

 Does your ad tell the full story about the cereal?
 

 Who is the audience?
 

 How might knowing about the missing fact change someone’s mind 

about wanting the product?
 

 What techniques were used?
 

11. CONGRATULATE participants for their creative ideas and fun ads, and for 

doing a great job guessing the missing information. ASK whether 

participants have any comments or questions. ANSWER any questions. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

81 

10 

minutes The Big Production 

1. SAY: 

Now, let’s look at the Big Production. You know that Media-Smart Youth 

incorporates media production in two different ways—the first is through 

Mini-Productions and the second is through the Big Production. 

At the end of the workshop, young people will draw on everything they’ve 

learned and experienced in all the lessons and activities to create a Big 

Production: 

 The purpose of the Big Production is to create a media product that 

motivates young people to take action for better nutrition or increased 

physical activity. 

 The Mini-Productions will have helped youth learn useful skills for creating 

their Big Production. 

2. SAY: 

Next, let’s watch Video Segment #11: Big Production Montage. This segment 

is shown to the youth in Lesson 9 and helps them get a feel for the types of 

things they can do as part of the Big Production. 

3. SHOW Segment #11: Big Production Montage. 

4. SAY: 

Here are a few more ideas that are important to consider when thinking 

about the Big Production: enrolling a Media Partner, planning the Big 

Production, and Resources to help you. 

If you forget any of what we talk about today, you can always go to the 

Introduction and Overview section of the Facilitator’s Guide for more details. 

Enrolling Media Partner 

5. SAY: 

It would be great if you involved a Media Partner in your program. A 

Media Partner is an organization or individual who helps with the 

Media-Smart Youth project, by assisting with lessons, helping create the 

Big Production, lending equipment or facilities, and/or providing time or 

space for the Big Production to run. The partner could be a local journalist, 

member of the local public access station, an audio visual teacher, or other 

interested partner. 

A Media Partner may be recruited to help just with the Big Production, or to 

participate in lessons leading up to the Big Production. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

82 

Planning the Big Production 

6. SAY: 

Youth choose what they’ll do for the Big Production with you helping guide 

their selection. For example, if you have enrolled a local TV station as your 

Media Partner, you will guide youth in determining what type of video Big 

Production to create. It may be a music video, TV news broadcast, cooking 

show, or ad. 

You decide the scope and schedule of the Big Production. The scope of the
 

Big Production may vary depending on whether you have a Media Partner
 

involved and the time and resources available. How many times you meet
 

with your group to work on the Big Production is up to you. You may
 

choose to schedule two additional sessions or six sessions. It is up to you and
 

your group to decide.
 

Resources 

7. SAY: 

Video segments #12, #13, and #14: On the Air! Roll the Presses! found at
 

the end of the video provide youth with a virtual field trip and behind-thescenes look at video production, radio production, and newspaper
 

production. You may choose to show these segments during Lesson 10 or
 

during any of your Big Production sessions. 

Appendix E and Appendix F will be useful to you in planning for and
 

creating the Big Production.
 

20 

minutes The Role Game 

1.	 SAY: 

Now let’s play the Role Game. This activity will help you learn more about 

the many roles youth can play during the Big Production and highlights 

decisions that may need to be made during the process. 

2. TELL the participants they will divide into groups to create a production 

network. 

3. SELECT 28 participants from the group or any even number of participants 

if you have fewer than 28 in the group. 

4. DIVIDE the participants into two groups with an equal number of 

people—Group A and Group B. Have Group A line up in a row on one 

side of the room while Group B lines up in a row along the opposite side 

of the room. The groups should stand about 10 feet apart. Each member of 

Group A should stand directly across from and face a member of Group B. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

5. ASK for two volunteers to pass out the slips of paper. HAND OUT the 

“definitions” slips of paper to the Group A volunteer and the “roles” slips of 

paper to the Group B volunteer. TELL the volunteers to hand one slip to each 

participant in the group, and to keep one for themselves. ASK the volunteers 

to return to their places in line. ASK participants to read the slips of paper, 

but TELL them to keep what is written to themselves. 

6. GIVE each participant in Group B a roll of streamer (or string or yarn). 

7. EXPLAIN the Role Game: 

	 The first person in Group A will read his or her definition out loud. Each 

member of Group B will listen to the definition to see if it fits the role 

listed on his or her slip of paper. 

	 The person who has the role that matches the definition should yell out 

the name of the role, hold the loose end of their streamer, and then toss 

the streamer roll to the Group A member who read the definition. Both 

people should then hold onto ends of the streamer while all the other 

definitions are read and matched with the correct roles and all the other 

rolls of streamers are tossed. 

	 If any of the participants realize that they matched the wrong definition 

to a role when they hear other definitions read during the game, they 

should fix it by tossing the roll end of the streamer to the person with the 

correct role. 

	 At the end of the activity, the group will have created a production 

network of streamers and will have learned about all the possible roles 

one might play in a Big Production. 

8. ALLOW participants 5 to 10 minutes to play the Role Game. 

9. CLARIFY any definitions or roles as needed while participants play the game. 

10. DEBRIEF with the group before they let go of their streamers. 

11. ASK participants to share their thoughts on the overlapping streamers or 

strings and how this relates to media production. 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the following 

types of responses: 

	 Media production involves an intricate web or network of relationships 

and responsibilities. 

 Teamwork and cooperation are essential to production work. 

12. SAY: 

We’ve covered a lot of ground in regard to this last content area—Media 

Production. Do you have any questions? 

ANSWER any questions. 

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83 
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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

84 

2 

minutes Closing the Activity 

1.	 CONGRATULATE participants for doing a great job getting into the 

production mode. 

2. SAY: 

This activity highlights the fact that you’ll need to make several decisions 

when planning and during the Big Production. One decision is to guide 

youth to take on certain roles. By this point in the program, the best roles 

for individual youth may already be evident to you and to the group. Some 

youth may be especially good at writing or drawing, while others may 

excel at directing or coordinating productions. 

3. TELL participants to encourage youth to capitalize on their strengths, but 

also to step outside their comfort zones and try something different. 

4. SAY: 

Now it’s time for a Snack Break! 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Snack Break:
 

Mix It Up!
 
Snack Break 


t 

Mix It Up! 

Time: 10 minutes 

1. SAY: 

As we said earlier in the Training Overview, the Snack Breaks are a great time to 

expose young people to new foods, encourage them to taste foods they haven’t 

tried before, and to try them in a new environment. The Snack Breaks also 

reinforce the learning points they’ve discussed. 

2. TELL participants that this Snack Break is called “Mix It Up,” and it comes from 

Lesson 2 in the curriculum. It incorporates whole-grain foods—the cereal and 

the granola—and is easy to prepare ahead of time to have it on the go. 

3. Trainers should demonstrate putting the snack together. POUR each ingredient 

into a container. GIVE each participant a sandwich bag. INVITE them to make 

their own trail mix by spooning into their bags any combination of ingredients 

they like. 

4. EXPLAIN that trail mix is a great snack for youth on the go and that it’s fun 

and easy to prepare several bags ahead of time at home so they can grab one 

as they leave their home. 

5. REMIND participants that the recipe for the Snack Break is included on the 

Take Home a New Idea! handout that is included in their folders and that 

comes at the end of every lesson. 

Note: None of the Snack Breaks in Media-Smart Youth use nuts because so many 

young people have nut allergies. For this reason, make sure to use cereals that do 

not contain nuts. 

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86 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Getting the
 

Program Started
 
Getting the 

Program Started

Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

20 minutes

Activity Overview

In this module, participants reflect on the facilitation style modeled by the 

trainers and discuss how this same style is used when facilitating the MediaSmart Youth program. In addition, participants receive hints and tips for 

successfully delivering the curriculum based on experiences of past facilitators.

Activity Objective

u	Learn the best methods for delivering the program

u	Review resources that may be needed to implement the Media-Smart 

Youth program

Materials Needed

q Large paper

q Markers

q Masking tape

q Easel (if available)

Trainer’s Preparation

q Set up an easel at the front of the room with blank sheets of large paper 

to write on during the discussion. If you don’t have an easel, tape large 

sheets of paper to the wall in a place where everyone can see them. 

87

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day

TRAINING GETTING THE PROGRAM STARTED
 

88 

8 

minutes What Is the Media-Smart Youth Facilitation Style? 

1.	 SAY: 

Now that you have experienced several activities from the Media-Smart 

Youth curriculum, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the facilitation 

approach used in Media-Smart Youth. 

2. ASK participants: 

 What facilitation style did you observe and/or experience in the MediaSmart Youth sessions we’ve done today? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Trainers modeled the behaviors they were teaching. For example, 

they ate the snacks, participated in the Action Breaks, and did not 

bring in outside snacks/drinks (such as soft drinks) to consume during 

the training. 

 The course included participatory/interactive sessions, such as
 

brainstorming and small and large group discussions and activities.
 

 Sessions incorporated different learning approaches including:
 

auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic.
 

 Open-ended questions created participant-led discussions.
 

 Skill-building activities enabled participants to “learn by doing.”
 

 The training created roles to keep participants engaged during the
 

lesson.
 

 Contests/games enhanced interest and energy in the session.
 

 Diversity and culture were recognized and supported.
 

 Non-judgmental behavior was key to all activities.
 

 Respect for sensitive issues was maintained throughout all activities.
 

3. ASK: 

 What suggestions do you have for facilitating this program with youth, 

based on your experiences in the sessions today, and your own broader
 

facilitation experiences?
 

LISTEN to ideas from participants; WRITE their ideas on large sheets of
 

paper in front of the room. DISCUSS ideas as needed.
 

4. THANK participants for their great ideas and insights about facilitating the 

program with young people. ACKNOWLEDGE the wealth of experience in 

the room, and ENCOURAGE group members to continue sharing strategies 

and ideas with each other when they facilitate Media-Smart Youth. 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
GETTING THE PROGRAM STARTED
 Full-Day

TRAINING 

11 

minutes Folder Review: Other Resources to Get Started 

1.	 TELL participants that their folders include handouts called Tips for 

Facilitating the Media-Smart Youth Program and Ideas for Implementation. 

HOLD UP the handouts for everyone to see. 

2. TELL participants that the information in these handouts is based on 

feedback from past facilitators of the program and that the sheets offer 

helpful tips for delivering the curriculum. ENCOURAGE participants to 

review these handouts as they prepare for the workshop at their 

organizations. 

3. POINT OUT other useful sheets in the folder, including a Media-Smart Youth 

fact sheet (if used) and a Feedback Form (if used), which can help you gain 

feedback about this training. 

4. HOLD UP the Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist also found 

in the folder. EXPLAIN that this checklist will help them plan for their 

workshops, including gathering supplies and materials, purchasing Snack 

Break items and supplies, and finalizing other important details, such as 

location, transportation, and equipment. NOTE that this checklist is also on 

page 28 of the Facilitator’s Guide. 

5. ASK participants to discuss the checklist items in small groups and to explore 

the following questions: 

 What items will you need to acquire in order to implement the program 

in your community? 

	 What sources in your organization or community could you look to for 

support in getting the materials, supplies, and services? 

6. ALLOW 5 minutes for participants to brainstorm and discuss their ideas. 

TELL participants when they have 1 minute left to finish their conversations. 

7.	 DEBRIEF for 1 minute. INVITE participants to share some of their ideas with 

the larger group. ASK if anyone has any questions. ANSWER any questions. 

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GETTING THE PROGRAM STARTED 

90 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

Full-Day

TRAINING 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1. THANK participants for their good ideas. 

2. SAY: 

You have terrific ideas for planning your program, and I know you will all 

be very successful! Remember that the handouts in your folder can help you 

get prepared. 
Question/Answer
 

and Wrap-Up
 
Question/Answer 

and Wrap-Up Full-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Time

10 minutes

Activity Overview

Participants will have an opportunity to ask additional questions.

Activity Objective

u	Answer outstanding questions and conclude the training

1. REVIEW any questions that have been posted on the Parking Lot.

2. SAY: 

 Thank you for allowing us to come to ________________ today and meet 

everyone. We truly enjoyed telling you about Media-Smart Youth and hope 

that you will adopt it and begin offering it to your young people.

Please take a look at the bottom of today’s agenda. There you will find 

the Web address for Media-Smart Youth. The site includes downloadable 

sections of the Facilitator’s Guide and other information about the program.

The packet, which includes the Facilitator’s Guide, video/DVD, and 6 Media 

Questions poster may be ordered from NICHD’s Information Resource 

Center, one copy per request, free of charge. You may also order multiple 

fact sheets. The link to order these materials is also available through the 

Web site.

Finally, I invite you to take a few minutes to complete the short Feedback 

Form included at the back of your folders and leave it at your place when 

you exit today. We look forward to hearing all of your feedback on today’s 

training.

 Thanks again, and thanks to _________________ for arranging the training 

today. 

91

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Full-Day Training
 

Handouts
 
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

All designated lessons, activities, and video segments are from the 

Training Agenda 

Media Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

Welcome and Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 minutes 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 4: A Cool Wind Blows 

Overview of Structure & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 minutes 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Lesson 10: Dip It! 

Exploring Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 minutes 

 Lesson 2, Activity A: What Are Media? 

 Lesson 2, Activity B: Media & Health—What’s the Connection? 

 Video Segment #9 from Lesson 7, Activity A: The Power of Advertising 

 Lesson 3, Activity B: The 6 Media Questions 

 Video Segment #5 from Lesson 3, Activity B: Sample Media 

Exploring Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 5, Activity A: What Is Physical Activity? 

 Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried 

 Video Segment #7 from Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence 

Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 minutes 

Exploring Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 minutes 

 Lesson 6, Activity A, Option 2: What’s On the Label? 

 Lesson 4, Activity A: Hurray for Whole Grains! 

 Video Segment #6 from Lesson 4, Activity B: Eat It Up! 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 9: The Human Knot 

Exploring Media Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 minutes 

 Lesson 7, Activity C: Mini-Production: Omission Mission 

 Video Segment #11 from Lesson 9, Activity C: Big Production Montage 

 Lesson 10, Activity C: The Role Game 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Lesson 2: Mix It Up! 

Getting the Program Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 minutes 

 Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist (page 28) 

 Training Handouts 

Question/Answer and Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy/ 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-1
(This is a 2-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-2 
(This is a 2-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-3 
Free Materials 

Order Form 

Item/Description Quantity Pub No 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Program Packet 

Includes everything you need to conduct the Media-Smart Youth after-school 

program: Facilitator’s Guide, video/DVD, and poster. 

0311 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Fact Sheet 

Provides background on the program, including goals, rationale, need, and 

description of how the program was developed and evaluated. 

0300 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Guide for

Training Program Facilitators 

Provides a full-day and half-day train-the-trainers guides with lessons and 

activities from the program. 

0405 

Please provide the following information: 

Name: 

Title: 

Mailing Address: 

Organization: 

E-mail (Optional):
 

Phone (Optional):
 

Where did you attend the 

Media-Smart Youth Training?: 

To order copies, contact: 

NICHD Information Resource Center 

Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847 

Phone: 1-800-370-2943 (TTY: 1-888-320-6942) 

Fax: (301) 984-1473 

E-mail: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov 

Internet: http://www.nichd.nih.gov 

Please tell us about 

your organization: 

What is your type of 

organization? 

