Different media forms

There are many different forms of media that we can explore for information on things that interest us. Think of different media forms that you typically examine to find out more about topics that interest you.

What is a magazine?

One form of media that many people enjoy reviewing is magazines. A magazine is a printed or online selection of writing that is published a certain number of times a year. Some magazines are published every week, while others are published every month.

Some elements common to print magazines include the following:

• a cover page
• a table of contents
• a variety of different articles

Different magazines will target different audiences. They have a variety of pictures, articles, and other writings that would interest their exact audience.

Magazines can be about anything. For example, there are magazines for people interested in travel, cooking, automobiles, fashion, home décor, and so on. Others are meant to interest children or people who own a pet.

Cover page

The magazine cover represents what the reader will find inside the magazine. Examine the sample below for the characteristics you will find on most magazine covers.

Table of contents

The table of contents of a magazine is found on the first page. This is where the reader will find which pages to locate each article. Along with the title of the article, the reader will often find a short blurb about what the article is about. Examine the table of contents of the sample below for characteristics found on this page.

Articles

Inside a magazine, you will discover a variety of different articles. Depending on the magazine, there are several different kinds of articles you might find (e.g., A “How to” on a particular topic, scavenger hunts, informative articles on different topics, recipes, letters to the editor, before and after photos, etc.). Examine the titles of the articles and the way they are formatted to understand the characteristics found in different kinds of magazine articles.

Time to see what you’ve learned! For each sentence, use the drop down menu to pick the correct word.

Analyzing magazines

Examine the magazines below and try to identify the audience that the magazine is targeting, what kinds of articles you will find inside the magazine, and whether it is a magazine that you would be interested in.

For each magazine above, find the following:

• Who is the intended audience?
• What kinds of articles might I find in this magazine?
• Would this magazine likely interest me? Why or why not?

Complete the Magazine Findings and Opinions in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

Creating your own mock-up of a magazine

Emily is a 12-year-old Mohawk girl originally from Kahnawake, now living in Montreal. Access the video “Emily” from Raven’s Quest and make notes about Emily as if you are preparing to write an article.

Create a mock-up or plan for an article about Emily. This can be related to something explored in the video (e.g., a ‘how to,’ an interview with Emily, letters to the editor, a recipe, informative paragraph, etc.) Next, create a mock-up or plan of the magazine cover where your article would be featured.

What would be on the cover of the magazine?

What would you include in the table of contents?

Your mock-up can be audio descriptions in a recording, drawings on paper, or digital ideas on the computer. Or complete the Magazine Mock-Up Worksheet in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity?  Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.