Opinion
Teaching Opinion

Use a PSA for Content Review

By Starr Sackstein — October 03, 2017 1 min read
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Preliminary student collaboration shows the topic evolution as they work together to decide what their PSA will represent.

As the unit is wrapping up, why not circle back through important earlier content by adding a new technology skill?

Journalism students will be reviewing topics covered this month and will select one to create a public service announcement (PSA).

Within this short commercial, students will determine a message and in a concise manner will visually share the message.

Check out the assignment here.

Students spent the first day selecting their groups of three and beginning to brainstorm topics studied this year. They reviewed their notes and documents and started to select topics.

Some topics students selected are:


  • libel
  • minimize harm
  • yellow journalism
  • copyright infringement

Students were then asked to take it one step further and decide what message they wanted to communicate through this topic.

Next they will learn to draft a script using proper terminology and then they will begin to film or screencast their PSAs.

Since iMovie isn’t an application I know that well, one of my seniors will be coming in to teach a class on how to edit using the application and then the students will put it all together.

At the end of the making, we’ll have a gallery walk for viewing. Kids will share their PSAs and reflect on the experience. All masterful PSAs will run on the student media website WJPSnews.com.

Overall, this process promises to be a fun one that will require a great deal of synthesis and technological skills.

Make sure that when developing a project that allows students to review content:


  • that you are clear on your expectations
  • co-create the success criteria
  • encourage students to be a part of the design process
  • provide choice in content and product
  • give them time in class to do the work with their teams
  • provide them feedback throughout the process
  • don’t be afraid to introduce a new skill with the reviewed content
  • ask them to reflect on their learning
  • celebrate learning to deepen understanding in the whole class
  • make the celebration a part of the learning

We want all of our learning experiences, even the review ones to be memorable and enjoyable for our students.

How do you review content creatively? Please share.

The opinions expressed in Work in Progress are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.