 School affiliated afterschool program 

 Non-school affiliated afterschool program 

 Girl Scouts 

 Boy Scouts 

 YMCA/YWCA 

 Boys and Girls Club 

 Faith-based organization 

 Health center or hospital 

 4-H extension 

 Parks and recreation 

department 

 Other: 

Which of the following 

best describes the kinds 

of programs you offer to 

young people? 

 After-school care (activities 

or classes) 

 After-school homework help 

 Health education programs 

 Faith-based programs 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute 

of Child Health and Human Development
 

Visit the Media-Smart Youth Web site at 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy. 

Thanks for your interest in Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, & Be Active! 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-4 
Ideas for Implementation
 The following tips come from a diverse group of Media-Smart Youth facilitators, 

who wanted to share their suggestions for successfully implementing the program. 

Facilitation Style 

 Show enthusiasm and a positive attitude when 

facilitating—the youth will follow your lead. 

 Allow time for the youth to get to know each other 

and interact with you and with each other—team 

building will enhance their experience. 

 Find a balance between structure and flexibility/fun 

for the youth. Youth have already been in a 

structured environment all day and will benefit from 

a change of pace after school. While the curriculum 

is filled with challenging content, it should be taught 

in a fun and interactive way. 

 Get to know your participants and some interesting 

things about them—youth crave adult interaction in 

their lives and building these relationships will draw 

youth into the program. 

 Focus on the strengths of each youth, even when 

some participants may act in a way that makes this 

challenging. Engage youth in the lessons by tapping 

into their unique strengths and interests. 

 Make an effort to display the youths’ Mini-Production 

projects in your after-school setting—youth are proud 

and motivated by seeing their work displayed publicly. 

Preparing for the Lessons 

 Learn the content by reading the lesson over 

several times. Consider creating a small “cheat 

sheet” for yourself made up of key words to help 

you remember the major points and lesson flow. 

 Practice facilitating in front of a mirror or with friends 

or family—it really helps to practice delivering the 

curriculum out loud. 

 Be familiar enough with the scripts so that you can 

adapt and say all the main points in your own 

words. 

 In lessons where the content is heavy, create large 

sheets of paper with an outline and information to 

post in the room to ensure to cover the key points. 

 Be prepared to explain the meaning 

of words to youth in terms they can 

understand and relate to. 

 Start organizing supplies for the 

lesson—including the snack and all 

materials—at least two days ahead 

of time. 

 As you get to know the youth, incorporate the 

dynamics of the group into your preparation. For 

example, think of roles for youth as appropriate or 

adapt an activity to reflect the youths’ specific 

interests. 

 Consider teaming up with a Media Partner from the 

very beginning and having them co-facilitate 

throughout the program. 

Setting Up the Room 

 Choose a room with plenty of space for the youth to 

move around. 

 Establish places in the room for different kind of work. 

For example, define a regular space for the whole 

group to brainstorm together, a space for putting out 

the Snack Break, an area for doing the Action 

Break, and smaller areas of the room for dividing 

into small groups. This practice makes set up easier 

and helps familiarize youth with the lesson structure. 

 Designate certain spaces on the wall for posting the 

same materials for each lesson, such as the 

6 Media Questions poster or the Working 

Agreement. This predictability will make it easier for 

youth to find and learn the posted information. 

 Begin setting up the room at least 30 minutes 

before the lesson will start, if possible. 

 Set up all activities as much as possible so youth 

can move quickly from one to the other. 

 Cover large sheets of paper that have directions 

about later activities until you need them, so youth 

will not be distracted. 

 Set up the room in a format that promotes group 

work and creative brainstorming—such as putting 

chairs in a circle or sitting at round tables. 

 Set up the snack before the lesson starts as much 

as possible. 

 Set up the snack in the back of the room so youth 

won’t be distracted by the food. 

 Place a large sheet of paper with the 

lesson name and key words about 

what the youth will do by the door to 

welcome youth and introduce them

to the lesson.

 Set aside space for blank sheets of 

large paper so you can access them 

easily if needed. 

(This is a 2-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-5 
Ideas for Implementation
 

Managing Time During the Lesson 

 Each lesson is filled with new content and creative 

activities—be sure to keep an eye on time and be 

prepared to make decisions about places to expand 

or cut time for various activities based on your 

group’s interests. For example, some activities allow 

for more physical activity while others focus on 

being creative—your group may prefer to spend 

more time on one type of activity on a given day. 

 Lessons 4 and 7 are quite content heavy—plan 

ahead for this by adding extra time to these two 

lessons if you can, or by adding a few more 

sessions to your entire program schedule and 

dividing Lessons 4 and/or 7 into two sessions. 

 Build in extra days on your program schedule ahead 

of time, if you can, for padding. This type of cushion 

is helpful if there is bad weather and you miss a day, 

or if your group gets behind in a lesson. If you don’t 

end up needing the extra time, you can use it for 

extra Big Production sessions. 

 Use a kitchen timer to keep track of time during the 

lesson. Use a timer shaped like a fruit to reinforce 

healthy food choices! 

 Anticipate ahead of time when you may need to 

reserve more time for your group to have deeper 

discussion about a topic, and also when questions 

may arise. 

 Allow youth the time to express themselves and get 

into deeper discussions on the program topics, even 

if it means you will lose a little time for an activity— 

this dialogue among youth is important and creates 

productive energy and momentum in the lesson 

activities. 

Managing Group Dynamics 

 Recognize the group dynamics and relationships 

that are already established in your group and also 

the strengths and challenges of these dynamics. 

Tailor the group work to build on the strengths of 

these dynamics. 

 If “cliques” form among the youth, separate the 

groups to keep them from straying off topic and to 

promote new relationships and ideas. 

 Group youth of similar ages as much as possible. 

 If problems arise, remind youth of the Working 

Agreement that they created and agreed to in 

Lesson 1. 

 Tailor discussions and activities to each specific 

group of youth to reflect the group’s learning style, 

cultural diversity, interests, and personality. 

 Keep discussions interactive and applicable to 

youths’ lives. 

 Create additional roles to engage youth who need 

some extra attention, such as helping to take notes 

on large paper or hand out papers to the group. In 

many cases, young people who are acting out just 

need a way to focus their energy and will benefit 

from feeling important to the group. 

 Amend the group format for a particular activity to fit 

your group’s dynamics as needed. For example, if it 

seems that breaking into small groups will not be 

productive, keep the whole group together for an 

activity. Or divide a large group into smaller groups 

to help the youth work together. 

 Bring a video or still camera for youth to use to 

capture the Mini-Productions. (These are available 

at drug stores for a nominal cost.) Taping is a good 

job for some youth to share, can help bring out 

creativity in the group, and can help youth prepare 

for the Big Production. Being chosen to record a 

Mini-Production is also a great incentive for good 

behavior. 

 Give youth a chance to express their ideas at 

every opportunity. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 

(This is a 2-page handout.) 

F-6 
Tips for Facilitating the 

Media-Smart Youth Program
 The following tips come from a diverse group of Media-Smart Youth facilitators, 

who wanted to share their suggestions for successfully facilitating the program. 

 Give youth ownership of the lesson content by 

inviting them to participate, share information, and 

brainstorm. 

 Ask open-ended questions to create discussion, 

such as “What fruits do you like?” as opposed to 

“Do you like fruit?” 

 Affirm/validate youths’ ideas during discussion 

to help them feel comfortable participating and 

taking risks. 

 Guide youth to the learning points in the 

curriculum by asking questions and focusing the 

conversation to lead them to these points. Use 

opening phrases such as, “Tell me more about 

that...,” “I invite you to...” or “I encourage you to...”

to guide youth through the activities. 

 Re-direct youth back to the topic if necessary, 

while acknowledging that they are making 

interesting points. 

 Create a “Parking Lot” to note off-topic ideas that

youth are interested in discussing. Address these 

later during a break or after the session. 

 Show youth respect through your tone, 

expression, and body language. Move around the 

room to connect with youth in various spaces in 

the room. 

 Create roles for youth, such as notetaker, 

encourager, and presenter. This practice gives 

youth responsibility and also helps manage group 

dynamics. 

 Create additional roles or opportunities to 

engage youth who need some extra attention, such

as helping to take notes on large paper, set up a 

work station, or hand out papers to 

the group. In many cases, young 

people who are acting out just need 

a way to focus their energy and will 

benefit by feeling important to the 

facilitator. 

 Allow the youth to be the experts. Make it clear to 

youth that they are experts on being youth and that 

their knowledge is the basis for the workshop and a 

great starting place to build on. An example of this 

concept is asking: “What is your favorite TV 

commercial?” From here, a meaningful discussion 

about TV commercials can unfold with some 

guidance from you. 

 Define your role as the facilitator. For example: 

“My job is to guide you through the material in this 

lesson today.” 

 Manage the small group and large group 

activities by dividing youth into various small 

groups throughout the workshop. This practice gives 

all the youth a chance to work with different people 

and build relationships. 

 Include contests and games to add energy and 

help youth focus and manage time on a given task. 

 Adapt activities to recognize and celebrate 

diversity and culture within your group. 

 Model the activities for the youth, such as doing 

the Action Break or trying the snacks. Be thoughtful 

about other activities you engage in, such as 

drinking water as opposed to soft drinks, when 

youth are around. 

 Allow youth to have individual preferences on 

these subject areas—ask them what they think, 

what they like, etc. 

 Model a nonjudgmental and respectful approach 

to sensitive issues. All youth are different. Help 

youth feel comfortable with who they are by creating 

an atmosphere of respect and acceptance. 

 Be genuine with youth—they know if

you are being real with them and

they need honest adults in their lives. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-7 
Please use this form to share your feedback about the training. Turn in your completed form at the end of 

the training. Thank you! 

1. How would you rate the training overall? (Check one) 

 Excellent  Good  Fair  Poor 

2. Do you feel that this training—when coupled with your own review of the curriculum—prepared 

you for implementing the Media-Smart Youth program at your organization? (Check one) 

 Yes  No. If no, what was missing? 

3. What remaining questions do you have about implementing the program? 

4. How could the training be improved? Please be as specific as possible. 

5. If we were to offer this training again in the future, would you recommend it to a colleague? 

(Check one) 

 Yes  No. If no, please explain: 

6. Please share any other comments that you have about this training in the space below. 

Feedback Form 

PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-8 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-9 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-10 
All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth
  Making healthy choices will help everyone be healthier, not just people who want to lose weight. 

 Media-Smart Youth is not a weight-loss program or a diet. 

 All foods eaten in moderation can be part of healthy diet. 

 Refrain from using the phrases “junk food” or “diet.”
 

 Media-Smart Youth includes four basic nutrition concepts to focus on in daily eating: 

1) Eating More Fruits and Vegetables, 2) Choosing Whole Grains, 3) Increasing Foods and Drinks that Contain 

Calcium, and 4) Reducing Snacks and Drinks with Fat and Added Sugar 

Eating More Fruits and Vegetables 

HOW? Choose a variety of different colored 

fruits and vegetables, because the different

colors mean they have different vitamins. 

WHY? Fruits and vegetables are low in 

calorie and rich in nutrients and dietary 

fiber. 

Increasing Foods and Drinks 

that Contain Calcium 

HOW? Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy 

products that are rich in calcium. Some 

foods have naturally occurring calcium (suc

as dark-green leafy vegetables and beans) 

and others have calcium added (such as 

some breakfast cereals and orange juice). 

Identify the amount of calcium in a product 

by looking at the Nutrition Facts label. 

WHY? Getting enough calcium in the tween 

and teen years is important to build strong 

bones and teeth. 

Choosing Whole Grains

HOW? Identify whole grains by reading the

key words on the ingredients list and by 

looking for the amount of fiber on the

Nutrition Facts label. 

WHY? Whole grains are a great source of

fiber and important nutrients, such as iron 

and B vitamins. Refined grains have been 

stripped of the parts of the grain that 

contain most of the fiber and nutrients 

that grains offer. 

h Reducing Snacks and Drinks 

with Fat and Added Sugar 

HOW? Identify foods that are high in fat and 

added sugar by learning to read the 

Nutrition Facts label. Look for “sugar” 

words in the ingredients list, such as high 

fructose corn syrup or sucrose. 

WHY? These foods can fill us up without 

offering important nutrients that our bodies 

need. These foods are often high in 

calories. Foods that have natural sugars, 

such as fruit, have more nutrients than do 

foods that are high in added sugar. This is 

what makes natural foods better choices. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-11 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-12 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-13 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-14
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-15 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-16
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-17
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-18
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-19
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-20 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-21 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-22 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-23 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

FULL-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 F-24 
Half-Day Training 
Half-Day Training
 

Preparation
 
Half-Day Training Preparation 

You should begin preparation for the Media-Smart Youth training well before 

your training day to ensure adequate time for obtaining supplies and materials. 

Whenever feasible, you should view the training room layout to designate 

space for Snack Breaks, Action Breaks, and other training activities (as noted in 

the Training Overview, page 3). You should also practice and become familiar 

with the training scripts prior to your training day to help make interaction run 

smoothly and enhance the Media-Smart Youth training. 

This section of the Media-Smart Youth Training Guide provides a 

comprehensive list of the required preparation and materials for the half-day 

training. This preparation section is unique to the half-day training and varies 

slightly from the preparation for the full-day training. Review the Training 

Overview for an overview of each of the trainings. For more detailed 

instructions, please see the “Trainer’s Preparation” section at the beginning of 

each training module. 

In this section, you will find the following information to help you plan for 

and conduct the half-day training: 

 General supply list 

 Grocery list for the Snack Break 

 Large papers and small papers needed for training activities 

 Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and slide presentation CD-ROM 

 Handouts for participant folders 

General Supply List 

 1 copy of Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Facilitator’s Guide 

for each participant or each table 

 2-inch binder(s) (optional, but strongly recommended) or metal rings to 

hold guide together 

 6 Media Questions Poster (included in Media-Smart Youth Program Packet) 

 Media-Smart Youth video/DVD (included in Media-Smart Youth Program 

Packet) 

 Media-Smart Youth slide presentation CD-ROM (included in Training 

Packet) 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

93 
HALF-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

94 

 TV/VCR or DVD player (optional, but strongly recommended) 

 Laptop with Adobe® Reader® viewing capabilities (Adobe® Reader® 

software can be downloaded from the NICHD’s Web site at 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs.cfm); projector/screen 

(optional, but strongly recommended) 

 Name tags 

 Pens 

 Sheets of large paper or flip chart 

 Easel 

 Markers (enough for all small groups) 

 Masking tape 

 Index cards/sheets of small paper 

 1 example of media (make sure that this example reflects the cultural 

identity of the group and can also be photocopied) from the following 

options: 

 Cover of a popular CD 

 Print ad 

 Poster 

 Empty food packages; see “Trainer’s Preparation” section at the beginning 

of the Exploring Nutrition module (page 122) for specific instructions 

Grocery List for Snack Break 

Snack Break: Mix It Up! 

