Enjoy these interdisciplinary ideas designed for use in the classroom and at home. The relationship between viewing violence on television and violent behavior has become a controversial subject, especially in relation to children. Discussing television violence and the effects of violence and behavior with students can stimulate students to think critically about their television viewing habits. The journal can be kept for a time period of a week or more.
Students can then, as a class, compare and contrast the television programming they watch.
They can discuss which shows they thought were violent and if it had an effect on their behavior. Teacher and students can even create a non-violent television programming guide using entries or data from their journals. This story can include student-made book covers and colorful drawings about that day at work. A great way to convey this concept to students is to care for a small pet in the classroom. Students would have the responsibility of feeding the pet, making sure it receives fresh air and sunlight, cleaning its living space, etc.