In this activity you will be watching a video produced by Yale Environment 360 in collaboration with MediaStorm.
In each section of the activity you’ll be asked to think about elements of the video’s content and presentation as they relate to information literacy, which you learned about in Chapter 3.
This activity should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
1. Click the play button to begin playing the video
2. Watch the video with this question in mind: What is the overall message of this video clip?
After watching this video, do you support mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia? Why?
What is one element of the video that influenced your opinion?
1. Rewatch the video.
2. As you watch the video for a second time, jot down brief notes on the following:
What kinds of images are you shown most frequently in this video? Check the boxes next to your choices, or type your own in the box for "Other."
Images | |
---|---|
healthy mountain tops | |
pollution | |
forests | |
residents of Appalachia | |
uses of coal energy | |
strip-mined mountains | |
Other: |
Which of the words below would you use to describe the video's tone? Check the boxes next to your choices, or type your own in the box for "Other."
Tone | |
---|---|
angry | |
biased | |
happy | |
optimistic | |
pessimistic | |
problem-solving | |
sad | |
scientific | |
serious | |
unbiased | |
Other: |
1. Rewatch the video as necessary.
2. This time, concentrate on the people in the video (i.e., who are they, what they do, etc.). Are they for or against mountaintop removal mining?
Use the drop-down menus to indicate whether each person in the video is for or against mountaintop removal mining.
Name | For or Against? |
---|---|
Jack Spadaro (Mining Health and Safety Consultant) | |
Debbie Jarrell (Rock Creek, WV resident) | |
Bo Webb (Naoma, WV resident) | |
Dr. Dennis Lemly (Wake Forest university) | |
Chris Hamilton (WV Coal Association) | |
Senator Joe Manchin (former Governor of WV) | |
Anita Miller (Mud River, WV resident) | |
Lorene Caudill (Mud River, WV resident) | |
Dr. Ben Stout (Wheeling Jesuit University) |
Name two arguments from the video that are in favor of mountaintop removal mining, and identify the person or people that gave them.
Next, name two arguments from the video that are against mountaintop removal mining, and identify the person or people that gave them.
To help you evaluate mountaintop removal mining, are there any types of people that you'd like to have seen interviewed in this video? What questions might you have wanted to ask them?
Finally, answer these summary questions.
This video clip is primarily meant to:
A. |
B. |
C. |
Explain your answer to the last question in a sentence or two.
Based on your evaluation above, would you want to watch the entire 20 minute video?
A. |
B. |
Why or why not?
Did your opinion on mountaintop removal mining change after your analysis of the video’s presentation?
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