 Whole-grain breakfast cereal, such as whole-wheat flakes or unsweetened 

shredded-wheat cereal (estimate 1 large box for 15 to 20 participants) 

 Low-fat granola (estimate 2 boxes for 15 to 20 participants) 

 Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (estimate 3 jars for 15 to 

20 participants) 

 Raisins (estimate 1 large canister and 1 medium bag for 15 to 

20 participants) 

 Other dried fruits such as apples or apricots (estimate 2 bags for 

15 participants) 

 Plastic sandwich bags (estimate 1 for each participant) 

 Disposable containers (estimate enough containers in which to place each 

food ingredient individually) 

 Plastic spoons and forks (estimate enough for serving) 

 Antibacterial wipes or gel (estimate enough for entire group) 

 Napkins (estimate 1 for each participant) 

Half-Da

TRAINING 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
HALF-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

95 

Large Paper and Small Paper for Training Activities 

A Note to Trainers: Please review the “Trainer’s Preparation” at the 

beginning of each module for instructions on how to prepare large and 

small papers specific to the activities in that module; large and small paper 

quantities are determined by group size. 

Welcome and Introduction 

Prepare the following on sheets of large paper to post in the training room: 

 Agenda (see page 98 for content) 

 Parking Lot (heading only) 

 (Optional. If binders are provided, do not prepare this paper) 

Welcome! Please assemble your program materials: 

1. Unwrap your materials. 

2. Insert tabs. 

3. Insert ring. 

 What is your favorite... 

 TV show? 

 Magazine? 

 Food? 

 Physical activity? 

Exploring Media 

Prepare the following on sheets of small paper: 

 Write the heading “Types of Media” (number of sheets determined by 

number of groups). 

Exploring Physical Activity 

Prepare the following on sheets of large paper to post in the training room: 

 Physical Activity Recommendations for Young People 

Health Experts recommend that young people should: 

 Be physically active for at least 60 minutes on most, if not all, days of 

the week. 

 Try to do a variety of activities. 

 Find enjoyable activities so they become a fun part of everyday life. 

 Top 5 It’s Hard To Believe, But It’s Physical Activity (number of sheets of 

large papers determined by number of groups) 

Half-Day

TRAINING 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
Half-Day

TRAINING HALF-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

96 

Exploring Nutrition 

Prepare the following: 

	 1 large sheet of paper for drawing the whole-grain diagram from Lesson 4 

and also found on page H-11 

	 11 8.5” x 11” sheets of paper to write the nutrients in a whole grain 

Exploring Media Production 

Prepare the following: 

	 Index cards or small sheets of paper for the Omission Mission activity 

(number of index cards determined by number of groups) 

Video/DVD Segments and Slide Presentations 

Welcome and Introduction 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #3: What Is Media-Smart Youth?
 

  Slide Presentation: Welcome and Introductions
 

Overview of Media-Smart Youth 

This module uses the following:
 

  Slide Presentation: Overview of Media-Smart Youth
 

Exploring Media 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #9: The Power of Advertising
 

Exploring Nutrition 

This module uses the following: 

 Video/DVD Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

Exploring Physical Activity 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence
 

Exploring Media Production 

This module uses the following:
 

 Video/DVD Segment #11: Big Production Montage
 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
HALF-DAY TRAINING PREPARATION
 

97 

Half-Day

TRAINING 

Handouts for Participant Folders 

These handouts are available at the end of this section. Add handouts to 

folders in the order shown below. 

Left Pocket (front to back) 

1. Agenda 

2. Media-Smart Youth fact sheet 

3. Media-Smart Youth materials order form 

4. Ideas for Implementation handout 

5. Tips for Facilitating Media-Smart Youth handout 

6. Feedback Form 

Right Pocket (front to back) 

1. Media Detective Notepad sheet 

2. All About Nutrition handout 

3. Whole Grain Kernel diagram 

4. Nutrition Scavenger Hunt sheets 

5. The Pulse Game sheet 

6. Take Home a New Idea: Mix It Up! handout 

7. Omission Mission sheet 

8. Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

Training Agenda 

All designated lessons, activities, and video segments are from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

Welcome and Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

Overview of Structure & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

Exploring Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 2, Activity A: What Are Media? 

 Lesson 2, Activity B: Media & Health—What’s the Connection? 

 Video Segment #9 from Lesson 7, Activity A: The Power of Advertising 

 Lesson 3, Activity B: The 6 Media Questions 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 4: A Cool Wind Blows 

Exploring Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 6, Activity A, Option 2: What’s On the Label? 

 Lesson 4, Activity A: Hurray for Whole Grains! 

 Video Segment #6 from Lesson 4, Activity B: Eat It Up! 

Exploring Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 minutes 

 Lesson 5, Activity A: What Is Physical Activity? 

 Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried 

 Video Segment #7 from Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 2: Mix It Up! 

Exploring Media Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 7, Activity C: Mini-Production: Omission Mission 

 Video Segment #11 from Lesson 9, Activity C: Big Production Montage 

Getting the Program Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist (page 28) 

 Training Handouts 

Question/Answer and Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy/ 98 

HALF-DAY MEDIA-SMART YOUTH AGENDA
 
Introductions
 

Welcome and
 
Welcome and 

Introductions

Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

15 minutes

Activity Overview

This module gives participants a chance to get to know each other, 

provides background about the creation of the program, and introduces 

the major concepts within the curriculum.

Activity Objectives

u Welcome and introduce trainers and participants

u Discuss an overview and objectives of the program

Materials Needed

q Large paper, markers, masking tape, easel (if available)

q TV/VCR or DVD player and Media-Smart Youth video/DVD

q Slide presentation CD-ROM, computer with Adobe® Reader® viewing 

capabilities, and projector/screen (Adobe® Reader® software can be 

downloaded from the NICHD’s Web site at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/ 

publications/pubs.cfm)

q CD with fun music suitable for 11- to 13-year-olds and a music player

Trainer’s Preparation

q In the front of the room, set up an easel with blank sheets of large 

paper to write on during the discussion. If you don’t have an easel, 

tape sheets of large paper to the wall in a place where everyone can 

see them. 

q Write the agenda on a sheet of large paper and 

post it on a wall (see page 98 for content).

q Write “Parking Lot” at the top of a sheet of large

paper and post it next to the agenda.

AGENDA PARKING LOT

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TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

 (Optional: Do this step if binders are not provided or assembled.) 

Write on piece of large paper the following then post it with 

agenda on wall: 

“Welcome. Please assemble your materials. 

1. Unwrap 

2. Insert tabs 

3. Insert ring” 

 Write the following questions on a sheet of large paper and place 

covered on wall near front of the room: (Keep this sheet covered 

until it is needed.)
 

“What is your favorite . . . 

 TV show?
 

 Magazine?
 

 Food?
 

 Physical activity?”
 

WELCOME. 

PLEASE 

ASSEMBLE 

YOUR MATERIALS 

1. UNWRAP 

2. INSERT TABS 

3. INSERT RING 

WHAT IS YOUR 

FAVORITE . . . 

— TV SHOW? 

— MAGAZINE? 

— FOOD? 

— PHYSICAL 

ACTIVITY? 

 If you are using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD 

player so it is ready to play Segment #3: What Is Media-Smart Youth? 

 Set up the computer and slide presentation so it is ready to play the 

Welcome and Introductions slideshow. 

 Play music for participants to enjoy as they enter. 

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WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
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TRAINING 

5 

minutes Welcome and Introductions: Part 1 

1.	 WELCOME participants:
 

 INTRODUCE training staff and your organization.
 

 SAY:
 

We’re so glad you’re here and thrilled that you are interested in learning 

more about Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! 

Media-Smart Youth is an after-school program that empowers young 

people ages 11 to 13 to make healthful choices about nutrition and physical 

activity by helping them understand how media can influence their lives. It 

is designed to teach young people about the complex media world around 

them, and how it can affect their health. 

Media-Smart Youth was developed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National 

Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the 

National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services. 

The NIH is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting 

medical and behavioral research. The NICHD, one of 27 Institutes at the 

NIH, conducts and supports research on all stages of human development, 

from preconception to adulthood, to better understand the health of 

children, adults, families, and communities. 

2. SAY: 

Now I’d like to review the agenda for today and then have us get to know 

one another before we talk more about the program. 

3. CONDUCT a quick review of agenda (as posted on wall). 

4. POINT OUT the “Parking Lot.” 

SAY: 

We may not always have time to take questions as we go through the 

training. So, if something comes up, feel free to get up and put it on the 

Parking Lot to discuss later in the training. 

5. ASK participants to put their cell phones on “silent.” 

6. SAY: 

Let’s begin by introducing ourselves to others at our tables so we can get to 

know each other a little better. 

7. ASK each person to introduce him or herself to the group by sharing his/her 

first name. 

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TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

8. SAY: 

Now that you know each other’s names, I have a few questions for you. 

9. UNCOVER large paper with questions posted on wall and read each 

question. ASK participants to think about each question. 

 What is your favorite TV show(s)? 

 What is your favorite magazine(s)? 

 What is your favorite food(s)? 

 What is your favorite physical activity, such as walking, playing a sport, 

or anything that gets your body moving? 

10. ALLOW a few minutes for participants to share the answer to one of the 

questions with others at their tables. 

11. REVIEW each question and ASK for a few answers to each question from 

around the room. ALLOW only a few answers before moving on to the 

next question. Note: Encourage participants to say their names and stand up 

when they offer responses. 

12. THANK participants for sharing. TELL them that they’ve just been discussing 

the key content areas for the program—media, food, and physical 

activity—common issues in all of our lives. 

5 

minutes Welcome and Introductions: Part 2 

1. SAY: 

As I said earlier, the NICHD, a federal government agency, developed MediaSmart Youth. So, why did the federal government develop this program? To 

address three main concerns: 

A. We are surrounded by media, and media can influence our lifestyles 

and habits in many ways. 

A Note to Trainers: You may choose to share one or all of the following 

statistics, as time allows, to further describe the concern. 

 Every day, young people spend multiple hours using or being exposed to 

media. 

 Young people encounter a barrage of marketing and advertising messages. 

	 Over the last three decades, the number of television commercials children 

viewed increased from about 20,000 per year to more than 40,000 per 

year. 

	 The majority of these ads are for food—primarily candy, sugared cereal, 

and fast food. 

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WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
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TRAINING 

B. During the past 20 years, some young people and adults in our 

society have begun to eat too much. The choices we make about 

food can affect our health now and in the future. 



 slide 4), nutrition (















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A Note to Trainers: You may choose to share one or all of the following 

statistics as time allows to further describe the concern. 

 More than 15 percent of young people in the United States are obese 

and many more are at risk for becoming overweight or obese. 

	 Youth take in more calories than they need overall, but most don’t meet 

recommended intakes for several essential nutrients, including calcium, 

potassium, and dietary fiber. 

C. We don’t spend enough time doing physical activities that get our 

bodies moving and our hearts pumping. 

	 Nearly one-half of American youth ages 12 to 21 are not physically 

active on a regular basis. 

2. SAY: 

What’s Media-Smart Youth really all about? (BEGIN slide presentation, 

slides 1 and 2.) 

	 It’s about youth ( slide 3), media ( slide 5), 

and physical activity ( slide 6). 

	 It’s about young people becoming more critical, creative thinkers 

( slide 7). 

	 It’s about helping youth understand more about media so that they can 

use it to make the best choices ( slide 8). 

	 It’s about helping young people feel comfortable with their own sizes, 

shapes, and physical abilities ( slide 9). 

	 This program is NOT about weight control or dieting or forcing anyone 

to do sports ( slide 10). 

	 It’s about science. The program has been rigorously reviewed, tested, 

and evaluated ( slides 11 and 12). 

 A formal outcome evaluation showed a significant difference in 

knowledge and skills in nutrition, physical activity, and media analysis 

between young people who took part in the program and those who 

did not. The evaluation also showed a significant difference in the 

intention to eat or drink more foods with calcium and the intention 

to do more weight-bearing activities in the next month between 

young people who took part in the program and those who did not. 

	 Media-Smart Youth was developed as an after-school or out-of-school 

program for young people ages 11 to 13. 
Half-Day

TRAINING WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
 

 The program focuses on this age group because: 

— Youth are becoming more autonomous and are making their own 

decisions, particularly in regard to food. 

— This age is when some of the biggest changes occur in young people’s 

development. They are trying new things, taking new risks. 

— This is the age at which youth can begin to think more critically and 

to develop these critical thinking skills. 

 It works in rural, urban, and suburban settings ( slide 13). 

 It’s flexible enough to meet the needs of all types of youth-serving 

organizations and the diversity of the young people they serve ( slide 14). 

 It combines youth-development principles and practices with evidence-based 

recommendations about nutrition and physical activity ( slide 15). 

 It’s consistent with national learning standards ( slide 16). 

	 And, finally, Media-Smart Youth is just a click away! Copies of the MediaSmart Youth Program Packet, which includes the video/DVD, some of which 

you’ll see today, can be ordered from the NICHD Information Resource 

Center. The Web address is on the bottom of your agenda and ordering 

information can also be found on the Media-Smart Youth fact sheet. 

Training Guides, which include both guides for half-day and full-day 

trainings, are available through this source, as well ( slide 17). 

5 

minutes Welcome and Introductions: Part 3 

1. SAY: 

Now we’re going to watch a short video segment so you can see what youth 

do when they’re part of the program. 

SHOW Segment #3: What Is Media-Smart Youth? 

2. SAY: 

Today, you’ll learn more about the program’s key content areas and how the 

program engages youth. 

3. TELL participants that this training includes actual activities from the MediaSmart Youth curriculum. Because this is a training of facilitators, and because 

the group is large, the activities are adapted slightly. EXPLAIN that the training 

models the facilitation style of the curriculum to enable participants to get a 

sense for the interactive nature of the program. The activities are noted on 

today’s agenda. 

4. SAY: 

So, with that, let’s take a look at the curriculum structure and design. 

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104 
Overview of
 

Structure & Design
 
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Overview of 

Structure & Design Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

10 minutes

Activity Overview

This module gives participants a chance to learn the structure of the 

curriculum, including the icons, breakdown of activities, and useful 

resources. This segment also provides insight into the flexibility of the 

curriculum. 

Activity Objective

u Review the curriculum structure and design so participants get a feel for 

how to use the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide

Materials Needed

q Media-Smart Youth slide presentation CD-ROM 

q Computer with Adobe® Reader® viewing capabilities

q Projector/screen

Trainer’s Preparation

q Set up the computer and slide presentation so it is ready to play the 

Overview of Media-Smart Youth Structure and Design slideshow.
Half-Day

TRAINING OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
 

10 

minutes Overview 

1. SAY: 

Now, we’re going to briefly review the curriculum structure and design so you 

get a feel for how to use the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

2. REVIEW the following key points about the curriculum structure with 

participants. 

3. SAY: 

The Media-Smart Youth curriculum integrates four key content areas 

throughout lessons: media, nutrition, physical activity, and media 

production. We will explore each of these content areas during this training. 

4. SAY: 

Media-Smart Youth has 10 structured, interactive lessons. 

 Each lesson is 90 minutes in length. 

	 Each lesson has a similar structure:
 

 Activity A (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

 Snack Break (10 minutes)
 

 Activity B (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

 Action Break (10 minutes)
 

 Activity C (varies from 15 to 30 minutes)
 

	 The Snack Break is a great time to expose youth to new foods and 

encourage youth to taste them, and to reinforce the concepts learned 

throughout the program. 

	 Action Breaks provide youth with a chance to get their bodies moving in a 

range of fun activities that encourage teamwork and friendly competition. 

	 The activities are highly interactive. Activities A and B focus on one of the 

curriculum’s main topics. In Activity C, participants do a Mini-Production, 

which gives them a chance to reflect on what they’ve learned in Activities 

A and B and to build their media-production skills. 

5. SAY:
 

The program includes creating a Big Production.
 

	 After the 10 lessons are complete, young people will have the opportunity 

to create a Big Production—a media production encouraging other young 

people to take an action for better nutrition or increased physical activity. 

We will talk about the Big Production today. 

6. SAY: 

The Media-Smart Youth curriculum is flexible. 

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OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

 The curriculum can be organized and delivered in many ways to meet your 

needs and the needs of your participants. 

 For example, if your group is hungry and would benefit from a snack 

before you start the activities, begin with the Snack Break and then do 

Activity A. 

 If you only have 60 minutes to work with your group, do Activity A, the 

Snack Break, and Activity B, and then do the Action Break and Activity C 

in a separate session. 

 The schedule of lessons is also flexible. The lessons may be done once or 

twice a week, once a month, all within two weeks in a summer-camp 

style, or on other schedules. 

 Please note that the content in the lessons is connected and builds on 

previous lessons. It is not recommended to cut out activities entirely. 

7. SAY: 

Strive for the recommended number of youth participants per 

workshop. 

	 The recommended group size for the program is 15 young people because 

this is a good number for doing interactive learning. 

	 Having fewer than eight to 10 young people makes it challenging to break 

into smaller groups and can limit the diversity of perspectives in the 

discussions. 

8. SAY: 

The Media-Smart Youth program includes the following elements: 

(BEGIN slide presentation, show 











MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

slides 1 and 2) 

a. Introduction and Overview Section ( slide 3) 

 The Introduction and Overview section is full of information to help you 

plan for and implement the Media-Smart Youth curriculum. It includes a 

table with information about the lessons at a glance, a resources 

checklist, hints for scheduling the lessons, recruiting youth, and facilitating 

the curriculum, and more ( slide 4). 

 If you remember just one thing from this session today, please remember 

to review the Introduction and Overview section before you plan your 

program. The section will answer many of your questions ( slide 5). 

b. Lesson Overview and Activity Overview sheets are cover pages to each 

lesson and activity. These sheets provide everything you need to know to 

prepare for that lesson or activity, including a list of materials and specific 

steps for the facilitator’s preparation ( slide 6). 

c. Take Home a New Idea! ( slide 7) 

 At the end of each lesson, youth receive a Take Home a New Idea! sheet 

containing several suggestions for how they can share what they learned 

during the lesson with their family. 

107 
Half-Day

TRAINING OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
 



 The sheet also has the recipe from the lesson’s Snack Break so the youth can 

make the item at home with their family. 

d. Notes to Facilitators ( slide 8) 

 Notes to Facilitators appear throughout the Facilitator’s Guide in green 

boxes that are set off to the side so facilitators can find them easily. 

 These boxes contain important notes for facilitators to consider as you work 

through the lesson. 

 As much as possible, incorporate these suggestions into your implementation 

of the curriculum. 

9. SAY: 

The Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide uses icons (





Guide for Training Program Facilitators

slide 9). 

 Icons appear throughout the Facilitator’s Guide to call attention to information 

and help users find the information quickly. See pages 17 and 18 of the 

Introduction and Overview section of the guide for a review of these icons. 

10. SAY: 

Appendices A through K include resources to support you ( slide 10). 

	 The appendices are filled with resources to help you deliver the program. Be 

sure to look through the appendices and become familiar with the rich 

materials there, such as guidance for developing your Big Production, a 

glossary of key words, and alternative Snack and Action Breaks. Page 361 

provides a listing of all the appendices. 

11. SAY: 

The curriculum includes both Pre- and Post-Curriculum Activities. 

	 The curriculum includes optional Pre- and Post-Curriculum Activities that may 

help you gauge how much youth knew when they enter the program and how 

much they learn in the program. These activities are one of many ways to assess 

the outcomes from the program. The correct answers to the questions in the 

activities is provided with the Facilitator’s Guide and are available online at 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/MSY. 

12. SAY: 

I know we covered a lot of information in a short period of time. Don’t feel that 

you have to remember all this at once! The Introduction and Overview section of 

the Facilitator’s Guide is filled with helpful information to help you plan for and 

implement the Media-Smart Youth curriculum and the appendices have a wealth of 

resources to help you. 

Again, If you remember only one thing from this session today, please remember 

to review the Introduction and Overview section before you plan your program. 

It is on pages 1 to 28 of the Facilitator’s Guide ( slide 11). 

Now let’s begin exploring our first content area of the curriculum: media. 

| MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

108 
Exploring
 

Media
 
Exploring Media Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

30 minutes

Activity Overview

This module provides an introduction into how the curriculum defines 

media and its purposes. Activities allow participants to brainstorm the 

many types of media and understand the connection between media and 

health. Participants take part in an activity adapted from the curriculum that 

introduces the program’s media-analysis tool, the 6 Media Questions. 

Activity Objective

u Explore the concept of media 

u Examine the link between media and health

Materials Needed

q The 6 Media Questions poster

q Color copies of the same print ad (one copy for each small group)

q Media Detective Notepad sheets (one copy for each participant)

q Pencils/pens (one for each participant)

q Watch/timer

q Masking tape

q TV/VCR or DVD player and Media-Smart Youth video/DVD 

Trainer’s Preparation

q Place blank paper in the center of each table with the following heading

across the top: “Types of Media.”

q At the front of the room, set up an easel with blank sheets of large 

paper to write on during the discussion. If you don’t have an easel, 

tape large sheets of paper to the wall in a place where everyone can 

see them. 

TYPES OF MEDIA

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA
 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player so 

it’s ready to play Segment #9: The Power of Advertising. 

 On an index card or piece of paper, write the following fact about media use 

among children in the United States: 

Young people ages 11 to 14 spend an average of 6 hours and 45 minutes a 

day using media. This is more time than they spend doing anything else 

except sleeping.1 

 Post the 6 Media Questions poster in the room.
 

 Photocopy the Media Detective Notepad sheet (one copy for each participant).
 

 Place one print ad in the center of each table for each small group to analyze
 

as its media sample. 

1 Source: Roberts, D., & Foehr, U. (2004). Kids & Media in America. United Kingdom: 

Cambridge University Press. 

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EXPLORING MEDIA
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

2 

minutes Introduction 

1.	 TELL participants that in this session they will explore the concept of media 

and that they will examine the link between media and health. 

2. SHARE with participants a few key points about the way media is presented 

in the curriculum: 

 The Media-Smart Youth program does not view media as “good” or 

“bad.” Media is a well-established part of our culture and is a tool for 

communicating. 

 Media can have a powerful effect on people’s attitudes, behaviors, and 

health, including their food choices and body image. 

 Media-Smart Youth seeks to increase young people’s awareness about the 

media in their lives. 

	 Media-Smart Youth teaches young people to think about the media 

messages they receive and to make their own decisions about the media 

they experience. 

3. EXPLAIN to participants that even though Media-Smart Youth focuses on 

young people and the media, the connections between media and health 

apply to adults, too. 

4. SAY: 

In this session, we will:
 

 Define media and the main purposes of media.
 

 Discuss media use by young people and the connection between media 

and health. 

 Practice analyzing media using a tool called the 6 Media Questions. 

5. TELL participants that this session includes actual activities from the MediaSmart Youth curriculum. EXPLAIN that because this is a training for facilitators, 

slight adaptations were made to some of the activities, but that overall, these 

activities are very similar to the ones they will deliver to youth. This practice 

will give facilitators a chance to learn the content, and to gain a first-hand 

understanding of the interactive teaching style used throughout the curriculum. 

5 

minutes Brainstorm Media 

1. SAY: 

Let’s begin by defining media. What are media? 

	 LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, guide them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Media are ways of communicating or expressing information or ideas 

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Half-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA
 

to people. Examples include newspaper, television, radio, billboards, 

letters, telephones, and the Internet. 

2. TELL participants they are going to make a list of all the different kinds of 

media they come across every day. 

3. TELL participants they are going to work in small groups to create lists of 

media. DIVIDE participants into their small groups. 

4. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on a sheet of large 

paper. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity 

in the time available. 

 Presenter(s) will read the list when the group is done. 

5. ASK each group to work together to brainstorm all the different kinds of 

media formats they can think of. TELL participants to record their ideas on 

the sheet of paper in the center of each table labeled: “Types of Media” 

and to number their lists. Their lists should include any and all kinds of 

media. They will have 1 minute to create their lists. 

A Note About Engaging Participants 

To add energy and suspense to the activity, turn it into a friendly contest. 

For example, see which team has the longest list when the 1 minute for 

this activity is up. Give a round of applause to the group that wins and 

invite those participants to present their list first. 

6. ALLOW 1 minute for participants to brainstorm and write down their 

ideas. At the end of 1 minute, have participants count the number of items 

on their list. 

7. ASK one table to read their full list to the larger group. ASK each of the 

other tables to add one type of media from their list that has not already 

been mentioned by other groups. This might be a type of media that they 

especially like or something that surprised them on their list. 

Examples of media: 

 Newspapers 

 TV 

 Radio 

 Books 

 Magazines 

 Music 

 Internet 

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EXPLORING MEDIA
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

 Billboards 

 Movies 

 Videos 

 Art (for example, paintings, photos, sculptures, etc.) 

 Theater 

 Dance 

 Performance art 

 Video games 

 Comic books/graphic novels 

 Ads/commercials 

 Infomercials 

 Public service announcements (PSAs) 

 Signs on the outside or inside of buses or at bus stops 

 Radio contests 

 Art contests 

 Sports sponsorships 

 Signs on the sides of trucks and vans 

 Food or drink packages (for example, cereal boxes) 

 Mail/e-mail/instant messaging 

 Telephone/text messages 

 Flyers/brochures 

3 

minutes Finding the Purpose 

1. SAY: 

Now that we are aware of the many types of media, let’s think about their 

purpose. All media products have a purpose, or a reason why they are 

created. 

2. ASK participants what the three main purposes of media are. 

INVITE participants to look at the examples of media on their lists to help 

them think about purpose. 

3. LISTEN to ideas from the participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following responses: 

 To persuade (for example, magazine and TV ads) 

 To inform (for example, TV or radio news) 

 To entertain (for example, comic books or movies) 

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA
 

SAY: 

The first letter of each of these purpose words form the acronym “PIE.” This 

acronym may be an easy way for the youth to remember the three 

purposes of media. Keep in mind that some types of media may have more 

than one purpose. 

4. ASK: 

	 Why is it helpful to know the purposes of different kinds of media? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Knowing the purpose helps us to be more aware of how media are 

used and how media may affect us. 

 Knowing the purpose helps us to think critically about what we see 

and hear in the media. 

10 

minutes Exploring the Connection Between Media and Health 

1.	 REMIND participants that the Media-Smart Youth program does not view 

media in terms as “good” or “bad.” Media-Smart Youth teaches young 

people to think about the media messages they receive and encourages 

them to make their own decisions about the media they experience based 

on critical-thinking skills. 

2. TELL participants that the next activity is designed to help them 

understand the prevalence of media in young peoples’ lives. This part of 

the activity focuses on the media behavior of young people. 

3. ASK participants how much time each day they think young people, ages 

11 to 14, spend on average using media, not including any time spent at 

school. EXPLAIN that using media includes behaviors such as playing video 

games, listening to music, reading, using the computer, and watching TV, 

videos, and DVDs. 

4. LISTEN for ideas from the group. ALLOW participants to try to answer the 

question. 

5. READ the index card or paper with a fact about media use: 

Young people ages 11 to 14 spend an average of 6 hours and 45 minutes a 

day using media. This is more time than they spend doing anything else 

except sleeping. 

6. DISCUSS this statistic and the connection between media and health with 

participants. 

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EXPLORING MEDIA
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TRAINING 

ASK: 

	 What influences in all of our lives—both young people and adults—might 

contribute to this amount of media use? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Media are all around us—embedded in our culture. 

 There are many different kinds of media available now. 

 People talk about, share, and promote media with their friends. 

 Media producers and companies use persuasive techniques to encourage 

consumers to buy their media products. 

 Media use can be fun and social (such as going to movies with peers, 

playing video games with friends, listening to music, and other 

activities). 

 Media use offers instant gratification (such as instant messaging, cell 

phones, iPodTM, etc.). 

 Some media are associated with images that are appealing to people 

(for example, it’s “cool” to have an iPodTM and iPodTM accessories). 

 Many people rely on media as part of their lifestyle. For example, some 

people like to have a cell phone with them at all times when away from 

their family, or have a BlackBerry® with them when they are away from 

the office or on vacation. 

7. SHOW Segment #9: The Power of Advertising. 

8. DISCUSS the video segment with participants. 

ASK:
 

 What’s the connection between media and health? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Media are everywhere and can have a powerful effect on attitudes,
 

behaviors, and health. 

 Many media ads promote foods high in fat and added sugar, and that 

do not have much nutritional value. 

 Many people like to snack while they use media and do not realize how 

much they are eating. They often choose high-fat, high-sugar foods that 

taste good and fill them up, but may not have much nutritional value. 

 Many media ads aimed at young people (and adults) make foods very 

tempting. TV ads often link eating with “fun” and “excitement,” which 

can lead away from eating to satisfy hunger. People are more likely to 

overeat if they eat when they are not hungry. 

 Media offer attractive role models who can inspire us to take care of 

our bodies by eating smart and being active. But media also portray 

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA
 

body sizes and shapes that are unrealistic and have little to do with 

being healthy. 

 Media keep us busy but not necessarily active. People often choose to 

use media instead of being physically active. 

 Media often portray sports as fun and exciting. Even though that 

portrayal encourages an interest in sports, some people watch sports on 

TV instead of being active themselves. 

9. EXPLAIN that even though this discussion focuses on the media behaviors of 

young people, most of these points about the connection between media and 

health apply to adults too. 

10. SAY: 

Next, we are going to practice analyzing media. 

4 

minutes The 6 Media Questions 

1. SAY: 

All media have a message. The message is the specific point or statement 

made by a media product, such as the main idea of a TV ad or a key point in 

a news story. 

Media messages are communicated in many ways—some obvious, some 

subtle. Understanding the messages in media is an important part of becoming 

media smart. Once you identify a media message, you can decide what you 

think of it. 

Six key principles—we call them the 6 Media Questions—help us understand 

the messages in the media we use. The 6 Media Questions are basic questions 

you can use to analyze media. 

2. INTRODUCE the 6 Media Questions poster on the wall and review it quickly. 

ASK for a volunteer to read each question and briefly explain what the 

question means by asking the volunteer: 

 What is this question asking you to think about? 

3. CLARIFY the concepts in each media question as needed. USE the 

Understanding the 6 Media Questions table on the next page for definitions 

and examples. 

Note: The table on the next page is for trainer reference only. It provides 

further information to help trainers review and define the 6 Media Questions 

with participants. 

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EXPLORING MEDIA
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TRAINING 

Understanding the 6 Media Questions 

What do you think about this media product? Answer the following questions to help 

you decide: 

The 6 Media Questions What Does It Mean? 

1. Who is the author or 

sponsor? 

This question is asking you to identify who wrote, 

created, or sponsored the media product, such as a 

newspaper journalist, a musician, or a food company. 

2. Who is the audience? This question is asking you to identify the group, such 

as young people, parents, older adults, or any other 

group, you think the media product is meant for. In 

other words, who does the creator/sponsor want to 

see, hear, or use this product? 

3. What is the purpose? This question is asking you to identify the reason this 

media product was created (such as to inform, 

entertain, or persuade). 

4. What is the message? This question is asking you to identify the message 

that this specific media product is trying to get 

across. The message is the main statement, point, or 

opinion that is being expressed in the media. In other 

words, what is the media product telling you? Once 

you know what the message is, you can decide what 

you think about it and whether you agree with it. 

5. What information is This question is asking you to identify information that 

missing? is not included in the media message, but that is still 

important. The act of leaving out information is also 

known as “omission.” For example, a food ad might 

leave out information about ingredients, or a news 

story might present only one point of view about an 

issue. 

6. What techniques are This question is asking you to identify the specific 

used to attract your techniques the media product uses to grab your 

attention? attention and draw you in. The techniques used in 

media—such as sound, color, humor, or use of wellknown personalities—are important because they 

make the media more interesting and attractive. 

Different techniques work with different audiences. 

5 

minutes Using the 6 Media Questions 

1.	 TELL participants that they will now have a chance to practice using the 

6 Media Questions. 

EXPLAIN to participants: 

 They are going to work in small groups at their tables. 

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	 Each group will work together to analyze the print ad in the center of 

their table by answering the questions on the Media Detective Notepad 

sheet. The sheet is in their folders. 

 Groups will have 3 minutes to analyze the print ad. 

2. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on the Media Detective 

Notepad sheet. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity in 

the time available. 

 Presenter(s) will read the answers when the group is done. 

3. ALLOW groups to work for 3 minutes. VISIT each group and PROVIDE help 

as needed. TELL groups when they have 1 minute left to finish their sheets. 

4. DISCUSS the activity with the full group. ASK each group to answer one of 

the 6 Media Questions about the sample ad, beginning with Media Question 

#1 and working around the room to cover all 6 questions (one question per 

table). If there are more than 6 groups, INVITE the additional group(s) to 

also answer Media Question #5: What information is missing? POINT OUT 

that there are many different answers to this question. 

5. ASK participants: 

	 What is the difference between the purpose and message of media? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following responses: 

 Purpose tells you generally what the media was created to do, such as 

persuade, inform, or entertain. 

 Message is the specific main point or statement made by a media 

format, such as the main idea of a TV story or a key point in a news 

article. 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1.	 CONGRATULATE participants for being observant about media. ASK 

whether they have any comments or questions. 

2. SAY: 

Knowing how to use the 6 Media Questions is an important step in becoming 

media smart. 

Now it’s time for an Action Break! 

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Action Break: A
 

Cool Wind Blows
 
Action Break 


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A Cool Wind Blows 

t Time: 10 minutes 

1. TELL participants that physical activity

is anything that gets your body 

moving and that later in the training 

they will learn more about physical 

activity. The Action Breaks throughout

the curriculum are great examples of 

this concept and provide the youth 

with easy ways to incorporate 

physical activity into their lives. 

2. SAY: 

This Action Break is called “A Cool 

Wind Blows,” and it comes from 

Lesson 4 in the curriculum. 

Doing the Action Break 

1. ASK participants to bring their chairs 

to the back of the room and to set up

the chairs in a half-circle or full circle. 

PULL out one chair so that there is 

one fewer chair than participants. 

2. CHOOSE one participant to remain 

standing in front of the chairs, facing 

the group. ASK remaining participants

to sit on the chairs. 

3. TELL participants that you will call ou

a statement that describes some 

members of the group. Be sure to 

begin the statement by saying, 

“The cool wind blows for anyone 

who_______________,” filling in the 

blank with any descriptive quality 

about some members of the group. 

 

t 

For example, you may choose to say, 

“The cool wind blows for anyone 

who played basketball yesterday.” If 

any of the participants played 

basketball the previous day, the wind 

makes them move—those who played 

basketball must get out of their seats 

and move to a completely different 

empty seat in the circle of chairs. 

EXPLAIN that the goal is to find a seat 

before all the seats are gone. 

Rules: 

 Participants cannot move to a seat 

on either side of the one they just 

stood up from (unless only two 

participants who are sitting next to 

each other stand up). 

 They cannot push or hurt each 

other to get a seat. 

. EXPLAIN that there will always be 

one participant who doesn’t find a 

seat. That person should then stand in 

the middle of the circle and say 

another statement that describes 

members of the group, such as, “The 

cool wind blows for anyone who had 

breakfast this morning,” and so on. 

. The facilitator can call out, “Tornado!” 

at any time and everyone (including 

the participant who was standing in 

the middle at the time) must find a 

different seat. 

4

5
Action Break 


A Cool Wind Blows (continued) 

6. ENCOURAGE participants to think of

descriptive qualities that relate to 

media, food, and physical activity. 

Note: Try to mention concepts that 

relate to the participants’ daily lives. 

Some examples include: 

 Anyone who listened to music 

today. 

 Anyone who drank at least one 

soda yesterday. 

 Anyone who saw a movie in the 

last month. 

 Anyone who drank fat-free or 

low-fat milk today. 

 Anyone who did a physical 

activity yesterday. 

 Anyone who likes grapes. 

 Anyone who likes to play soccer. 

 Anyone who went to the gym in 

the last week. 

7. MAKE SURE the game moves quickly 

so participants are moving often. 

8. ASK participants if they had fun. ASK 

if they think the game, “A Cool Wind 

Blows,” counts as physical activity. 

TELL them that it does count— 

anything that has them moving 

quickly, jumping around, and getting 

out of breath is a great way to be 

physically active and have fun, too! 

EXPLAIN that they will learn more 

about physical activity later in the 

training. 

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Nutrition
 

Exploring 

Exploring 

Nutrition

Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

30 minutes

Activity Overview

This module examines the nutrition concepts in the curriculum and reviews 

the parts of the Nutrition Facts label that the youth focus on during their 

activities. Participants are also involved in an activity that highlights the 

importance of whole grains and demonstrates how a whole grain is refined. 

Activity Objective

u Discuss the nutrition concepts in the Media-Smart Youth program

Materials Needed

q All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth 

worksheet

q A 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper for each of the 

following terms, written in black marker: 

ENDOSPERM, B VITAMINS, IRON, BRAN, 

GERM, FIBER, ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E

q A 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper for each of the 

following terms, written in red marker: 

IRON, B VITAMINS

q Large paper containing an enlarged sketch of 

a whole grain, based on the drawing on 

page H-11 of the Half-Day Training Guide 

q Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets (one copy for 

each participant)

q Pencils/pens (one for each participant) 

q Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and TV/VCR 

or DVD player

ENDOSPERM

B VITAMINS

thiamin, niacin, 

riboflavin, 

folic acid

IRON BRAN

GERM FIBER

ANTIOXIDANTS VITAMIN E

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TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

Provide each group with materials from one of the following categories: 

1. Breakfast Cereal 

 A box that contained a sweetened, corn- or rice-based cereal 

 A box that contained an unsweetened, wheat-based cereal 

 A box that contained a sweetened, corn- or rice-based cereal and 

includes the words, “Made with Whole Grains” on the packaging 

Note: Only one box with the label, “Made with Whole Grains” is needed 

for the trainer’s demonstration. 

2. Bread 

 A bag from a loaf of whole-grain bread 

 A bag from a loaf of white bread 

3. Milk and Milk Products 

 A small carton that contained 2% milk 

 A small carton that contained fat-free milk 

 A package that contained regular cheddar cheese 

 A package that contained reduced-fat cheddar cheese 

Note: For larger groups, have multiple small groups with the same sets of 

food labels 

Trainer’s Preparation 

 Photocopy enough of the Option 2 Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets to have 

one set for each participant. 

 Photocopy enough of the All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth to 

have one for each participant. 

 Distribute either the cereal, bread, or milk and milk product food packages 

to each small group (be sure to keep the “Made with Whole Grains” 

cereal to the side for a demonstration). If you anticipate having more than 

seven participants per group, then have more than one group work on the 

same set of food packages. 

 Draw a sketch of an enlarged whole grain on a large paper, based on the 

whole-grain diagram provided on page H-11 of the Half-Day Training 

Guide. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player 

so it is ready to play Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

Guide for Training Program Facilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

5 

minutes Introduction 

Half-Day

TRAINING 

1. SAY: 

Due to the complexities of nutrition, it’s impossible to cover all aspects of a 

healthful diet in a program that focuses on other topic areas. 

Because we can’t cover all topics in nutrition, the curriculum covers four 

basic nutrition content areas and encourages the young people to include 

more of these in their daily eating. Those are: 

 Eating more fruits and vegetables 

 Choosing whole grains 

 Increasing foods and drinks that contain calcium 

 Reducing snacks and drinks with fat and added sugar 

Please review the All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth worksheet for 

more detailed information on these topics. Keep in mind that: 

 Media-Smart Youth is not a weight-loss program or a diet; it’s about 

making healthy choices, and everyone can benefit from making 

healthier choices. 

 All foods, eaten in moderation, can be part of healthy way of eating. 

 Try to avoid the phrases “junk food” or “diet” and don’t label any food 

as a “good” or a “bad” food. 

2. TELL participants that they will be looking at the Nutrition Facts labels and 

ingredient lists on packaged products, talking about whole grains versus 

refined grains, and watching a video about making smart snack choices. 

3. SAY: 

We’ll begin by looking at ingredient lists and Nutrition Facts labels of 

different food packages. The Nutrition Facts label is a tool that young 

people can use to identify: 

 Serving size 

	 Amounts of:
 

 Fat
 

 Added sugar
 

 Calcium
 

 Fiber
 

 Whether a product is a whole grain 

You’ll also look at how food manufacturers use product packaging to 

influence the foods that people buy. 

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TRAINING 

15 

minutes Nutrition Facts Label and Ingredients List 

EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

1. ASK participants: 

	 What is a Nutrition Facts label? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following response: 

 The Nutrition Facts label is information on a package of food that 

lists the nutrient content of that particular food or drink. It provides 

information about serving size, calories, fat, fiber, sugars, protein, 

and other nutrients. Nutrition information is based on a single 

serving size. 

 What is a serving size? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 A serving size is a measured amount of food or drink, such as one 

slice of bread, 1⁄2 cup of cut-up fruit, or 8 ounces of milk. 

 Nutrition recommendations use serving size as a way to help people 

know how much of different types of food they should eat to get 

the nutrients they need. 

 The nutrient information provided on a Nutrition Facts label is based 

on a single serving size for that particular food or beverage. Serving 

size on a Nutrition Facts label are not always the same as serving size 

in nutrition recommendations. 

 What is % DV (percent daily value)? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 % DV is a number that helps you know if there is a lot or a little of 

a certain nutrient in a serving of food. This is an important 

identification tool for helping you use the Nutrition Facts label to 

make better nutrition choices. 

 We use the “5–20” guide to make sense of the % DV. For example, 

5% DV or less is low. 20% DV or more is high. So if you want to 

choose foods that are lower in fat, look for a % DV that is close to 

5. If you want to eat foods that are higher in certain nutrients, such 

as fiber, look for % DV that is closer to 20. 

 The amount of sugar is listed in grams (g) and does not include a 

% DV. The higher the number of grams, the more sugar is in the 

food or drink. 

2. DIVIDE participants into small groups. 

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TRAINING 

3. EXPLAIN to participants they should look for the Scavenger Hunt Guide 

sheets in their participant folders, and they will fill out the sheets based on 

the food packages in front of them. 

4. TELL the groups that they will have 7 minutes to complete their sheets, 

and that you will let them know when they have 1 minute remaining. 

5. START the scavenger hunt. TELL participants when they have 1 minute 

remaining. 

6. REVIEW the Scavenger Hunt Guide sheets out loud with all of the groups. 

SAY: 

	 For those of you who had the breakfast cereal scavenger hunt: 

 How much fiber does the sweetened cereal have? (Answer: 1 gram 

per 3⁄4 cup) 

 How about the whole-grain cereal? (Answer: 6 grams per 1 cup) 

 If you were looking at fiber, which would be a better choice? 

(Answer: Whole-grain cereal) 

	 For those of you who had the bread scavenger hunt: 

 How much fiber does the white bread have? (Answer: 0 grams per 

slice) 

 How about the whole-wheat bread? (Answer: 3 grams per slice) 

 If you were looking at fiber, which would be a better choice? 

(Answer: Whole-wheat bread) 

	 For those of you who had the milk and milk products scavenger hunt: 

 How much fat did the 2% milk have? (Answer: 5 grams) 

 How about the fat-free milk? (Answer: 0 grams) 

 Which has more calcium? (Answer: Both have the same amount, 

30% DV) 

 If you were looking at reducing fat and increasing calcium, which 

would be a better choice? (Answer: Fat-free milk) 

7. SHOW the box for the cereal “made with whole grain.” 

SAY: 

It’s important to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label even if there are 

cues on the packaging that tell you something about the content of a 

product. For example, some cereal companies advertise that all their cereals 

are made with whole grain. But “made with whole grain” doesn’t mean 

that all of the grain is whole. 

8. ASK someone to read the fiber content of a serving of the cereal. 

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TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

9. SAY: 

Even though a product packaging tells you one thing, it may actually mean 

something else, so you need to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label. 

The cereal that is “made with whole grain” doesn’t necessarily have more 

fiber than the version that does not have the “made with whole grain” 

message on it. 

10. ANSWER any questions they may have. RECOMMEND that they take the 

other Scavenger Hunt Guides that they didn’t work on to the grocery 

store to practice reading the Nutrition Facts label before they do the 

activity with the young people. 

10 

minutes Whole-Grain Demonstration 

1. SAY: 

At the beginning of this section, we briefly mentioned the idea of whole 

grains versus refined grains. 

2. SHOW participants the picture of a whole grain on the large paper. NOTE 

that a whole grain contains all the parts of the grain—the bran, 

endosperm, and germ. 

3. EXPLAIN that a “refined grain” is a whole grain that has gone through a 

milling process. In this process, the whole-grain kernels are cleaned and 

moistened. Then they are crushed between heavy rollers, which separate 

the bran and germ from the endosperm. The endosperm particles are 

ground some more and sifted to make white flour. NOTE that removing 

the bran and the germ removes many of the nutrients in the grain. Most 

refined grains are enriched, which means that some of these nutrients are 

added back in. But enriched, refined grains still have less than the wholegrain form. 

4. TELL participants that they will now do a demonstration that puts this 

explanation into action. 

5. ASK for 11 volunteers to come to the open space in the room and help 

with the demonstration. The rest of the group should stand to the side 

and watch. 

6. SAY: 

You will now pretend to be a whole grain so that you can see how the 

milling process works. First, we’ll be a whole grain, and we’ll just get 

cleaned, not refined, so we’ll still be a whole grain at the end. Then we’ll 

go through a milling process to be a refined grain. 

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EXPLORING NUTRITION
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TRAINING 

7. HAND OUT the prepared signs. Each participant should hold a sign 

indicating what part of the whole grain he or she is: FIBER, BRAN, 

ENDOSPERM, GERM, ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E, B VITAMINS, or 

IRON. ASK the participants to stand in a tight cluster together at one end 

of the space. EXPLAIN that, together, they are a whole grain. ASK the 

participant or participants holding the BRAN signs to stand at the outside 

of the cluster because they are the outer covering of the whole grain. 

8. TELL participants that the milling process has begun. ASK the group to 

slowly shuffle toward the other end of the room. REMIND them to stay as 

close together as they can. When they get to the other end of the room, 

TELL them to stop. Ta-da! They are still a whole grain, ready to be made 

into bread, pasta, cereal, or other whole-grain products. 

9. TELL participants to return to the place where they started (they do not 

have to stay in their cluster as they return to the starting place). EXPLAIN 

that they are now going to demonstrate what happens when a whole 

grain is milled into a refined grain. 

10. ASK all participants but two (one holding the red IRON sign and one 

holding the red B VITAMINS sign) to stand in a tight cluster together at 

one end of the space. EXPLAIN that, together, they are a whole grain. 

Each participant in the cluster holds a sign indicating what part of the 

whole grain they are: FIBER, BRAN, ENDOSPERM, GERM, 

ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN E, B VITAMINS, or IRON. The two other 

participant stand about two-thirds of the way down the space. They are 

the nutrients added back during the refining process. 

11. TELL participants that the milling process has begun. ASK the group to 

begin to shuffle toward the other end of the room. REMIND them to stay 

as close together as they can. When the group is about one-third of the 

way across the space, TELL the cluster to stop. 

12. ASK the BRAN, GERM, FIBER, B VITAMINS, IRON, ANTIOXIDANTS, and 

VITAMIN E participants to leave the cluster and stand to the side. The one 

person remaining in the cluster (ENDOSPERM) continues on toward the 

other end of the room. When the participant reaches the two participants 

holding the B VITAMINS and IRON signs, TELL him/her to stop. 

13. ASK the participants holding the B VITAMINS and IRON signs to join the 

ENDOSPERM person in a tight cluster. TELL the cluster to continue 

shuffling. When they get to the other end of the room, TELL them to 

stop. Ta-da! They are now an enriched refined grain ready to be made 

into bread, pasta, cereal, or other refined-grain products. 

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TRAINING EXPLORING NUTRITION
 

14. ASK participants to return to their seats. CONDUCT a quick debriefing, 

using the following questions: 

 What do you think about what happens to a whole grain during the 

milling process? 

 Has this demonstration changed your opinions about grain foods? If so, 

how? 

15. BE SURE to note that even though nutrients are added back when the 

grain is enriched, it doesn’t mean that the final product is exactly the same, 

or as nutritious as the whole-grain product. 

16. TELL participants that the Whole-Grain Demonstration activity comes from 

Lesson 4 in the Media-Smart Youth curriculum. 

5 

minutes Reducing Snacks and Drinks with Fat and Added Sugar 

1. SAY: 

Now we will watch a video that focuses on reducing snacks and drinks with 

fat and added sugar. 

2. PLAY Segment #6: Eat It Up! 

3. ASK the participants: 

 Would one person like to share some of the ways that you can reduce 

fat and added sugar in the foods you eat? 

If necessary, GUIDE them to the following responses:
 

 Choose alternatives that are lower in fat or added sugar.
 

 Choose smaller amounts of foods that are high in fat or added sugar.
 

 Choose less often foods that are high in fat or added sugar.
 

	 If there is additional time, ASK: 

Which of these approaches for reducing fat and added sugar would you 

be most likely to try? Please give specific examples. 

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EXPLORING NUTRITION
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1. SAY: 

Remember if you have questions, there’s a Parking Lot where you can write 

your questions, and we will do our best to address them before the end of 

the training. 

2. REMIND participants that the All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth 

describes the program’s nutrition concepts in more detail. 

3. SAY: 

This concludes the discussion about nutrition in Media-Smart Youth. Next 

we will learn about another content area of the program: physical activity. 

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Exploring 
 Physical Activity
 
Exploring Physical Activity

Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

20 minutes

Activity Overview

This module helps define physical activity and its many facets beyond just 

“exercise.” Participants get a chance to practice taking their pulse, a key skill that 

youth can use to gauge how hard their bodies are working.

Activity Objective

u Explore the concept of physical activity

Materials Needed

q Large paper and markers (at least one sheet for each group)

q Masking tape

q Watch/timer

q Easel (if available)

q The 6 Media Questions poster

q Media-Smart Youth video/DVD and TV/VCR or DVD player

q Pulse Game sheet (one for each participant) 

Trainer’s Preparation

q Post the 6 Media Questions poster in the room.

q Set up workstations (quantity is based on number of groups) in different areas 

of the room where the participants can work in small groups. 

q Write “Top 5 It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical Activity” on sheets 

of large papers and post in each workstation (enough for one per 

small group). Make sure each group has markers to write with.

q Photocopy the Pulse Game sheets (one for each participant).

TOP 5 IT’S HARD 

TO BELIEVE, 

BUT IT’S 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

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EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators| MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 

 Write the “Physical Activity Recommendations for 

Young People” (see right for content) on a sheet of 

large paper and post in the front of the room. 

Cover this sheet until it is needed in the discussion. 

 If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up 

the VCR or DVD player so it is ready to play 

Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried. 

Half-Day

TRAINING 

Physical Activity 

Recommendations 

for Young People 

Health experts recommend that 

young people should: 

 Be physically active for at 

least 60 minutes on most, if 

not all, days of the week. 

 Try to do a variety of activities

 Find enjoyable activities so 

they become a fun part of 

everyday life. 

. 

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EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

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MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

4 

minutes Introduction 

1. TELL participants that in this session they will explore the concept of 

physical activity in the Media-Smart Youth program. 

2. SAY: 

In this session, we will: 

 Define physical activity and discuss what it does for our bodies. 

 Brainstorm ways to incorporate physical activity into our daily lives. 

 Practice how to calculate our pulse rates while at rest and after varying 

levels of physical activity. 

3. TELL participants that the program wants youth to understand what it 

means to be physically active and to be able to explain why physical 

activity is important for good health. 

4. SAY: 

The program focuses on the following concepts: 

 Physical activity is anything that gets the body moving. 

 Exercise is just one form of physical activity and often suggests structured 

workouts, such as jogging and weight lifting. 

 One key to being physically active is to find ways to make physical 

activity a natural part of our daily lives. 

5. SAY: 

Media-Smart Youth uses the following physical activity recommendations 

suggested by health experts: 

UNCOVER the paper titled, “Physical Activity Recommendations for 

Young People” and READ the recommendations out loud. 

Be physically active for at least 60 minutes on most, if not all, days of the 

week. 

Do a variety of different activities. 

Find activities that they enjoy doing so that the activities become a regular 

part of everyday life. 

2 

minutes What Is Physical Activity? 







1. SAY: 

As I mentioned earlier, physical activity can be defined as anything that gets 

your body moving. 
Half-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 

ASK participants: 

	 What are some examples of physical activity? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Going up and down stairs; playing soccer, basketball, or football; 

swimming; biking; jumping rope; dancing; throwing a ball; doing situps; playing FrisbeeTM; walking the dog; or washing the floor. 

2. SAY: 

Physical activity is a broad term that refers to all kinds of activities: slow, 

fast, easy, hard, simple, complicated, alone, or in a group. If it gets your 

body moving, then it’s physical activity! Sports and exercising are just one 

part of physical activity. There are also many other ways to be active. 

3. ASK participants: 

 What does physical activity do for you and your body? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following types of responses: 

 Keeps your body healthy 

 Makes your bones and muscles strong 

 Makes you feel energetic 

 Builds strength and endurance 

 Helps your mental health 

 Helps you feel good about yourself 

 Gives you something to do when you are bored 

 Creates a fun way to meet others or spend time with friends 

 Helps to relieve stress 

 Helps you sleep better 

6 Creating a “Top 5 It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s 

minutes Physical Activity” List 

1.	 SAY: 

Now you’re going to work in teams to create a Top 5 It’s Hard to Believe, 

But It’s Physical Activity list. These lists should include any activity that gets 

your body moving, especially everyday activities. Don’t include traditional 

sports or exercises, such as basketball or weight lifting. You can be as 

imaginative as you want, as long as the activity gets your body moving! 

2. ASK participants for an example of an activity that would go on this list. 

Some examples might include: sweeping, vacuuming, or building a 

snowman. 

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TRAINING 

3. DIVIDE the participants into small groups (approximately seven to eight 

participants per group). 

4. ASK each group to select one or more participants for each of these roles: 

 Note taker(s) will write down the group’s ideas on large paper. 

 Encourager(s) will cheer on the group and urge it to finish the activity in 

the time available. 

 Presenter(s) will read the list when the group is done. 

5. ALLOW the groups 2 minutes to create their lists on the large paper. TELL 

participants when they have 1 minute left and when it is time to stop. 

6. ASK one group to present its list to the larger group, counting from 5 to 1. 

TELL all participants to drum their hands on the table right before the 

group reads its number 1 “It’s Hard to Believe, But It’s Physical Activity” 

idea from the list. Have the remaining groups present any activities that 

were not mentioned by the original group. CONGRATULATE the 

participants for having such creative and clever ideas. 

7. DISCUSS the lists briefly. ASK: 

	 Which activities on the list surprised you because you never thought of 

them as physical activity before today? 

8. SAY: 

As your Top 5 lists show, being active doesn’t mean you have to play an 

organized sport. You can be active in many other ways as part of your daily 

life. Just keep in mind that being active in any way is important. 

8 

minutes The Pulse Game: Learning to Take Your Pulse 

1.	 TELL participants that they are going to do a short activity called the Pulse 

Game. 

2. ASK: 

	 What is your pulse? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the 

following responses: 

 Your pulse is the throbbing of your arteries as your heart pumps 

blood through them. 

 Your pulse tells you how fast your heart is beating; pulse is also 

known as heart rate. 

 Your pulse can give you information about how hard your body is 

working. 

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TRAINING EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 

3. EXPLAIN to participants how to take their pulse.
 

SAY:
 

Take your pulse by putting your index and middle finger on the inside of 

your wrist, or on the side of your neck, and counting the number of beats 

per minute that you feel. 

4. ASK participants to take the Pulse Game sheets out of their folders. 

5. SAY: 

Resting heart rate is the number of times a person’s heart is beating per 

minute when that person has not been moving or active. The resting heart 

rate is different from your exertion heart rate (also called the activity pulse 

rate), which is what we’ll take later. Let’s practice by taking our resting 

heart rate together. 

DEMONSTRATE for participants the way to take a pulse as you guide them 

through the steps. 

6. SAY: 

Here’s how we’ll do it: 

 Sit down quietly and relax.
 

	 Put your index and middle finger on the inside of your wrist of 

your opposite hand, below the base of your thumb. Or place 

your fingers on the side of your neck, in the soft hollow area next 

to your windpipe. Now feel for your pulse. 

 Don’t use your thumb to feel for your pulse because it has its own 

pulse. 

 I’m going to count 6 seconds on my watch/timer while you count 

your pulse rate. 

 When I say “Go,” begin silently counting the number of beats you 

feel. 

 When I say “Stop,” stop counting. 

 In the box under Step 1 on the Pulse Game sheet, write down the 

number of beats you counted during the 6 seconds. 

7. ASK if participants have found their pulse. HELP participants if necessary. 

8. TELL participants when it is time for them to begin counting their pulse. 

ALLOW 6 seconds to pass on your watch/timer. TELL participants to stop 

counting. 

9. ASK participants to write down the number of beats they counted during 

the 6 seconds in the Step 1 section of the Pulse Game sheet. ASK them to 

multiply that number by 10 (add a zero). EXPLAIN that the resulting 

number is their resting pulse rate. 

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TRAINING 

10. POINT OUT the “Levels of Intensity” chart on the bottom of their Pulse 

Game sheets. TELL them to find their level of intensity and mark it on 

their paper in the far right column. 

MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! | Guide for Training Program Facilitators

A Note About the Levels of Intensity 

The ranges reflected on the levels of intensity are appropriate for most youth 

ages 11 to 13; however, they may vary depending on how physically fit a young 

person is. The body of a person who is very physically fit will not have to work as 

hard at the same activity as the body of a person who is not physically fit. For 

this reason, discourage comparisons of pulse rates and instead emphasize that 

this is an individual activity. 

137 

11. SAY: 

The resting heart or pulse rate for youth older than 10 years of age and for 

adults is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This is an average, 

and the rate changes from day to day and throughout the day depending 

on what a person is doing. 

The pulse rates that each of you will calculate today are specific to the 

particular setting you are in, and may be influenced by many factors, 

including the tempo of the music. Keep in mind that the heart rates you 

write down do not reflect your ability to do any physical activity. 

12. EXPLAIN to participants that they will now try out different kinds of 

physical activities in two separate groups. Each group will do a specific 

physical activity. 

13. SAY: 

You are going to see how different activities and the way you do each of 

them affect your pulse rate. I will divide you into two groups and ask each 

group to do a different physical activity for 1 minute. After you finish doing 

the activity for 1 minute, you will immediately take your pulse. 

I will keep time and will let you know when to start and stop the activity, 

and when to take your pulse rate. When you are done calculating your 

6-second pulse, write it in the second column on the Pulse Game sheet, 

multiply it by 10, and write this number in the column—Beats Per Minute— 

on the table. 

Then, you will determine the level of intensity you used for the activity. 

Two people can experience different levels of intensity when doing the 

same type of physical activity because the way a person does an activity 

affects how hard your body is working. 

After you finish the first activity, I will tell each group to do a different 

physical activity. You’ll do a total of two activities for 1 minute each, and 

you will calculate your pulse rate after each one. 
Half-Day

TRAINING EXPLORING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 

14. EXPLAIN that one group will be walking first and one group will be 

pretending to jump rope. 

15. DIVIDE participants into two groups and tell the jump ropers to stand in 

front of their chairs and the walkers to walk around the room. STAND in 

the front or in the middle of the room to count time for the participants 

and give directions. 

16. PLAY music from Segment #7: Activities Fit To Be Tried while the groups 

do their activites. 

	 For the first minute, TELL Group 1 to walk and Group 2 to pretend 

jump rope. When there are 10 seconds left in the minute, TELL the 

walkers to walk toward their chairs. 

	 When participants finish the activity, TELL them to stand still and 

immediately take their pulse rates. CALL OUT start and stop times for 

participants to count their pulse rates (6 seconds). 

 ASK participants to record their pulse rate on their Pulse Game sheets. 

 Next, TELL the groups to switch activities. Group 1 will now pretend to 

jump rope and Group 2 will walk. After 1 minute, TELL each group to 

take and record their pulse rates. 

17. ASK all the participants to come back together to talk about what they’ve 

learned. ASK participants: 

 What did you discover about the different physical activities? 

 Do you think that the same activity could be moderate or vigorous 

depending on how you do it? 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following responses:
 

 The way you do an activity affects how hard it is; for example, if 

you walk slowly, your body might be working a little; but if you 

walk very quickly, your body will work harder. 

 As the “Levels of Intensity” chart shows, the harder you are 

breathing, the more vigorous the workout. 

2 

minutes Closing the Activity 

1.	 CONGRATULATE participants on their great work and THANK them for 

participating. ASK whether they have any comments or questions. 

ANSWER any questions. 

2.	 SAY:
 

Now it’s time for a Snack Break!
 

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Snack Break:
 

Mix It Up!
 
Snack Break 


t

Mix It Up! 

 Time: 10 minutes 

. SAY: 

As we said earlier in the Training Overview, the Snack Breaks are a great time to 

expose young people to new foods, encourage them to taste foods they haven’t 

tried before, and to try foods in a new environment. The Snack Breaks also 

reinforce the nutrition concepts they’ve discussed. 

. TELL participants that this Snack Break is called “Mix It Up,” and it comes from 

Lesson 2 in the curriculum. It incorporates whole-grain foods—the cereal and 

the granola—and is easy to prepare ahead of time to have it on the go. 

. Trainers should demonstrate putting the snack together. POUR each ingredient 

into a container. GIVE each participant a sandwich bag. INVITE them to make 

their own trail mix by spooning into their bags any combination of ingredients 

they like. 

. EXPLAIN that trail mix is a great snack for youth on the go. It’s fun and easy to 

prepare several bags ahead of time at home so they can grab one as they leave 

their home. 

. REMIND participants that the recipe for the Snack Break is included on the 

Take Home a New Idea! handout that is included in their folders and that 

comes at the end of every lesson. 

ote: None of the Snack Breaks in Media-Smart Youth use nuts because so many 

oung people have nut allergies. For this reason, make sure to use cereals that do 

ot contain nuts. 

1

2

3

4

5

N

y

n

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140 

GuideforTrainingProgramFacilitators | MEDIA-SMART YOUTH: EAT, THINK, AND BE ACTIVE! 
Exploring 


Media Production
 
Exploring 

Media Production

Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Total Time

30 minutes

Activity Overview

In this module, participants learn the basics of media production and how it 

applies to the Media-Smart Youth program in terms of the Mini-Productions, 

which the youth do during each lesson, as well as the Big Production, a largerscale media production that is the culminating project of the curriculum. 

Participants also take part in an adapted version of one of the MiniProduction activities to get a sense of how the youth get to use their creativity 

and learn about media throughout the program.

Activity Objective

u	Explore how media production skills are built throughout the Media-Smart 

Youth program

Materials Needed

q Pencils/pens (enough for each participant)

q Omission Mission Script Starter sheets

q Two small pieces of paper or index cards

q Masking tape

Trainer’s Preparation

q Photocopy the Omission Mission Script Starter sheet (several copies for 

each group).

q On sheets of small paper or index cards, write “High in added sugar” on 

one half; on the other half, write “Fortified with 8 vitamins and minerals.” 

Fold each piece of paper in half. You will give one to each small group. 

These statements are the facts that each group will leave out of its ad.

q If using the Media-Smart Youth video/DVD, set up the VCR or DVD player 

so it is ready to play Segment #11: Big Production Montage.

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

5 

minutes Introduction 

1. TELL participants that in this session they’ll explore the final content area of 

Media-Smart Youth—Media Production. The production component gives 

youth a chance to apply what they’ve learned about media, nutrition, and 

physical activity by creating media messages and products. 

2. SHARE with participants that the program incorporates media production 

in two different ways—the first is through Mini-Productions, and the 

second is through the Big Production. The 6 Media Questions, which 

they’ve already learned about, is the tool used to help create and analyze 

media products. 

3. SAY: 

In this session, we will: 

 Discuss the concept of “message.” 

 Create our own Mini-Production. 

 Review aspects of doing the Big Production. 

PART 1: Learning About Messages 

1.	 SHARE with participants that one of the most important concepts youth 

learn throughout the program and during media production activities is 

“message.” Message is the foundation for youth being able to understand 

and apply the 6 Media Questions, both for understanding media and 

creating their own media products. 

2. SAY: 

As youth create their Big Productions, guiding them to think about and 

create specific versus general messages will be important. This concept may 

be difficult for youth to grasp, but it is important for helping them think 

about their nutrition and physical activity behaviors. Here are some 

examples of general versus specific messages: 

 General message: “Eat Healthy” or “Be Active” 

	 Specific message: “Eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables each day” or 

“Walk at least 20 minutes every other day” 

PART 2: Creating a Mini-Production 

1. SAY: 

Let’s look at the Mini-Productions in Media-Smart Youth. 

 Mini-Productions are the final activity—Activity C—in each lesson. 

 You will guide youth through these Mini-Productions to create various 

media, such as skits, billboards, songs, ads, and news reports. 

	 Page 3 in the Facilitator’s Guide lists all the different Mini-Productions 

included in the Media-Smart Youth program. 

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TRAINING 

We’re going to do a Mini-Production now to give you a chance to 

experience this kind of activity. 

2. EXPLAIN to participants that Media Question #5 focuses on a media 

concept called “omission.” TELL participants that omission means to leave 

something out or to fail to include a specific fact or piece of information. 

ASK: 

	 Why might media producers leave out some of the facts about an issue, 

story, or product in their media product? 

LISTEN for two or three ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE 

them to the following types of responses: 

 Ads are brief. Media producers might not have enough time to include 

all the facts. 

 Producers want to include only the information they think is most 

important to their purpose and message. 

 Advertisers often want to stress a specific point that might sound good 

to an audience. 

 Advertisers may want to ignore or gloss over a particular feature 

about a product that might not sound appealing to a target audience. 

3. SAY: 

Now how about some examples of media products that leave out certain 

information? I’ll share one with you, and then you can give me one more 

example. 

Note: Trainer may pick one of the following to read aloud and then GUIDE 

participants to other similar responses. 

	 A local news show may not cover some types of news stories because its 

producers do not think these stories are important to the audience. 

	 A television show may not reflect the real impact of the situations it 

shows because those storylines may not be funny or interesting to the 

audience. A good example of this situation is when a main character on 

a show has a baby. Even though the main character and the baby live 

together and the show focuses on the main character’s daily life, the 

baby may be only a very small part of the show. The show doesn’t 

reflect the reality of life with a baby. 

	 A product that is called “Cool Fruit Thirst Quencher” may not mention 

in its ad that it contains only 10-percent fruit juice. The advertisers do 

not mention this fact because it probably would not help them sell the 

product. 

	 An ad for a car may focus on how fast and powerful the car is, and may 

not mention anything about the car’s safety features because the target 

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

m

audience is most interested in buying a car that offers speed and a 

powerful engine. 

4. LISTEN to one example from the group. SAY: 

That’s great. If others thought of different ideas, keep those in mind as we do 

this next activity. 

15 

inutes Doing the Activity 

1. SAY: 

Advertisers need to include information in their ads that will persuade people 

to buy or support their product, service, or idea. 

Now you are going to work in groups to create a radio ad for a product. 

Your goal is to persuade your target audience to buy it, which means you 

need to decide what information to put into your ad and what information 

to leave out. 

2. ASK participants to take out the Omission Mission sheet from their folders. 

3. SAY: 

The information you’ll need to create your ad is on this sheet. However, 

there is one catch: You have to leave out a fact from your ad. 

On each table you will find a folded piece of paper with a different fact 

written on it. This fact is the one that your group will leave out of your ad. 

Do not share your fact with the other groups! Your job is to create an 

appealing radio ad about Happy Rectangles cereal based on all the facts 

I have given you, except the one written on your group’s piece of paper. 

Each group will have 10 minutes to develop an ad and to rehearse it. Then 

we’ll ask for two groups to present their ads to all of us, and we will try to 

guess what fact is missing. 

Don’t forget to include the name of the author or sponsor in your ad. 

Sponsors are often named at the end of a radio or TV ad, at the beginning 

and end of a radio or TV show, and in the small print at the bottom of a 

print ad. 

4. TELL the groups to begin work. TELL participants when they have 5 minutes 

and then 1 minute left. ASK one group to come to the front of the room 

and read its ad. 

5. After the group presents, ASK members of the other group to guess the 

missing fact. Then follow the same process with the second group. 

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TRAINING 

6. Then ASK: 

 Does the ad you just heard tell you the full story about the cereal? 

 Who is the audience? 

 How might knowing about the missing fact change someone’s mind 

about wanting the product?
 

 What techniques were used?
 

7. CONGRATULATE participants for their creative ideas and fun ads, and for 

doing a great job guessing the missing information. ASK whether participants 

have any comments or questions. ANSWER any questions. 

9 

minutes The Big Production 

1. SAY: 

You know that Media-Smart Youth incorporates media production in two 

different ways—the first is through Mini-Productions, and the second is 

through the Big Production. Now let’s look at the Big Production. 

At the end of the workshop, young people draw on everything they’ve 

learned and experienced in all the lessons and activities to create a Big 

Production: 

 The purpose of the Big Production is to create a media product that 

motivates young people to take action for better nutrition or increased 

physical activity. 

 The Mini-Productions help youth learn useful skills for creating their Big 

Production. 

Next, let’s watch Video Segment #11: Big Production Montage. This segment 

is shown to the youth in Lesson 9 and helps them get a feel for the types of 

things they can do as part of the Big Production. 

2. SHOW Segment #11: Big Production Montage. 

3. SAY: 

Here are a few more important ideas to consider when thinking about the 

Big Production: enrolling a Media Partner, planning the Big Production, and 

Resources to help you. 

If you forget any of what we talk about today, you can always go to the 

Introduction and Overview section of the Facilitator’s Guide for more details. 

Enrolling Media Partner 

4. SAY: 

 It would be great if you involved a Media Partner in the program. 

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TRAINING EXPLORING MEDIA PRODUCTION
 

	 A Media Partner is an organization or individual who helps with the 

Media-Smart Youth project, either by assisting with lessons, helping 

create the Big Production, lending equipment or facilities, and/or 

providing time or space for the Big Production to run. 

	 A Media Partner may be recruited to help just with the Big Production, 

or to participate in lessons leading up to the Big Production. 

Planning the Big Production 

5. SAY: 

 Youth choose what they’ll do for the Big Production with you helping to 

guide their selection. For example, if you have enrolled a local TV 

station as your Media Partner, you will both guide youth in determining 

what type of video Big Production to create. It may be a music video, 

TV news broadcast, cooking show, or ad. 

	 You decide the scope and schedule of the Big Production. The scope of 

the Big Production may vary depending on whether you have a Media 

Partner involved and the time and resources available. How many times 

you meet with your group to work on the Big Production is up to you. 

	 While youth create the Big Production, they may need your guidance in 

determining which roles to take on. The best roles for individual youth 

may be evident to you and to the group. Some youth may be especially 

good at writing or drawing, while others may excel at directing or 

coordinating productions. 

Resources 

6. SAY: 

	 Video segments #12, #13, and #14: On the Air! Roll the Presses! found 

at the end of the video, provide youth with a virtual field trip and 

behind-the-scenes look at video production, radio production, and 

newspaper production. You may choose to show these segments during 

Lesson 10 or during any of your Big Production sessions. 

	 Appendix E and Appendix F will also be useful to you in planning for 

and creating the Big Production. 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

SAY: 

Media Production is the fourth and final content area included in MediaSmart Youth. 

Now, let’s switch gears a bit and talk about how you might go about 

implementing the program in your community. 

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Getting the
 

Program Started
 
Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Getting the

Program Started

Total Time

15 minutes

Activity Overview

In this module, participants reflect on the facilitation style modeled by 

the trainers and discuss how this same style is used when facilitating the 

Media-Smart Youth program. In addition, participants receive hints and 

tips for successfully delivering the curriculum based on experiences of past 

facilitators.

Activity Objective

u	Learn the best methods for delivering the program

u	Review resources that may be needed to implement the Media-Smart 

Youth program

Materials Needed

q Large paper

q Markers

q Masking tape

q Easel (if available)

Trainer’s Preparation

q Set up an easel at the front of the room with blank sheets of large paper 

to write on during the discussion. If you don’t have an easel, tape large 

sheets of paper to the wall in a place where everyone can see them. 

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Half-Day

TRAINING GETTING THE PROGRAM STARTED
 

5 

minutes What Is the Media-Smart Youth Facilitation Style? 

1. SAY: 

Now that you have experienced several activities from the Media-Smart 

Youth curriculum, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the facilitation 

approach used in Media-Smart Youth. 

2. ASK participants: 

 What facilitation style did you observe and/or experience in the MediaSmart Youth sessions we’ve done today?
 

LISTEN to ideas from participants. If necessary, GUIDE them to the
 

following types of responses:
 

 Trainers modeled the behaviors they were teaching. For example,
 

they ate the snack, participated in the Action Break, and did not 

bring in outside snacks/drinks (such as soft drinks) to consume during 

the training. 

 The course included participatory/interactive sessions, such as 

brainstorming and small and large group discussions and activities. 

 Sessions incorporated different learning approaches including: 

auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. 

 Open-ended questions created participant-led discussions. 

 Skill-building activities enabled participants to “learn by doing.” 

 The training created roles to keep participants engaged during the 

lesson. 

 Contests/games enhanced interest and energy in the session. 

 Diversity and culture were recognized and supported. 

 Non-judgmental behavior was key to all activities. 

 Respect for sensitive issues was maintained throughout all activities. 

3. THANK participants for their great ideas and insights about facilitating the 

program with young people. ACKNOWLEDGE the wealth of experience in 

the room, and ENCOURAGE group members to continue sharing 

strategies and ideas with each other when they facilitate Media-Smart 

Youth. 

9 

minutes Folder Review: Other Resources to Get Started 

1.	 TELL participants that their folders include handouts called Tips for 

Facilitating the Media-Smart Youth Program and Ideas for Implementation. 

HOLD UP the handouts for everyone to see. 

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GETTING THE PROGRAM STARTED
 Half-Day

TRAINING 

2. EXPLAIN to participants that the information in these handouts is based 

on information from past program facilitators and that the sheets offer 

helpful tips for delivering the curriculum. ENCOURAGE participants to 

review these handouts as they prepare for the workshop at their 

organizations. 

3. POINT OUT other useful sheets in the folder, including a Media-Smart 

Youth fact sheet (if used) and a Feedback Form (if used), which will help 

you to gain feedback about this training. 

4. HOLD UP the Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist also 

found in the folder. EXPLAIN that this checklist will help them plan for 

their workshops, including gathering supplies and materials, purchasing 

Snack Break items and supplies, and finalizing other important details, such 

as location, transportation, and equipment. NOTE that this checklist is also 

on page 28 of the Facilitator’s Guide. 

5. ASK participants to discuss the checklist items in small groups and 

EXPLORE the following questions: 

 What items will you need to acquire in order to implement the 

program in your community? 

	 What sources in your organization or community could you look to for 

support in getting the materials, supplies, and services? 

6. ALLOW 3 minutes for participants to brainstorm and discuss their ideas. 

TELL participants when they have 1 minute left to finish their 

conversations. 

7. DEBRIEF for 1 minute. INVITE participants to share some of their ideas 

with the larger group. ASK if anyone has any questions. ANSWER any 

questions. 

1 

minute Closing the Activity 

1. THANK participants for their good ideas. 

2. SAY: 

You have terrific ideas for planning your program, and I know you will all 

be very successful! Remember that the handouts in your folder can help you 

get prepared. 

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Question/Answer
 

and Wrap-Up
 
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Question/Answer 

and Wrap-Up Half-Day TRAINING

GUIDE

Time

10 minutes

Activity Overview

Participants will have an opportunity to ask additional questions.

Activity Objective

u	Answer outstanding questions and conclude the training

1. REVIEW any questions that have been posted on the Parking Lot.

2. SAY: 

 Thank you for allowing us to come to ________________ today and meet 

everyone. We truly enjoyed telling you about Media-Smart Youth and 

hope that you will adopt it and begin offering it to your young people.

Please take a look at the bottom of today’s agenda. There you will find 

the Web address for Media-Smart Youth. The site includes PDFs of the 

Facilitator’s Guide and other information about the program.

The Media-Smart Youth Program Packet may be ordered from NICHD’s 

Information Resource Center, one copy per request, free of charge. You 

may also order multiple fact sheets. The link to order these materials is 

also available through the Web site.

Finally, I invite you to take a few minutes to complete the short Feedback 

Form included at the back of your folders and leave it at your place when 

you exit today. We look forward to hearing all of your feedback on 

today’s training.

 Thanks again, and thanks to _________________ for arranging the 

training today. 
Half-Day Training
 

Handouts
 
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

Training Agenda 

All designated lessons, activities, and video segments are from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

Welcome and Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

Overview of Structure & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

Exploring Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 2, Activity A: What Are Media? 

 Lesson 2, Activity B: Media & Health—What’s the Connection? 

 Video Segment #9 from Lesson 7, Activity A: The Power of Advertising 

 Lesson 3, Activity B: The 6 Media Questions 

Action Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 4: A Cool Wind Blows 

Exploring Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 6, Activity A, Option 2: What’s On the Label? 

 Lesson 4, Activity A: Hurray for Whole Grains! 

 Video Segment #6 from Lesson 4, Activity B: Eat It Up! 

Exploring Physical Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 minutes 

 Lesson 5, Activity A: What Is Physical Activity? 

 Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried 

 Video Segment #7 from Lesson 5, Activity B: Activities Fit To Be Tried: Music Sequence 

Snack Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

 Lesson 2: Mix It Up! 

Exploring Media Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 minutes 

 Lesson 7, Activity C: Mini-Production: Omission Mission 

 Video Segment #11 from Lesson 9, Activity C: Big Production Montage 

Getting the Program Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 minutes 

 Some Things to Keep in Mind—Resources Checklist (page 28) 

 Training Handouts 

Question/Answer and Wrap-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 minutes 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy/ 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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(This is a 2-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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(This is a 2-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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Free Materials 

Order Form 

Item/Description Quantity Pub No 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Program Packet 

Includes everything you need to conduct the Media-Smart Youth after-school 

program: Facilitator’s Guide, video/DVD, and poster. 

0311 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Fact Sheet 

Provides background on the program, including goals, rationale, need, and 

description of how the program was developed and evaluated. 

0300 

Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active! Guide for

Training Program Facilitators 

Provides a full-day and half-day train-the-trainers guides with lessons and 

activities from the program. 

0405 

Please provide the following information: 

Name: 

Title: 

Mailing Address: 

Organization: 

E-mail (Optional):
 

Phone (Optional):
 

Where did you attend the 

Media-Smart Youth Training?: 

To order copies, contact: 

NICHD Information Resource Center 

Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847 

Phone: 1-800-370-2943 (TTY: 1-888-320-6942) 

Fax: (301) 984-1473 

E-mail: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov 

Internet: http://www.nichd.nih.gov 

Please tell us about 

your organization: 

What is your type of 

organization? 

 School affiliated afterschool program 

 Non-school affiliated afterschool program 

 Girl Scouts 

 Boy Scouts 

 YMCA/YWCA 

 Boys and Girls Club 

 Faith-based organization 

 Health center or hospital 

 4-H extension 

 Parks and recreation 

department 

 Other: 

Which of the following 

best describes the kinds 

of programs you offer to 

young people? 

 After-school care (activities 

or classes) 

 After-school homework help 

 Health education programs 

 Faith-based programs 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 

AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute 

of Child Health and Human Development
 

Visit the Media-Smart Youth Web site at 

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/msy. 

Thanks for your interest in Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, & Be Active! 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-4 
Ideas for Implementation
 The following tips come from a diverse group of Media-Smart Youth facilitators, 

who wanted to share their suggestions for successfully implementing the program. 

Facilitation Style 

 Show enthusiasm and a positive attitude when 

facilitating—the youth will follow your lead. 

 Allow time for the youth to get to know each other 

and interact with you and with each other—team 

building will enhance their experience. 

 Find a balance between structure and flexibility/fun 

for the youth. Youth have already been in a 

structured environment all day and will benefit from 

a change of pace after school. While the curriculum 

is filled with challenging content, it should be taught 

in a fun and interactive way. 

 Get to know your participants and some interesting 

things about them—youth crave adult interaction in 

their lives and building these relationships will draw 

youth into the program. 

 Focus on the strengths of each youth, even when 

some participants may act in a way that makes this 

challenging. Engage youth in the lessons by tapping 

into their unique strengths and interests. 

 Make an effort to display the youths’ Mini-Production 

projects in your after-school setting—youth are proud 

and motivated by seeing their work displayed publicly. 

Preparing for the Lessons 

 Learn the content by reading the lesson over 

several times. Consider creating a small “cheat 

sheet” for yourself made up of key words to help 

you remember the major points and lesson flow. 

 Practice facilitating in front of a mirror or with friends 

or family—it really helps to practice delivering the 

curriculum out loud. 

 Be familiar enough with the scripts so that you can 

adapt and say all the main points in your own 

words. 

 In lessons where the content is heavy, create large 

sheets of paper with an outline and information to 

post in the room to ensure to cover the key points. 

 Be prepared to explain the meaning 

of words to youth in terms they can 

understand and relate to. 

 Start organizing supplies for the 

lesson—including the snack and all 

materials—at least two days ahead 

of time. 

 As you get to know the youth, incorporate the 

dynamics of the group into your preparation. For 

example, think of roles for youth as appropriate or 

adapt an activity to reflect the youths’ specific 

interests. 

 Consider teaming up with a Media Partner from the 

very beginning and having them co-facilitate 

throughout the program. 

Setting Up the Room 

 Choose a room with plenty of space for the youth to 

move around. 

 Establish places in the room for different kind of work. 

For example, define a regular space for the whole 

group to brainstorm together, a space for putting out 

the Snack Break, an area for doing the Action 

Break, and smaller areas of the room for dividing 

into small groups. This practice makes set up easier 

and helps familiarize youth with the lesson structure. 

 Designate certain spaces on the wall for posting the 

same materials for each lesson, such as the 

6 Media Questions poster or the Working 

Agreement. This predictability will make it easier for 

youth to find and learn the posted information. 

 Begin setting up the room at least 30 minutes 

before the lesson will start, if possible. 

 Set up all activities as much as possible so youth 

can move quickly from one to the other. 

 Cover large sheets of paper that have directions 

about later activities until you need them, so youth 

will not be distracted. 

 Set up the room in a format that promotes group 

work and creative brainstorming—such as putting 

chairs in a circle or sitting at round tables. 

 Set up the snack before the lesson starts as much 

as possible. 

 Set up the snack in the back of the room so youth 

won’t be distracted by the food. 

 Place a large sheet of paper with the 

lesson name and key words about 

what the youth will do by the door to 

welcome youth and introduce them

to the lesson.

 Set aside space for blank sheets of 

large paper so you can access them 

easily if needed. 

(This is a 2-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-5 
Ideas for Implementation
 

Managing Time During the Lesson 

 Each lesson is filled with new content and creative 

activities—be sure to keep an eye on time and be 

prepared to make decisions about places to expand 

or cut time for various activities based on your 

group’s interests. For example, some activities allow 

for more physical activity while others focus on 

being creative—your group may prefer to spend 

more time on one type of activity on a given day. 

 Lessons 4 and 7 are quite content heavy—plan 

ahead for this by adding extra time to these two 

lessons if you can, or by adding a few more 

sessions to your entire program schedule and 

dividing Lessons 4 and/or 7 into two sessions. 

 Build in extra days on your program schedule ahead 

of time, if you can, for padding. This type of cushion 

is helpful if there is bad weather and you miss a day, 

or if your group gets behind in a lesson. If you don’t 

end up needing the extra time, you can use it for 

extra Big Production sessions. 

 Use a kitchen timer to keep track of time during the 

lesson. Use a timer shaped like a fruit to reinforce 

healthy food choices! 

 Anticipate ahead of time when you may need to 

reserve more time for your group to have deeper 

discussion about a topic, and also when questions 

may arise. 

 Allow youth the time to express themselves and get 

into deeper discussions on the program topics, even 

if it means you will lose a little time for an activity— 

this dialogue among youth is important and creates 

productive energy and momentum in the lesson 

activities. 

Managing Group Dynamics 

 Recognize the group dynamics and relationships 

that are already established in your group and also 

the strengths and challenges of these dynamics. 

Tailor the group work to build on the strengths of 

these dynamics. 

 If “cliques” form among the youth, separate the 

groups to keep them from straying off topic and to 

promote new relationships and ideas. 

 Group youth of similar ages as much as possible. 

 If problems arise, remind youth of the Working 

Agreement that they created and agreed to in 

Lesson 1. 

 Tailor discussions and activities to each specific 

group of youth to reflect the group’s learning style, 

cultural diversity, interests, and personality. 

 Keep discussions interactive and applicable to 

youths’ lives. 

 Create additional roles to engage youth who need 

some extra attention, such as helping to take notes 

on large paper or hand out papers to the group. In 

many cases, young people who are acting out just 

need a way to focus their energy and will benefit 

from feeling important to the group. 

 Amend the group format for a particular activity to fit 

your group’s dynamics as needed. For example, if it 

seems that breaking into small groups will not be 

productive, keep the whole group together for an 

activity. Or divide a large group into smaller groups 

to help the youth work together. 

 Bring a video or still camera for youth to use to 

capture the Mini-Productions. (These are available 

at drug stores for a nominal cost.) Taping is a good 

job for some youth to share, can help bring out 

creativity in the group, and can help youth prepare 

for the Big Production. Being chosen to record a 

Mini-Production is also a great incentive for good 

behavior. 

 Give youth a chance to express their ideas at 

every opportunity. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 

(This is a 2-page handout.) 

H-6 
Tips for Facilitating the 

Media-Smart Youth Program
 The following tips come from a diverse group of Media-Smart Youth facilitators, 

who wanted to share their suggestions for successfully facilitating the program. 

 Give youth ownership of the lesson content by 

inviting them to participate, share information, and 

brainstorm. 

 Ask open-ended questions to create discussion, 

such as “What fruits do you like?” as opposed to 

“Do you like fruit?” 

 Affirm/validate youths’ ideas during discussion 

to help them feel comfortable participating and 

taking risks. 

 Guide youth to the learning points in the 

curriculum by asking questions and focusing the 

conversation to lead them to these points. Use 

opening phrases such as, “Tell me more about 

that...,” “I invite you to...” or “I encourage you to...” 

to guide youth through the activities. 

 Re-direct youth back to the topic if necessary, 

while acknowledging that they are making 

interesting points. 

 Create a “Parking Lot” to note off-topic ideas that 

youth are interested in discussing. Address these 

later during a break or after the session. 

 Show youth respect through your tone, 

expression, and body language. Move around the 

room to connect with youth in various spaces in 

the room. 

 Create roles for youth, such as notetaker, 

encourager, and presenter. This practice gives 

youth responsibility and also helps manage group 

dynamics. 

 Create additional roles or opportunities to 

engage youth who need some extra attention, such 

as helping to take notes on large paper, set up a 

work station, or hand out papers to 

the group. In many cases, young 

people who are acting out just need 

a way to focus their energy and will 

benefit by feeling important to the 

facilitator. 

 Allow the youth to be the experts. Make it clear to 

youth that they are experts on being youth and that 

their knowledge is the basis for the workshop and a 

great starting place to build on. An example of this 

concept is asking: “What is your favorite TV 

commercial?” From here, a meaningful discussion 

about TV commercials can unfold with some 

guidance from you. 

Define your role as the facilitator. For example: 

“My job is to guide you through the material in this 

lesson today.” 

Manage the small group and large group 

activities by dividing youth into various small 

groups throughout the workshop. This practice gives 

all the youth a chance to work with different people 

and build relationships. 

Include contests and games to add energy and 

help youth focus and manage time on a given task. 

Adapt activities to recognize and celebrate 

diversity and culture within your group. 

Model the activities for the youth, such as doing 

the Action Break or trying the snacks. Be thoughtful 

about other activities you engage in, such as 

drinking water as opposed to soft drinks, when 

youth are around. 

Allow youth to have individual preferences on 

these subject areas—ask them what they think, 

what they like, etc. 

Model a nonjudgmental and respectful approach 

to sensitive issues. All youth are different. Help 

youth feel comfortable with who they are by creating 

an atmosphere of respect and acceptance. 

 Be genuine with youth—they know if

you are being real with them and

they need honest adults in their lives. 















HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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PROGRAM INTRODUCTION 

AND FACILITATOR TRAINING 

Please use this form to share your feedback about the training. T

Feedback Form 

urn in your completed form at the end of 

the training. Thank you! 

1. How would you rate the training overall? (Check one) 

 Excellent  Good  Fair  Poor 

2. Do you feel that this training—when coupled with your own review of the curriculum—prepared 

you for implementing the Media-Smart Youth program at your organization? (Check one) 

 Yes  No. If no, what was missing? 

3. What remaining questions do you have about implementing the program? 

4. How could the training be improved? Please be as specific as possible. 

5. If we were to offer this training again in the future, would you recommend it to a colleague? 

(Check one) 

 Yes  No. If no, please explain: 

6. Please share any other comments that you have about this training in the space below. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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All About Nutrition in Media-Smart Youth
  Making healthy choices will help everyone be healthier, not just people who want to lose weight. 

 Media-Smart Youth is not a weight-loss program or a diet. 

 All foods eaten in moderation can be part of healthy diet. 

 Refrain from using the phrases “junk food” or “diet.”
 

 Media-Smart Youth includes four basic nutrition concepts to focus on in daily eating: 

1) Eating More Fruits and Vegetables, 2) Choosing Whole Grains, 3) Increasing Foods and Drinks that Contain 

Calcium, and 4) Reducing Snacks and Drinks with Fat and Added Sugar 

 

Eating More Fruits and Vegetables 

HOW? Choose a variety of different colored 

fruits and vegetables, because the different 

colors mean they have different vitamins. 

WHY? Fruits and vegetables are low in 

calorie and rich in nutrients and dietary 

fiber. 

Increasing Foods and Drinks 

that Contain Calcium 

HOW? Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy 

products that are rich in calcium. Some 

foods have naturally occurring calcium (such 

as dark-green leafy vegetables and beans) 

and others have calcium added (such as 

some breakfast cereals and orange juice). 

Identify the amount of calcium in a product 

by looking at the Nutrition Facts label. 

WHY? Getting enough calcium in the tween 

and teen years is important to build strong 

bones and teeth. 

Choosing Whole Grains

HOW? Identify whole grains by reading the

key words on the ingredients list and by 

looking for the amount of fiber on the

Nutrition Facts label. 

WHY? Whole grains are a great source of

fiber and important nutrients, such as iron 

and B vitamins. Refined grains have been 

stripped of the parts of the grain that 

contain most of the fiber and nutrients 

that grains offer. 

Reducing Snacks and Drinks 

with Fat and Added Sugar 

HOW? Identify foods that are high in fat and 

added sugar by learning to read the 

Nutrition Facts label. Look for “sugar” 

words in the ingredients list, such as high 

fructose corn syrup or sucrose. 

WHY? These foods can fill us up without 

offering important nutrients that our bodies 

need. These foods are often high in 

calories. Foods that have natural sugars, 

such as fruit, have more nutrients than do 

foods that are high in added sugar. This is 

what makes natural foods better choices. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-10 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-11 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-12 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
 H-14 
This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. (This is a 7-page handout.) 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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This handout is taken directly from the Media-Smart Youth Facilitator’s Guide. 

HALF-DAY TRAINING HANDOUTS
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